A member of the Swedish Academy - the group behind the Nobel prizes - was speaking only for himself when he called this year's Literature Prize winner, Bob Dylan, "rude and arrogant" for not expressing thanks for the prize, the academy says.
"A member of the academy, Per Wastberg, has publicly expressed his disappointment at Bob Dylan's omitted response. This is Mr Wastberg's private opinion and is not to be taken as the official standpoint of the Swedish Academy," read an online statement on the Nobel website by Sara Danius, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy.
"An author awarded the Nobel Prize makes up his or her own mind regarding the ceremonies involved in the presentation of the prize. The Swedish Academy has never held a view on a prizewinner's decision in this context, neither will it now, regardless of the decision reached."
On Saturday, Wastberg told dpa that he was upset by Dylan's silence.
"If he doesn't get in touch soon, let's say in the next month or so, then I would consider that rude and arrogant," he said.
But he went on to say that the academy as a whole was "pretty relaxed" about Dylan's silence.
The award was announced on October 13, but Dylan has not publicly acknowledged the prize yet. A reference to it was removed from his website last week.
Winners are often contacted by the academy on the day of the win. Most usually express gratitude.
However, if Dylan were not to accept the award, it would not be the first time a recipient has turned it down.
Boris Pasternak first accepted his prize in 1958, but then declined the prize because of pressure from the Soviet Union.
Jean Paul Sartre consistently declined all official honours, including his 1964 Literature prize.
Dylan won for creating "new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."
One key question now is whether Dylan, 75, will appear to accept the award.
The ceremony is set for December 10 in Stockholm. The award is worth 8 million kronor ($A1.2 million).
Dylan has won numerous awards, but has sometimes skipped the ceremonies, as was the case in 2010, when he was awarded a US National Medal of Arts.
