Looking for expert Norwegian translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been providing professional translation services between English and Norwegian to clients worldwide. We specialize in a range of industries, including legal, technical, marketing, and business sectors. Our experienced team ensures precise, high-quality translations tailored to your unique requirements. Get a fast, free Norwegian translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Norwegian Translation Services
Green Crescent’s skilled team of Norwegian translators includes subject matter experts for industry-specific needs. We provide translations tailored to all major forms of the Norwegian language, including:
- Bokmål (Norway’s most widely used written standard)
- Nynorsk (official written standard used in parts of Norway)
- Regional dialects and variations across Norway
We specialize in both English to Norwegian and Norwegian to English translations, offering the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Norwegian language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Norwegian translator without the involvement of an editor or proofreader, and therefore should not be considered final or polished work for most professional or formal use cases. While they are typically of high quality, simple translations are essentially "rough drafts" that do not go through additional editing, proofreading, or other quality control processes. These translations are ideal for personal letters, informal communications, initial drafts that will later be revised, or for situations where you need to quickly understand the general meaning or "gist" of a Norwegian text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Norwegian Translation service is designed to provide high-quality translations for everyday use, including business correspondence, websites, reports, presentations, and similar content. This service includes translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) to ensure the highest level of accuracy and clarity in your Norwegian communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Norwegian Translation service is designed for situations where perfection is essential. This option is recommended for texts intended for large-scale printing, technical documents, legal contracts and patents, medical documents, or any case where an error could be critical or costly. Each translated line is reviewed by a minimum of three linguists, with multiple rounds of proofreading. Subject matter experts (SMEs) may be involved as needed throughout the Norwegian translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual Editing
Bilingual Editing for Norwegian Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Norwegian language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Norwegian, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Norwegian. This step occurs after the initial translation in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard Translation services. We also offer this service as a standalone option for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Proofreading
With each additional round of editing and proofreading, the error rate of a document approaches the perfection horizon. Our proofreading service for English to Norwegian and Norwegian to English translations involves reviewing a single-language text to identify and correct surface-level errors, such as spelling mistakes, grammar issues, punctuation errors, and formatting inconsistencies. This step is the final phase in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard translation services. We also offer proofreading as a standalone service for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Legal Translation
Green Crescent's elite team of linguists, each with subject matter expertise in specialized legal fields, is ready to assist you with the translation of a wide range of judicial, administrative, and private legal documents between Norwegian and English. Nearly all countries recognize that submitting documents for translation does not compromise attorney-client privilege. Furthermore, we can implement enhanced security measures to ensure strict confidentiality upon request.
Technical Translation
Technical translations involve any text that features specialized vocabulary or language registers, necessitating additional research and terminology verification. Common technical subject matter includes legal, medical, scientific, engineering, and IT topics, but any text that utilizes industry-specific terminology or neologisms may be considered technical in nature. These translations cannot be executed by generalists alone; they require the expertise of linguists with in-depth knowledge of the relevant technical field in both Norwegian and English.
Medical Translation
Green Crescent has established protocols to ensure compliance with HIPAA and HITECH regulations, which you can learn more about here. Our Norwegian medical translations are treated as "organization critical," unless otherwise specified, and we are committed to implementing the necessary digital security measures and legal safeguards for every project subject to HIPAA and HITECH requirements. Our team of skilled linguists, specialized in medical terminology, ensures that your translations are both accurate and secure.
Localization
Our translation services are tailored for specific target markets that require non-standard varieties or dialects of the Norwegian language. Green Crescent is equipped to accommodate requests for localized Norwegian translation, ensuring that your content resonates with the intended audience. For example, we offer translations in regional dialects such as "Bokmål," "Nynorsk," and more. Our experienced linguists are well-versed in the nuances of these dialects, allowing us to provide translations that are not only accurate but also culturally relevant and engaging. By focusing on the unique linguistic characteristics of each Norwegian dialect, we help you effectively connect with your audience and enhance the impact of your message.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Norwegian
At Green Crescent, we leverage our extensive experience in software development to provide specialized Norwegian localization services. We excel in adapting your website, app, or software’s content, design, and functionality for Norwegian-speaking audiences. Whether you need a fully multilingual solution or specific adaptations for Norwegian, our services encompass translating text, adjusting images, and modifying layouts. We also adapt and program code for both mobile and desktop applications, ensuring that your app functions seamlessly across Norwegian-speaking regions while adhering to platform-specific guidelines. Let us help you create an engaging and culturally relevant experience for your Norwegian-speaking users.
Back-translation
Back-translation is often a crucial component of the quality control process, particularly when translating highly technical documents or for critical translations in the Norwegian/English language pair where an error could have significant consequences. This process involves an independent linguist translating a previously translated text back into its original source language—either Norwegian or English—without reference to the original document. The resulting text is then compared to the original translation to verify its intelligibility, accuracy, and suitability for its intended use. Back-translation is also relevant in situations such as the translation of legal documents, medical texts, and marketing materials, where precise wording is essential. It can be particularly beneficial when adapting content for different cultural contexts, ensuring that the intended message is preserved and resonates appropriately with the target audience in both Norwegian and English.
Peer Review
Green Crescent offers professional focus group services that include a comprehensive "read-through" conducted by one or more linguists who were not involved in the original translation process. This approach allows for an unbiased assessment of the translation's quality, style, and overall fitness for its intended purpose. The focus group can evaluate various aspects of the text, including linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance, and the effectiveness of the messaging in reaching the target audience. Feedback is provided on how well the translation conveys the original intent and nuances of the source material, ensuring that it resonates with readers in both Norwegian and English contexts.
SME Review
Subject Matter Expert (SME) review is a specialized form of peer review conducted by non-linguist professionals with deep expertise in specific fields. This process is particularly important for Norwegian to English or English to Norwegian translations of highly technical texts, ensuring that the content is both linguistically accurate and technically precise. In fields such as legal, medical, scientific, and engineering, SMEs help verify the correct use of industry-specific terminology, adherence to regulatory or technical standards, and the contextual relevance of the translated material. By incorporating SME review into the translation process, we ensure that your final product is not only fluent and culturally appropriate but also technically sound and ready for professional use in both Norwegian- and English-speaking markets.
Transcreation
Our Norwegian Transcreation Service goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Norwegian-speaking audiences. At Green Crescent, we ensure that your brand’s messages, campaigns, and communications maintain their original intent, emotional impact, and tone, while aligning with the cultural and linguistic nuances of the target market. Whether it’s marketing, branding, or advertising, we reimagine your content to feel authentic and compelling in Norwegian, helping your brand connect meaningfully and effectively with Norwegian-speaking audiences.
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full)
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full) refers to the comprehensive post-editing of a machine-translated text between Norwegian and English, ensuring the final product meets the highest standards of linguistic quality. In this process, once the machine generates the translation, a skilled human editor thoroughly reviews the entire content, ensuring that it is not only accurate in meaning but also flows naturally and fluently in the target language. This detailed editing process includes correcting grammar, syntax, and terminology, adapting the text for the intended audience, and ensuring it adheres to any stylistic preferences or regulatory requirements. MTPE-Full is suitable for business-critical texts where precision and quality are paramount.
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light)
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light) is a more streamlined version of post-editing, designed for situations where speed and cost-efficiency are prioritized over linguistic perfection. In this process, the human editor focuses primarily on fixing major errors and ensuring that the overall meaning of the machine-translated text is clear and understandable in the target language (Norwegian or English). While MTPE-Light may not deliver a translation that is fully polished or ready for publication, it provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for internal documents, reports, and communications where basic comprehension is sufficient.
Additional Language Services and Options for Norwegian
Certified Translation
Green Crescent provides certified translations of a wide range of legal documents, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas, school transcripts, passports, and much more, in both Norwegian and English. Our certified translations are recognized for their accuracy and compliance with legal standards, making them suitable for official use. You can receive hard copies of our standard certificate of translation mailed directly to your home or business.
Rush Service
If you require expedited service, Green Crescent can usually accommodate such requests. However, please note that rushing translations often comes with trade-offs, which may affect both price and consistency. Please consult with a project manager for more details.
Discounts
Volume discounts are available for large projects, long-term clients, and for non-profits, charities, NGOs, and government organizations.
Minimum Fee
There is a minimum project fee of $75.00 USD per language, which can be reduced or waived for regular clients.
Additional Language Services
In addition to translation, Green Crescent offers a range of other Norwegian language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Norwegian Language
Norwegian is spoken by approximately 5 million people, primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Norwegian has two written forms, Bokmål and Nynorsk, both of which have deep historical and cultural significance. Norwegian shares linguistic roots with Danish and Swedish, allowing for a high degree of mutual intelligibility among the Scandinavian languages.
The Cultural Context, History, and Linguistic Features of Norwegian
Norwegian, as part of the North Germanic language family, has a rich history shaped by Viking heritage and Norway’s union with Denmark and Sweden. Bokmål, the more widely used written form, evolved from Danish during Norway’s union with Denmark. Nynorsk, on the other hand, is based on rural Norwegian dialects and was created in the 19th century by linguist Ivar Aasen to establish a more distinctly Norwegian written form. Both written forms coexist today, contributing to Norway’s linguistic diversity.
Literary and cultural heritage in Norwegian has been influenced by authors such as Knut Hamsun, whose novel *Growth of the Soil* (1917) had a significant impact on modern Norwegian literature, reflecting the relationship between nature and human life in Norway’s rural society.
The Writing System: Norwegian Alphabet
Norwegian uses a Latin-based alphabet, which includes 29 letters: the standard 26 letters of the English alphabet, plus three additional characters: Æ, Ø, and Å. These extra characters are integral to accurately capturing Norwegian phonology, particularly vowels that do not exist in English.
Vowels and Consonants: While many of the letters are similar to those in English, their pronunciation can differ significantly. For example, "k" is often pronounced as "ch" before certain vowels, and the vowel "ø" has no direct equivalent in English, producing a unique sound similar to the French "eu" in "peur."
No Capitalization for Nouns: Unlike languages such as German, Norwegian does not capitalize common nouns, simplifying the writing process but requiring close attention to proper names and formal titles.
Norwegian Alphabet
The Norwegian alphabet consists of 29 letters:
- 26 standard Latin letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
- 3 additional characters: Æ, Ø, Å
These additional characters are vital for accurately representing Norwegian sounds and meanings, particularly in words such as "smør" (butter) and "gård" (farm). Norwegian’s phonetic system allows for a relatively close match between written and spoken forms, though regional dialects introduce variations.
Key Linguistic Differences Between Norwegian and English for Translation
When translating between Norwegian and English, several linguistic differences need to be considered to ensure both accuracy and cultural appropriateness. Below are some important distinctions:
Sentence Structure: Norwegian, like English, generally follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure. However, Norwegian syntax can be more flexible, especially with word order in subordinate clauses. For instance, while in English one might say, "I know that he will come," in Norwegian this translates to "Jeg vet at han vil komme," but the word order in subordinate clauses can sometimes differ.
Gendered Nouns: Norwegian nouns are categorized into three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. While English lacks gendered nouns, in Norwegian, adjectives and articles must agree with the gender of the noun. For instance, the word for "a house" is "et hus" (neuter), while "a girl" is "ei jente" (feminine).
Verb Tenses: Norwegian verb conjugation is relatively simple compared to English, as verbs do not change according to the subject. However, Norwegian verbs express a wide range of tenses and moods that may require careful handling in translation. For example, "I was going" translates to "Jeg skulle gå," but the verb "skulle" carries a sense of future intention, which must be adapted based on context.
Politeness Levels: While Norwegian does not have the complex politeness levels found in languages like Japanese or Korean, social context still influences tone and formality. Titles and formal language are often avoided in everyday conversation, but translations should still respect cultural sensitivities, particularly in legal and business contexts.
By addressing these linguistic nuances, Green Crescent ensures that our Norwegian translation services are accurate and culturally sensitive. Whether working on legal documents, technical manuals, or creative projects, we provide high-quality translations that resonate with Norwegian-speaking audiences.
An Insight into Norwegian Thought and Expression
This passage is from Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun, published in 1917. This Nobel Prize-winning novel is a cornerstone of 20th-century Norwegian literature, highlighting the relationship between humans and nature, and reflecting the rural life that shaped much of Norway's cultural identity.
- Norwegian: "Mennesket skal være sterkt som jorden. Jorden gir, og jorden tar."
- English Translation: "Man should be as strong as the earth. The earth gives, and the earth takes."