#glossar

Norwegian words: Tungehorn The tungehorn (Norwegian: tongue horn) is a woodwind instrument used in traditional Norwegian music, which has a single-reed attached to a conical cow or goat horn. The instrument is single-reeded, with a separate reed body inserted into the instrument (heteroglot aerophone). The reed, or tunge is generally made of juniper, but spruce, maple, and birch bark have been used, as well as metal. The instrument is minimally documented, and nearly became extinct, and thus is little known in modern Norwegian folk music.

Tomte A tomte is described as an older, little man about the size of a young child. He wears old often ragged clothes, usually gray or navy, and sports a bright red cap on his head. He resides in the pantry or barn and watches over the household and farm. He is responsible for the care of the farm animals, especially the horses. The tomte or nisse has an enormous capacity for work but will not tolerate anyone’s interference. It is believed that a clean and orderly home or farm is an indication that this domestic sprite resides there. Tomtar and nisser require very little of the humans they work for. They demand only the respect and trust of the farmer and a bowl of julegrøt (Christmas porridge) with butter on Christmas Eve. These spirits will not remain in a home where respect is lacking and thus the farm will not thrive and the farmer will be reduced to poverty.

Gävle goat or Yule goat, named after the Swedish town of Gävle. Yule goat is a Scandinavian and Northern European Yule and Christmas symbol and tradition. Its origin is from Germanic paganism and has existed in many variants during Scandinavian history. Modern representations of the Yule goat are typically made of straw. Every year, cities and towns throughout Sweden build large statues of Yule goats (called Julbock in Swedish). The most famous one is the goat in Gävle. The goat is built on the first day of Advent in late November or early December and intended to stand for the holiday season as a part of Yule celebrations. Yule is a celebration of the winter solstice and it takes place over ten days starting December 21st or 22nd.

Krumkake a Norwegian waffle cookie made of flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and cream. A special decorative two-sided iron griddle similar to a waffle iron is traditionally used to bake the thin round cakes. Krumkaker can be eaten plain or filled with whipped cream (often multekrem) or other fillings. Krumkaker are traditionally made in preparation for Christmas, along with other cookies of Nordic origin including sandbakelse and rosettes. They offer a sweet dessert after the traditional Christmas Eve dinner.

Pepperkaker Gingerbread Cookies. The crowning jewel of all the holiday cookies has to be pepperkaker “gingerbread”. With its unmistakable shapes and irresistible flavor, this aromatic and playful treat transcends the cookie tin with some of the most versatile uses for the season. They’ll be hanging by twine and marked for each day as an advent calendar, adorning lit-up trees, featured in stories and tales, turned into elaborate, candy-laden houses and even entire cities – like the world’s largest one in Bergen. There’s just no denying the imprint this cookie has on the holiday season. In Norway, the holiday season usually kicks off with a baking session of pepperkaker late in November and just in time for the first Sunday of Advent.

Kransekake Kransekage (Danish) or kransekake (Norwegian) is a traditional Danish and Norwegian confection, often eaten on special occasions in Scandinavia. In English, the name means 'wreath cake'. In Norway it is alternatively referred to as tårnkake (English: 'tower cake') and often prepared for Constitution Day celebrations, Christmas, weddings, and baptisms. The origin of the kransekage can be traced to the 18th century, where it was first created by a baker in Copenhagen.

Kantarellstuing pan Chanterelle mushroom stew made of a golden delicacy, the tasty chanterelle mushrooms. In Norway, it's called skogens gull, meaning "the gold of the forest".

Gløgg Norwegian Mulled Wine. Gløgg is the Scandinavian version of mulled wine or glühwein. It’s a warm, spicy and fruity drink featuring wine or, for the non-alcoholic version, juice or saft “cordial”. With the darker and colder days making their presence even more known in the north, it’s no wonder this drink has a permanent place here during the holiday season. Its roots trace back to the Middle Ages where it was called “ypocras” or “hipocras”, after Hippocrates, by the Greeks who would drink it after a meal to help with digestion. It is said that, in the 1400s, German castles along the Rhine river were found to heat red wine and add in various spices. Drinking glühwein was a way to keep warm during the cold and humid winter months. Later, in the nineteenth century, glühwein with almonds and raisins became very popular across Europe. Gradually, it developed into a Christmas tradition that spread to much of northern Europe, where it became known as gløgg. In addition to the almonds and raisins, gløgg is sweeter than other types of mulled wine and it often has a higher alcohol content.

Akevitt Akvavit or aquavit (also akevitt in Norwegian; aquavit in English) is a distilled spirit that is principally produced in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century. Akvavit is distilled from grain or potatoes and is flavoured with a variety of herbs.

Others: Aide-de-camp An aide-de-camp is a military officer who assists another officer with more seniority. An aide-de-camp is a military assistant. Many English words come from the military, and many others come from French. This word comes from both, as it's a French term for a military assistant. Just like assistants in other fields, the aide-de-camp will provide the senior officer with whatever is needed. This term also gets a fair amount of work as a general term for an assistant to a powerful person in any organization. Any supervisor or leader may have an aide-de-camp who helps them out.

fait accompli A thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it.

déjà vu The phrase "déjà vu" is borrowed from French and means "already seen". Déjà vu occurs when someone perceives they have already experienced a situation before, and their body experiences familiarity with the experience and confusion. Spadroon A spadroon is a light sword with a straight-edged blade, enabling both cut and thrust attacks. This English term first came into use in the early 18th century, though the type of sword it referred to was in common usage during the late 17th century. They were primarily used as a military (army & navy) sidearm in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and for officers and NCOs in the latter part of the 18th and early 19th centuries. The type of sword also saw widespread use across Europe and America, though the term 'spadroon' is unique to the Anglophone world. The important thing is that the spadroon is fast and agile, due to having little mass at the tip of the blade, and a hilt that does not restrict wrist mobility in any way.