Tvangstanke - there is no direct translation frpm Norwegian to English. When you type it in to a translater it provides you with the English word "obsession," however this is not quite right. The term is used in Norway to refer to a random, inexplanable impulse to do something socially unacceptable and subversive. Similar, maybe, to our saying "the devil made me do it." I was recently at an art opening and my newly acquired friend and I were joyfully swilling our 3rd glass of champagne (being that they were free and things are quite expensive here) and she confided in me, "tvangstanke!" She explained that this urge just came over her to huck the full glass of champagne across the crowded room and watch it shatter. I then experienced one of those "Yes!" moments where I understood fully. I wonder why we don't have a word for this feeling/impulse?
In northern Norway they commonly greet one another on the street by saying (English translation)
Person A: "Hey, what do you say?"
Person B: "No, what do you want to hear?"
Person A: "Nooooo"
Person A: Hei, Ka du si?
Person B: Nei, Ka du vil hor?
Person A: Neeeeeei.
Lagom
It is a Swedish word with no direct English equivalent, meaning "just the right amount."
Jante Law
Refers to a pattern of group behavior towards individuals within Scandinavian communities, which negatively protrays and criticizes success and achievement as unworthy and inappropriate. There are ten rules in the law as defined by Sandemose, but they express variations on a single theme and are usually referred to as a homogeneous unit: Don't think you're anyone special or that you're better than us.
I have mixed feelings on this one. Not being from a social democracy, this concept seems rather appealing, but I'll have to do some more investigating.
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