Norwegian follows strict rules for word order. In declarative sentences, the finite verb must appear in second position. As a result, the verb precedes the subject when a sentence begins with, for instance, an adverbial (e.g., I går spiste du et eple, lit. “Yesterday ate you an apple”). Although the literal meaning is not altered by the placement of the verb, it strongly affects how correct and natural a sentence sounds. This feature is often considered challenging to master for learners, but ultimately attainable.
Many adults learning Norwegian already speak English in addition to their first language. Previously acquired languages can influence this process: they can support learning when grammatical structures are similar, but hinder progress when they differ. However, we still know surprisingly little about why certain structures are more challenging than others and how and why learners progress at different speeds.
In my dissertation, I observed adult learners with different language backgrounds, examining how they judged Norwegian verb placement in writing and produced it in speech. At early stages of learning, learners show unstable verb placement, regardless of language background. Over time, however, learners whose first language has a similar verb placement to Norwegian become more accurate and consistent. This shows that prior linguistic knowledge plays an important role in shaping how learners acquire new grammatical structures. These findings can contribute to learner-centred Norwegian language teaching by systematically building on learners’ existing language knowledge.
Michela Iacorossi successfully defended her thesis on 24 March 2026.
Trial lecture
Designated topic: Didactic approaches to the teaching of Norwegian V2: Insights from L3 acquisition.
Evaluation committee
- Professor Kristin Bentzen, UiT The Arctic University of Norway (first opponent)
- Dr Jorge Gonzalez Alonso, Universidad Nebrija (second opponent)
- Professor Ingebjørg Tonne, University of Oslo (committee administrator)
Chair of the defence
- Anna Catharina Horn, University of Oslo
Supervisors
- Professor Guro Busterud, University of Oslo
- Professor Natalia Kartushina, University of Oslo
- Professor Anne Dahl, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology