Nowadays, Danish straits has become a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide variety of people around the world. Whether due to its impact on society, its influence on popular culture or its importance in the scientific field, Danish straits has captured the attention of millions of individuals. From its origins to its current evolution, Danish straits has been the subject of study and debate in different areas, generating all kinds of opinions and analysis. In this article, we will explore in depth the various facets of Danish straits and its relevance in the current context, with the aim of understanding its impact and meaning in modern society.
Three channels in Denmark connecting the Baltic Sea to the North Sea
Five straits are named 'belt' (Danish: bælt), the only ones in the world[clarification needed]. Several other straits are named 'sound' (Danish, Swedish and German: sund). Where an island is situated between a "belt" and a "sound", typically the broader strait is called "belt" and the narrower one is the "sound":
The Germanic word "sound" has the same root as the verb to sunder in the meaning of "to separate". The Old Norse form of that verb is sundr. In Norway hundreds of narrow straits separating islands and combining fjords or outer parts of fjords are named "Sund".
Another explanation derives "sound" from an ancient verb "sund" in the meaning of to swim. That way a sound is a swimmable strait. In the Swedish language any strait is called "sund".
The Germanic word "sound" is not related to the Romance languages originated word "sound", which has developed from the Latinsonus.[citation needed]