Sociolinguistic conflict in Norway: Bokmal or Nynorsk?

Attitude towards multilingualism has undergone significant changes throughout the world as a result of the widespread of liberal ideas in the second half of the 20th century. Nowadays, it is important to take into consideration the experience of individual countries, in which multilingualism is enshrined in law, and positive experience of intercultural and interlanguage relations. The article analyzes the historical reasons for the emergence of bilingualism and presents a detailed description of the current sociolinguistic situation in Norway. Norway's path to bilingualism lay through the struggle for national independence and self-determination. The country made an attempt to create its own language, that led to the creation of two Norwegian languages - Danish-Norwegian (Bokmal) and New Norwegian (Nynorsk). Development of Bokmal and Nynorsk has grown into an open confrontation, a language struggle, and this struggle still remains unfinished. One of its most significant results is the linguistic split of the Norwegian culture.