kamelåså
Norwegian Bokmål[edit]
Etymology[edit]
The term is a nonsensical word which was made up by Atle Antonsen for the 2003 Norwegian sketch comedy TV-show Uti vår hage, along with the two other comedians Harald Eia and Bård Tufte Johansen.
The word is used in a specific, well-known sketch making fun of the Danish language from a Norwegian perspective, portraying it as difficult to understand, so much so that Danish people are not even able to understand each other. The point in the sketch, which takes place in a hardware store, is that the customer (Antonsen) constructs the word on the spot so as not to lose face — it sounds Danish, and the clerk does not dare to admit to the customer that he does not understand what the customer is asking for.
The word itself has no inherent meaning, although in a later interview it is said to mean “bike tire” - the components being kamel (camel) and lås (lock) and the idea being that if one locked together the humps of a camel, it would create a vaguely round shape which would convey the idea of a bike tire.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
kamelåså
- (humorous) a nonsensical word making light-hearted fun of the Danish language from a Norwegian perspective