I've gotten the Pimsleur Swedish language introductory course, and I'm currently on the 3rd CD. It's very simple and has a lot of repetition, which is nice because you get comfortable with just a few basic phrases.
What I'm finding fascinating are the cute similarities to certain words. Of course there are the obvious ones--like for here, you, how, where, etc., but certain ones just make me crack up! Here are some of those:
1. Ain't. Remember hearing that ain't ain't a word? Well, it is! Our "you are not American" sounds something like "Du ar ain'ta Amrikana". When they say it up to speed, the "ar" gets lost and it sounds just like ain't. I was thrilled!
2. Will. Okay, so think Sweden and Vikings, alright? When we would say "I want", the Viking says "I will" or something that actually sounds like "Yog vill" (Jag is "I" and is pronounced yog). If they want to be polite, they say "I will gladly", which brought up images of the Vikings gladly taking whatever they want!
3. Obvious. On the Viking roll, I noticed that listening to "I think" in Swedish sounds a lot like "It's obvious", when they're speaking up-to-speed, although it's actually something like "Jag viet". Imagine the Viking pomposity, where anytime you think something, it's obvious!
4. Prattle! I don't think that the Vikings were known for being terribly loquacious--or, should I say, it's obvious that the Vikings didn't value loquacity, given their reputation as the tall, strong, silent types. Hence, it makes sense that their word for "speak" is "pratar", so "Jag pratar Engelska"..."I prattle English"! Quite in line with my general Viking impression!
See how Windows connects the people, information, and fun that are part of your life. See Now
No comments:
Post a Comment