Heddal

Norwegian Nynorsk

Heddal stavkyrkje.

Alternative forms

• Heiddal (western variant)
• Heitdal (alternative spelling)

Etymology

From Old Norse Heitradalr, *Heitrardalr, from the river name *Heitr f (now Heddøla) + dalr (“valley”). The modern /d/ of the first part is an assimilation with the following consonant, cf. the nearby Fladdal < Flatdalr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²hɛdːaːl/, [²hɛ̝d.dɐ̞ˑl]
• Hyphenation: Hed‧dal

Proper noun

Heddal m (definite Heddalen)

1. a village and church site in Notodden, Telemark, Norway

Usage notes

The place has variously been written Hit(t)erdal in older texts, but this is a constructed Danish form with little to no basis in genuine Norwegian forms, not to be confused with Hitterdal in Trøndelag.

Derived terms

• heddøl (“someone from Heddal”)
• Heddøla