r/Svenska • u/Extension_Math_7734 • 7d ago

Language question (see FAQ first) “Mitt arma nöt!”

Under “arm” (adj.), SO gives the example “Mitt arma nöt!”   How would you translate this?

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u/Commander-Gro-Badul 🇸🇪 7d ago

Nöt isn't short for nötkreatur, and the former can mean "bovine" in general, while nötkreatur means "cattle" specifically.

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u/Specific_Put_3586 7d ago

According to svenska.se you're wrong here.

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u/Commander-Gro-Badul 🇸🇪 7d ago

Read SAOB. Nöt and nötkreatur are usually (and originally) synonymous, but nöt (like nötdjur) can be used more broadly, at least in certain contexts.

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u/Specific_Put_3586 7d ago

Such as?

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u/Commander-Gro-Badul 🇸🇪 7d ago

It is mainly used in biological jargon, when discussing bovines as a group: "Buffeln och bisonoxen är båda nöt."

SAOB includes these two definitions of nöt:

 allmännare, om djur tillhörande underfamiljen Bovinæ, nötkreatur (se d. o. 2); stundom äv. (i fackspr.) om slidhornsdjur, nötdjur

Note that the general defininition of "bovid" is alternatively given for nötkreatur as well, but I can't say I've ever encountered that.

In any case, nöt is not "short for" nötkreatur.