Talk:Norwegian American

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[edit] Miscellanous points of WKP style

Although he is well known, calling someone by their last name without having given their first is bad form. "Columbus" should be "Christopher Columbus", and there's no possible reason I can think of why someone would change that.

The second "today" is redundant, since that is the title of the section. Also, unless we're counting the dead bodies of Norwegians in the U.S., the fact that the 4.5 million people discussed in the article are alive in America today is obvious to the reader.

As far as over-linking goes, this article was sorely lacking in that area. Each of the links are useful to readers and go along with our standard practices, such as linking the first instance of dates (for example, 1000). Beginning 21:14, Dec 16, 2004 (UTC)

Valid point, thanks for wikifying. --Wernher 22:49, 16 Dec 2004 (UTC)
(Oops, regarding BSveen's reply below, I just meant that the 'over-linking' point was valid IMO. I made no comment on the other two points, but I see in retrospect that the indenting of my one comment is highly ambiguous.) --Wernher 14:58, 17 Dec 2004 (UTC)
While I would agree with Wernher that it is ostensibly a valid point that you are making, I just think it sounds a little awkward to say "There are more than 4.5 million persons of Norwegian ancestry in the U.S." without the 'today' on the end, regardless of the section heading. I think a little redundancy is not a problem as long as it makes the phrasing less awkward and makes what is trying to be said as clear as possible (especially considering that the History section immediately precedes the bullet in question..the word 'today' specifies that we are talking about the present, as opposed to 1910 or 1920, or whenever) - BSveen 10:29, Dec 17, 2004 (UTC)
I generally agree. However, I guess one could discuss whether to use the word 'today' or 'now' to clarify the meaning. Oh well. --Wernher 14:58, 17 Dec 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Talk page utilization

In the future, please utilize the Talk page if you are confused as to why edits are being made. Unless you can explain why you think your changes should remain, I will revert the article again at some point in the near future. Beginning 21:14, Dec 16, 2004 (UTC)

Hmm, as far as common Wikiquette is concerned (note the last point in the linked-to paragraph), such messages to a specific user, although 'inspired' by work on an article, more properly belongs on his/her talk page. Other contributors would probably not be that interested, quite simply. So, to be a little sarcastic here, the talk page utilization point is not so easily taken by any of us :-) (No problems with your general point, of course, it's correct, but how about being a little more friendly? Never hurts.) --Wernher 22:49, 16 Dec 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Population statistics off-topic?

I removed the information that you have now reinserted into the article on the Scandinavian population in the U.S. because it doesn't belong in an article about Norwegian-Americans in particular. If you would like to state that Norwegian-Americans are the most populous group of Scandinavians in the U.S., that is one thing, but to give census data on Scandinavians as a whole is unnecessary and overkill. Everything beyond that first comma has no place in this article. Beginning 21:14, Dec 16, 2004 (UTC)

I for my part would say quite the opposite. The population statistics for Norwegian-Americans as well as Scandinavian-Americans are of relevant informational value to this and any other articles on Sc.-Americans (although naturally the statistics on N.-Americans as such would be exchanged with the other immigrant descendant groups for those other articles, I'd guess). I hope we can agree that the value of such statistics lies*, among other things, in the clear and NPOV language of concrete data contrary to general statements. --Wernher 22:49, 16 Dec 2004 (UTC)
(* No pun! Really!)

[edit] Treaty of Kiel?!

I am unaware that the treaty of Kiel and union with Sweden contributedt to, and much less caused, emigration from Norway. As far as I know, religious intolerance was unchanged to improved in the course of the union, and everything I've read indicates that economic necessity was the main driver in the latter part of the 19th century. I'm not going to revert that introduction, but I also think it needs to be changed. Also, we don't typically refer to modern-day Norwegians as "Norse" or "Norsemen." --Leifern 14:17, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Second that! Due to Norway not beeing industrialized yet, the younger sons who did not inherit a farm would take the oportunity to get a farm on their own i America. This is the main reason of the norwegian emigration.. Could he/she who wrote the part about the Kiel treaty pleace show some evidence or remove?--Njård 10:51, 16 January 2006 (UTC)
It is patent nonsense, and so removed. --Thorsen 15:37, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] White American template

This doesn't sit well with me. I'm not going to rush to revert, but I'd like to get a bit more of an explanation about it. --Leifern 23:48, 11 June 2006 (UTC)

The particular choice of terms, White American is charged; it is typically used by white supremacists. If so, I suspect most Norwegian Americans would prefer you not include us in your category. Why not use European American? Williamborg 00:49, 12 June 2006 (UTC)
Well, if the purpose is to categorize and segment immigrant groups, we can do better than the term "white" - it can be done by phase of immigration, motivation for emigration, as well as the geographical origin. Race - whatever that means - is probably the least meaningful distinction. --Leifern 01:36, 12 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Norwegian as a language used in USA today

If anyone know anything about it, it would be very interesting to see where the Norwegian language exists as a primary language in USA today (not including people born in Norway, and people to work there/recently moved). Perhaps also some names of towns where the use of the Norwegian language is more used than the average town. I read somewhere on Wikipedia that 81,000 (or something like it) uses Norwegian as a primary language in USA toda, but can't seem to find any place where these 81,000 people live.


[edit] Some more pics?

Just a suggestion but perhaps it would be prudent to add a few other people to the two pictures on the template? As it is now it appears as if all Norwegian Americans are stunning Hollywood actresses. I think someone like John Ashcroft (though not so popular), Elliot Ness, or one of the Nobel prize winners would nicely complement the set. JRWalko 02:43, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Deletion vote

Please see Wikipedia:Deletion_review/Log/2007_August_31#List_of_Norwegian_Americans. Badagnani 01:10, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Deletion review discussion

Please see the deletion review discussion here. Badagnani 18:37, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Norwegian-Americans in the infobox

I believe we should remove the picture of Marilyn Monroe from the infobox, as it's very disputed whether or not Martin Edward Mortensen was in fact her father. If he was not, which is quite likely, Monroe is probably not a Norwegian-American. We should replace her picture with one of Karl Rove, who is a self-identified Norwegian-American, or/and John Ashcroft, both quite famous politicians. --Aqwis 16:33, 30 October 2007 (UTC)

I agree. - Jorunn (talk) 19:36, 25 April 2008 (UTC)