Norwegian has a contrast between the sounds often referred to as the sj-sound and the kj-sound, as in the words skjære ‘to cut’ and kjære ‘dear’. In the last 50 years, however, a merger of these sounds has been noted in many Norwegian dialects, leading to a loss of this contrast. This merger has been widely debated both among linguists and among the general public, yet no scientific studies have been conducted to investigate why this sound change is taking place. This thesis constitutes the first study of the motivation for the merger, investigating whether Norwegian listeners struggle to hear the difference between these two sounds.
Using experimental methods, this thesis demonstrates that the difference between the sj-sound and the kj-sound is subject to confusion among listeners. In other words, the two sounds sound similar, providing a possible explanation for the merger. If listeners cannot hear the difference between the sounds, it follows that they cannot articulate the difference in their own speech. This thesis also demonstrates that among the speakers who do not produce a difference between the sj-sound and the kj-sound, some speakers use only the sj-sound while others use only the kj-sound. This finding challenges a common assumption among linguists that these sounds always merge as the the sj-sound.
This thesis thus contributes to our knowledge about the most debated sound change in Norwegian, as well as our knowledge about the mechanisms of sound change in general.
Maria Evjen successfully defended her thesis on 19 March 2026.
Trial lecture
Designated topic: "Discuss the relationship between phonological change and phonetic change. Include both diachronic and synchronic aspects. Provide examples of more than one process of change, from more than one language/variety".
Evaluation committee
- Professor Tomas Riad, University of Stockholm (first opponent)
- Associate Professor Rasmus Puggaard-Rode, University of Oxford (second opponent)
- Professor Åshild Næss, University of Oslo (commitee administrator)
Chair of the defence
Førsteamanuensis Stefka Georgieva Eriksen
Supervisors
- Sverre Stausland Johnsen, University of Oslo
- Professor Timo Roettger, University of Oslo