The Official Languages Thread

[Lalaith]

Originally Posted by Mercutio

Has anybody seen the German sitcom/comedy (sort of) "Ravioli"? We're watching it in Deutsch III.

I know a lot of German TV stuff but I have never heard of this one. Strange. What is it all about?

Yay, post number 3,500!

[Grey_Wolf]

Here's a quote from a funny causerie

I've been in the USA for a week and you all know how difficult it is for Swedishamericans to handle the language when they return to the Old Country.

But at Kennedy Airport they sold an absolutely excellent English-Swedish phrase-books, essential for every american who's going to Scandinavia. There were useful phrases for visits to restaurants, hotels and shops.

I, especially, like the chapters headed "On the phone", "To make friends" and "In any emergency".

At a restaurant: "Waiter, may I order, please.
Swe: Vahkt-meh-stahrn, for yahg beh-steh-lah!

The waiter understood perfectly.

Continuing: "Which whine to you recommend?"
Swe: Veel-keht veen rehkoh-mehn-DEH-rahr nee?

Unfortunately, there's no phrase for specifiying the number of bottles or glasses you want. Then you have to go to the chapter headed "At the gas station".

Phrase: "Put in thirty liters, please."
Swe: Vahr VEHN-lee fewl poh treh-tee leetehr!

AFTER DRINKING THAT AMOUNT of whine you might not be able to talk at all, but the phrase-book might prove it's usefulness yet again:

Phrase: Help, I feel sick, may I have some Asperin.
Swe: Yelp, yagh mohr ee-lah, yeh migh lee-teh ass-pee-reen!

[Grey_Wolf]

continued...

The chapter headed "At the dentist's" discloses that there is a slight difference between Swedish and american procedures. Among the phrases I remember are these:

Phrase: "You have lost a filling. Put your tongue out. Take your clothes off. Lie down."
Swe: Nee hahr tahpaht plohmbehn. Reck ewt toon-gahn. Tah ahv ehr KLEI-dehr-nah. Leeg nehr!

AFTER SPENDING A NAKED HOUR at the dentist's one's definitely ready for a hectic night of pleasure, there, wouldn't you know it, the author of the phrasebook, who perhaps has done some part-time studies at amusement parks and comedy shows - has given you just the right phrases, in chronological order.

Swe: Nee danhs-sahr mew-ket brah!
Phrase: You dance very well!

Swe: Boor nee hehr?
Phrase: Do you live here?

Swe: Vahd hahr nee fur teh-leh-fohn-NUM-mehr?
Phrase: What's your phone number?

Swe: Eht glahs veen?
Phrase: A glass of whine?

Swe: Skohl!
Phrase: To your health!

Swe: Nehr kahn yahg fog TREH-fah ehr ee-YEHN?
Phrase: When can I see you again?

Swe: Nee ehr soh vahk-kehr!
Phrase: You are so beautiful!

Swe: Yahg TEW-kehr MEW-keht ohm ehr!
Phrase: I like you very much!

Swe: TEW-kehr nee ohm may?
Phrase: Do you like me?

Swe: Yagh ehls-kahr day. Veel dew YEEF-tah day meh may?
Phrase: I love you, will you marry me?

In ten phrases the whole procedure is finished. It might seem a bit american and to the point (we Swedes often beat around the bush). And one misses a phrase between 9 and 10 which is:

Swe: Veel nee koh-mah oph ohk tee-ta poh mee-nah EHTS-neen-gahr?
Phrase: Do you want come up and view my etchings?

With the phrase-book in my hand I got off the Jumbo-jet and found a taxi. The driver nodded silently as I read from page 48 in the phrase-book:

Swe: Yahg skah teel Norh-malm-tohry!
Phrase: I'm going to Norrmalmtorg!

He got me there. I was really going to St Eriksplan, but couldn't find it in the book. Here I stand at Norrmalmstorg, browsing through it like mad.

The driver shouted:

Swe: Poh oh-ter-seh-endeh!
Phrase: See you around!

[Nurvingiel]

That was awesome Grey Wolf! I'm so glad I bumped this thread with the express purpose of talking about Swedish!

I have "Teach Yourself Swedish" (In the 'Teach Yourself' series). It's very good. I'm still on pronounciation too. (But your helpful phrases inspired me GW! )

This tongue twister was the hardest:

Den skenheliga chefen i den skära skjortan spelade skivorna i den sköna stjärnklara skärgårdskvällen.

Note: All the SKs should be pronounced "sh" as in "shower".

Translation: The hypocritical boss in the pink shirt played the records on the beautiful starry evening in the archipelago.

(lol! That's almost as good as GW phrasebook!!)


I also need to practice this one because I have trouble with Rs. (They should be lightly rolled on the tip of the tongue IIRC.)

Rut rosade Rolfs rara renar.

Translation: Ruth praised Rolf's nice reindeer.

[Linaewen]

Fantastic, Nurv. My Swedish has gotten really rusty since I haven't practised it in months.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I have "Teach Yourself Swedish" (In the 'Teach Yourself' series). It's very good.

Bah. I hate the "Teach Yourself" series. They're stupid. And they're inaccurate too, often.

Note: All the SKs should be pronounced "sh" as in "shower".

Actually, I don't think they are. Most often I hear it very differently but I'm not going to get into pronunciation of sk, sj, skj, stj and ti again.

But anyway Nurv, you're the one in Sweden, why don't you find some one to help you with the pronunciation? I have no one here.

[Nurvingiel]

I'm very disappointed to learn this about the "Teach Yourself" series. (They think very highly of themselves on the cover. ) Seems like the pronouciation of SK, which baffles even Swedish people, is one of their innacuracies.

However, I'm still going to work with the book. And naturally, pester my corridor mates and classmates for proper pronouciation.

Det är inte bra!
(This is not good.) Um... right GW?

[Linaewen]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I'm very disappointed to learn this about the "Teach Yourself" series. (They think very highly of themselves on the cover. ) Seems like the pronouciation of SK, which baffles even Swedish people, is one of their innacuracies.

Well, as long as it works for you, it's fine. I just didn't like it because the of its structure (or lack thereof) and it contains a lot of irrelevant stuff for someone who just wants to learn the language. But I think the stuff may be relevant to you, so go for it. If you can get your hands on 'Hugo Swedish in 3 Months', that has some good stuff in there.

Most Swedish courses I've come across try to simplify the sk sound because it's difficult to imitate, though IMO the harder pronunciation is far more common. Get a Swede or two to help you.

Hur mycket svenska kan du nu, Nurv? Är svenska lätt?

[Nurvingiel]

Originally Posted by Linaewen

Hur mycket svenska kan du nu, Nurv? Är svenska lätt?

Ermm... um... are you saying that my Swedish is pretty good? No you're asking me something... aa!! *panicks*

Ok, you're asking me if I speak a lot (mycket) of Swedish (Svenska)?

I had to look up lätt (light, easy) but now I can answer your questions.

Jag talle lite, lite Svenska. Det är inte lätt!

är det bra?

[Linaewen]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Ok, you're asking me if I speak a lot (mycket) of Swedish (Svenska)?

Jupp!
Hur mycket svenska kan du nu? = How much Swedish do you know now? (Kan= know here)

Jag talle lite, lite Svenska. Det är inte lätt!

Du talar lite svenska. (Languages, people etc don't have capital letters.)
Varför är det inte lätt? (Why isn't it easy?)
Talar svenskar för snabbt? (Do Swedes speak too quickly?)

är det bra?

Ja, det är mycket bra! Just keep practising. I bet you're much better than I am going to be when I'm in China.

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I'm very disappointed to learn this about the "Teach Yourself" series. (They think very highly of themselves on the cover. ) Seems like the pronouciation of SK, which baffles even Swedish people, is one of their innacuracies.

'Sh' and 'tj' (and sometimes 'k') for instance should be pronounced as 'sh' in shower though. But when I was little, I used to pronounce all those sounds as if they were Swedish 'ske'-sounds (like all the sounds in Den skenheliga chefen i den skära skjortan spelade skivorna i den sköna stjärnklara skärgårdskvällen). My pronunciation might have confused people I pronounced "kärna" (sh-sound) as "stjärna" (ske-sound).

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

However, I'm still going to work with the book. And naturally, pester my corridor mates and classmates for proper pronouciation.

Nurv, let someone pronounce "kärna" and "stjärna" for you so that you can detect the difference. And keep pestering them, I'm sure they don't mind

Originally Posted by Linaewen

My Swedish has gotten really rusty since I haven't practised it in months.

Hmm, I have to intervene.

[katya]

When I was at a Rotary conference downstate, there were a whole bunch of foreigners there all speaking different languages. So what language is "kiitos"? (sp.?) Some girl taught it to a Spanish-speaking girl who was trying to learn different ways to say "thank you". What was funny is that she wrote it on her hand as "quitos". I helped teach her "Anata no namae wa?"^^

[Linaewen]

Originally Posted by katya

When I was at a Rotary conference downstate, there were a whole bunch of foreigners there all speaking different languages. So what language is "kiitos"? (sp.?) Some girl taught it to a Spanish-speaking girl who was trying to learn different ways to say "thank you". What was funny is that she wrote it on her hand as "quitos". I helped teach her "Anata no namae wa?"^^

Kiitos is Finnish. Is 'Anata no namae wa?' Japanese?

[Nurvingiel]

"Anata no namae wa" is Japanese, but I have no idea what it means.

Swedish is hard because it's a whole new language! But it's easier than Japanese. Swedish has similarities to French and English which are helpful.

The only Finnish word I know is "kippis" which means cheers.

Thanks Jonathan, though now I'm even more confused about SK, if that's possible.


Svenska är svår därför att det är ny.

[Linaewen]

Oh yes, sorry. But I've found that Swedish is relatively easy because it's so similar to English. I still find Mandarin pretty hard even though I speak two other Chinese dialects. :/

[Nurvingiel]

Wow, I'm impressed! Chinese if a very complex language - all the dialects are I imagine.

Which dialects do you speak?

[Grey_Wolf]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I'm very disappointed to learn this about the "Teach Yourself" series. (They think very highly of themselves on the cover. ) Seems like the pronouciation of SK, which baffles even Swedish people, is one of their innacuracies.

However, I'm still going to work with the book. And naturally, pester my corridor mates and classmates for proper pronouciation.

Det är inte bra!
(This is not good.) Um... right GW?

Ahh, you mean that it is not good to pester one's mates.
Det är inte bra att förpesta ens vänners tillvaro. Sort of.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I'm very disappointed to learn this about the "Teach Yourself" series. (They think very highly of themselves on the cover. )

Honestly, Nurv, no self respecting book that wants to sell is going to put 'oh and this sucks by the way' on their cover.

[Nurvingiel]

Oh Swedish speakers, did I say this "Svenska är svår därför att det är ny." correctly?

LOL Eärniel, I don't expect them to say the book stinks! But this is what they say about the Teach Yourself series that I thought was cheeky:

the leader in self-learning with more than 300 titles, covering all subjects
be where you want to be with teach yourself

[Nurvingiel]

Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf

Ahh, you mean that it is not good to pester one's mates.
Det är inte bra att förpesta ens vänners tillvaro. Sort of.

I forget what I was trying to say, but I don't think that was it.

Does "att" mean "to" as in "to pester ones mates" in this sentence?

vänners = friends

What's "tillvaro"

If someone speaks too quickly in Swedish for me I will say "Can du tallan lite långsamera?"

(I know "slow" is långsam, is "slowly" långsamera?)

[katya]

Thanks, Lin

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

"Anata no namae wa" is Japanese, but I have no idea what it means.

"anata no namae wa" is "what is your name?", except that it's implied. It literally only says something to the effect of "as for you name..." Also, it occured to me that maybe there should be an "o", an honorific prefix, before "namae" (name), but maybe Yuga didn't say it because he's a boy? I'm not sure. Anyway, I would've said, "anata no onamae wa?"