Standardization and Language Planning of Terminology: the Norwegian Experience

The Norwegian language community is characterized by a considerable public interest in linguistic issues. Standardization of the written language has been an issue of controverse during more than a century, and in the Post-War period, the growing influence from Anglo-American culture has been of concern to the public opinion. Lexical elaboration of the national language is, consequently, considered an important issue of culture, and this also includes terminology planning. My aim here is to give a presentation of principles, practice and results of Norwegian terminology planning seen in this historical context of language policy. I also consider the Nordic context to be of great importance, for historical as well as present-day reasons.