This paper deals with verbs of falling in Norwegian (Bokmål). The study is based on the frame approach to lexical typology developed by the Moscow lexical typology group. In accordance with this approach, lexical units are described with regard to the possibilities of their use in typical situations (frames), where prototypical participants occur. As the study shows, Norwegian has a dominant system of verbs of falling, in which the whole set of frames is covered by one verb (in the case of Norwegian it is the verb falle). The dominant verb has a fairly wide network of synonyms, which consists mainly of expressive verbs. Among them, there is a subgroup of lexemes that convey a sound which a falling object produces when it reaches a solid surface. There is also a number of onomatopoeic verbs describing light objects falling from above in the air or describing the fall of large masses of liquids. A separate small group is made up of so-called meteorological verbs denoting precipitation. On the periphery of the semantic domain of falling there are verbs marking a change from normal vertical position of floating objects to horizontal or vertical (and some other verbs). Of particular interest are cases of the development of ‘falling’ semantics for verbs that are etymologically related to other meanings (for instance, ‘roll’) or have a different basic meaning in modern Norwegian (‘trickle’, ‘slam, punch’).

Dialects in Norway are widely used, and attitude towards dialect speech is rather positive. Dialects are spoken in public contexts and in the media. This situation should be seen in connection with the peculiarities of Norwegian history (late independence acquisition, among other causes). In this situation it is not surprising that dialect research is highly appreciated, and names of the prominent dialectologists are known to average Norwegians. This is certainly true as for Ivar Aasen, the amateur linguist and lexicographer who devoted all his life to preserving dialects and who assembled on the base of dialect patterns one of the two official written versions of the Norwegian language. He was one of the key figures in the formation of Norwegian national identity, and his life and work have been described in a lot of books and articles. It is though during the next period, in the end of the 19 th -beginning of the 20 th century, that really scientific research in Norwegian dialects starts. Regretfully, the prominent Norwegian dialectologists of this time and their achievements are not as well-known as I. Aasen, and Russian researches are practically unfamiliar with them. The article is devoted to this interesting period in the evolution of Norwegian dialectology. It contains characteristics of the three leading researchers of this time, Hans Ross, Johan Storm and Amund B. Larsen. The issue of progress in studying phonetics, morphology and syntax of Norwegian dialects is touched upon, too. Some consideration is given to the matter of the most usual methods of dialect studies of the time.

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