Neil Harris wrote:
I was told by a Norwegian that the Scandanavian languages are all so closely related that they are effectively one language -- if you want to look at it that way; or all quite different -- if you want to look at it the other way. If that's true, it's certainly inconsistent to accept "Norwegian" and Swedish as different languages, but regard Nynorsk as merely a dialect of "Norwegian".
Perhaps the nearest equivalent might be "Scots" vs. "English". Read http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/scots/index.htm to get a flavor of Scots, which is an official language of the Scottish Parliament.
Norway was in union with Denmark from 1450 to 1814, during which time the elite, and eventually city-dwellers around them, began to speak Danish. Bokmål split off from Danish after they left. Nyorsk is based on the non-standardised language the peasants spoke during Danish rule. Both Danish/Bokmål and Nyorsk have their roots in Old Norse.
Here's the first four lines of the Lord's Prayer in these languages, courtesy of Pater Noster.
Nyorsk:
Fader vår, du som er i himmelen! Lat namnet ditt helgast. Lat riket ditt koma. Lat viljen din råda på jorda som i himmelen.
Bokmål:
Fader vår, du som er i himmelen! La ditt navn holdes hellig. La ditt rike komme. La din vilje skje på jorden som i himmelen.
Danish:
Vor Fader, du som er i Himlene! Helliget vorde dit navn; komme dit rige; ske din vilje på jorden, som den sker i Himmelen;
-- Tim Starling