Norwegian: Den hellge ånd--skrive med stor bokstav?

[jimreilly]

Den Hellige Ånd -- sometimes I find ånd capitalized, sometimes not (even when Hellige is capitalized)-- sometimes all three words are capitalized -- is there a standard or correct way when used in formal writing in a traditional Christian context?

 

[Ben Jamin]

Den Hellige Ånd -- sometimes I find ånd capitalized, sometimes not (even when Hellige is capitalized)-- sometimes all three words are capitalized -- is there a standard or correct way when used in formal writing in a traditional Christian context?

The general rule in Norwegian is to capitalize only the first word of a compound name. However it may not apply to religious writings. It may also vary with the branch of Christianity, with Catholic writings probably most deferential.

 

[raumar]

As Ben Jamin says, "Den hellige ånd" is correct according to Norwegian rules for capitalization. This is also what Språkrådet recommends, see:
Stor eller liten forbokstav

However, you will often see "Den Hellige Ånd". I don't know if this capitalization is meant to express deference, or if it is influence from English capitalization - it might be both. Not even the Church of Norway seems to be consistent. On its website, it starts with "Den hellige ånd", then comes "Den Hellige Ånd" (in a direct quote from Luther), and, further down the page, "Den hellige Ånd":
Den hellige ånd

"Den hellige Ånd" may be a remnant from the time when all nouns were capitalized in Norwegian, more than 100 years ago.

sometimes not (even when Hellige is capitalized)

Does this mean that you have seen "Den Hellige ånd"? That is the only combination that seems definitely wrong to me.

 

[jimreilly]

As Ben Jamin says, "Den hellige ånd" is correct according to Norwegian rules for capitalization. This is also what Språkrådet recommends, see:
Stor eller liten forbokstav

However, you will often see "Den Hellige Ånd". I don't know if this capitalization is meant to express deference, or if it is influence from English capitalization - it might be both. Not even the Church of Norway seems to be consistent. On its website, it starts with "Den hellige ånd", then comes "Den Hellige Ånd" (in a direct quote from Luther), and, further down the page, "Den hellige Ånd":
Den hellige ånd

"Den hellige Ånd" may be a remnant from the time when all nouns were capitalized in Norwegian, more than 100 years ago.


Does this mean that you have seen "Den Hellige ånd"? That is the only combination that seems definitely wrong to me.

I seem to have seen it in all possible ways, perhaps sometimes through mis-typing, and I, too, saw inconsistencies on several sites when I went to check. I work at times for Mindekirken, the Norwegian language church in Minneapolis, and the influence of English habits is strong. There are people here ranging from native Norwegian speakers to third or fourth generation Norwegian-Americans whose Norwegian is, let's say, rusty, out of date, or incomplete, and "outsiders" like me who have not much Norwegian at all. In the liturgy documents at the church it is found several different ways (mostly Den Hellige Ånd and Den hellige ånd). I'm trying to update one of those documents to reflect recent liturgy changes in Norway, and thought I should make an effort to be consistent. Takk skal du ha!