Takk for yell-pen toosh dahg

Bizarre but true: This is a website that will help you learn Norwegian. Yell-pen is the Norwegian pronounciation for (the) help, assistance.

One word about Tush Day, I mean toosh-dahg, as noted in lesson 4: That’s Oslo dialect. They prounounce “rs” more like “rsh” or just “sh” so “tors” (as in the Norwegian for Thor’s) ends up described as sounding like “toosh”. And I gets me a good laugh.

Could you say the line in my subject in Norway and get away with it? Sure. It means, “Thanks for the help (I got) Thursday.”

Norwegians have only one word for please, and they don’t use it much for fear of wearing it out, but do have a bajillion ways of thanking you afterwards. So a request is made by either a question or an order and ending it with “takk” (tahck). For example, to order beer, just say, “Ehn hall-leeter, takk!” (A half liter, thanks!) And, with the right tone of voice, a polite request can be turned into exquisite sarcasm.

PS: For the advanced student, don’t miss “Sailing with Japanese TV and Thor Heyerdahl” in Lesson 37!