A new political agreement aims to protect the Danish language from foreign words, but language researchers say there’s no real threat to Danish. The initiative comes after Arabic word “inshallah” was added to the official Danish dictionary, sparking debate among politicians about language preservation.
Politicians Push Back Against Foreign Words
When the Arabic word “inshallah” entered Den Danske Ordbog last year, it triggered an unexpected political response. The word, meaning “if God wills,” joined thousands of other foreign terms that have found their way into everyday Danish speech. Words like onboarding, crazy, and cringe now pepper conversations across Denmark.
Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt has taken a strong stance on the issue. He doesn’t like “inshallah” and equally dislikes expressions like “oh my god” when Danes could simply say “åh gud” instead. According to him, the Danish language needs active protection to survive.
The minister leads a new political agreement between the government, SF, and the Conservative Party. The initiative aims to secure Danish for future generations through three specific measures.
Three Ways to Protect Danish
The agreement assigns Dansk Sprognævn a more active role in language protection. The state research institution, which monitors language development, will now contact authorities and institutions to limit unnecessary English usage. This marks a shift from passive observation to active intervention.
Public service obligations will get stricter too. DR, TV2, and TV2 regional stations must now specifically work to strengthen and protect Danish in their programming. This requirement will be written directly into their public service contracts.
Additionally, Dansk Sprognævn will establish a new advisory council for media language. The council will guide media outlets on language choices and best practices for protecting Danish.
Engel-Schmidt worries that Danish is slowly being devalued without political action. There are six million Danish speakers, he notes, and nothing guarantees the language will persist if Danes don’t actively protect it.
Researchers Disagree About the Threat
Language experts see things differently. Sabine Kirchmeier-Andersen, a language researcher and former director of Dansk Sprognævn, dismisses fears about Danish declining. The language can easily handle foreign words, she explains. Danish isn’t deteriorating or losing value because of linguistic borrowing.
Michael Ejstrup shares this view. The language researcher and former research director at Danmarks Medie- og Journalisthøjskole doesn’t think the new law will significantly impact everyday speech. Languages develop naturally, he says, and always have.
Learning Danish reveals just how much the language has borrowed over centuries. In fact, roughly a quarter of Danish vocabulary originally came from German. Words like stof, borger, frokost, and jakke all have German roots. Even the word “blive” itself comes from German.
A History of Linguistic Insecurity
Denmark has long harbored insecurities about its own language, according to Ejstrup. Throughout history, the royal family, nobility, and powerful circles often preferred foreign languages. This cultural tendency explains why Danish absorbed so many foreign words over time.
Nine percent of Danish words stem from French, while another eight to ten percent trace back to English. Most Danes don’t notice because these words now sound Danish. The pronunciation has adapted, hiding their foreign origins.
Ejstrup doesn’t recall previous political attempts to eliminate foreign words from Danish. Denmark has no real tradition of legislative language control, he notes. However, the country does have a long tradition of undervaluing its own language.
This historical context matters. The constant influx of foreign words isn’t new or dangerous. It simply reflects how languages naturally evolve through contact with other cultures and speakers.
Real Concerns About Communication
Despite downplaying threats to Danish survival, both researchers see potential value in the new agreement. Kirchmeier-Andersen believes stricter requirements for established media could help. Media outlets play a significant role in language development, she explains.
Foreign words themselves don’t endanger Danish, but they can complicate communication. If news programs use unexplained foreign terms carelessly, audiences struggle to understand what’s happening. This creates accessibility problems rather than linguistic ones.
Ejstrup acknowledges the agreement amounts to symbolic politics. Nevertheless, symbolic gestures can produce real effects when implemented thoughtfully. The key is applying the law in appropriate contexts where it can actually make a difference.
Limited Reach in the Digital Age
Traditional media language doesn’t heavily influence young people anymore. Ejstrup points out that younger Danes increasingly get information from social media rather than established news outlets. This generation has more contact with English than any previous one.
Trying to control everyday speech patterns, dialects, youth slang, or street language won’t work. Politicians can’t dictate how people actually talk. However, they can influence language use in official settings and public institutions.
The agreement might help reduce Denmark’s historical linguistic insecurity. If Danish receives more serious treatment in public life, particularly in educational institutions, it could shift cultural attitudes. Taking the language seriously in official contexts sends an important message.
Symbolic Value Despite Limited Impact
Both researchers agree the new measures won’t dramatically change how Danes speak daily. Language development follows its own patterns regardless of political preferences. People will continue adopting words that feel useful or expressive.
Even so, the initiative has symbolic value. It signals that Danish matters and deserves consideration in public discourse. This matters more for institutional settings than private conversations.
The debate reveals tensions between different visions of Danish identity. Some see foreign words as threats requiring government intervention. Others view linguistic borrowing as natural evolution that enriches rather than diminishes language.
Ultimately, Danish has survived centuries of foreign influence. The language adapted German, French, and English words while maintaining its distinct character. There’s little reason to think current borrowing patterns pose existential risks that earlier influences didn’t.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Learning Danish as an Expat in Denmark
The Danish Dream: Best English Courses in Denmark for Foreigners
DR: Er det ‘cringe’ at sige ‘inshallah’? Politikere vil luge ud i fremmedord
