Random questions about the nordics

[Reeve]

Huck Finn was great, I had two different versions of it. One that was very animated, for younger children I guess and one text based one.

Was Astrid Lindgrens books available in the US when you were a kid Reeve? She is probably the biggest author, at least childrens author here. She was very much loved by everyone in Sweden. I think her books has sold somewhere around 100 million copies.

I never read Lindgren's books, but I did watch the Pippi Longstocking movie when I was a kid, and I loved it.

---------- Post added 2012-05-11 at 12:34 AM ----------

I for one don't think anything should change, but that particular case. As well as others keep coming up...

In Norway some years back I also remember an ordeal about this, and apparently instead of "negerkonge" the word "sydhavskonge" (south seas king/king of the south seas) should be used instead in a radio reading of it.
Rather ridiculous I would say, can't just change literature like that.

On a side note, I am so tired of Pippi langstrømpe, Redda Joppe and Emil, Saltkråkan and all those Swedish series and books. Where basically force fed with it throughout childhood, and it got old really quickly :P
Oh and ofc, all the Swedish crime series that goes over and over again.

Do the other nordic countries have this as well ? :P

Well now you have Stieg Larsson, who I'm reading now, and is absolutely HUGE in the US, so there is a quite famous Swedish author beyond Astrid Lindgren, whom very few people around here actually read.

[Chronius]

BTW, this is the most common form of transportation in Sweden.

[Chronius]

All makt åt Tengil: Vår befriare.

I still own an original VHS copy!!!!!

[Beavis]

So, is the Swedish translation for grocery store really food libraries?



Also, do a lot people actually like metal in Scandinavia or is it's popularity exaggerated in the US?

Ooops: just did a search and it seems that topic has been done to death. Oh well! 92 page thread!

[Deleted]

We don't use the phrase food library, no. I certainly like the cling to it, though. Matbibliotek. Hm!

[Catta]

Huck Finn was great, I had two different versions of it. One that was very animated, for younger children I guess and one text based one.

Was Astrid Lindgrens books available in the US when you were a kid Reeve? She is probably the biggest author, at least childrens author here. She was very much loved by everyone in Sweden. I think her books has sold somewhere around 100 million copies.

Pff, H.C. Andersen > Astrid Lindgren

[Jackmoves]

Well now you have Stieg Larsson, who I'm reading now, and is absolutely HUGE in the US, so there is a quite famous Swedish author beyond Astrid Lindgren, whom very few people around here actually read.

Never read Stieg Larsson. Is he any good?
The biggest crime fiction here is probably Wallander(Henning Mankell) and Carl Hamilton(Jan Guillou).

There is one Author I kind of like, called Jens Lapidus, Snabba Cash(Fast money) and Aldrig fucka upp(Never fuck up) are decent books, not sure if it has been translated to english though(I would guess so though). They made a movie based on Snabba Cash to, which was ok.

All makt åt Tengil: Vår befriare.

Awesome, he looks so bad ass.

So, is the Swedish translation for grocery store really food libraries?

Also, do a lot people actually like metal in Scandinavia or is it's popularity exaggerated in the US?

Ooops: just did a search and it seems that topic has been done to death. Oh well! 92 page thread!

We just call it Mataffär(food store), or Saluhall(indoor food market).

Hehe, yeah nordic metal seems to be quite well known, I've never liked Metal, nor do any of my friends, it doesn't do anything for me emotionally( I have the outmost respect for the muscians though). We got quite a few bands in my city, not sure which is the most known internationally, maybe In Flames.

There is a lot more music then metal though, not sure how it is now but a few years ago Sweden was the 3rd biggest music exporter in the world after the US and UK.

The government rewards a band or artist each year with a price called "The best swedish music export"(free translation on my part) and last year it went to the Swedish House Mafia. They are kind of huge nowdays, it's quite funny how the guys have gone from playing music at the rainbow room(small club) to being able to sell out big stadiums.

Swedish House Mafia have in 2011 consolidated its strong international position as the world's leading DJs. With a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York, which sold out in 20 minutes, Swedish House Mafia showed (Steve Angelo, Axel "Axwell" Hedfors and Sebastian Ingrosso) once and for all that house music belongs in clubs as well as on giant arenas . Swedish House Mafia have millions of hits on YouTube and other social media. Their new single "Save the World" generated, for example, over ten million views in just two weeks. By proudly placing the "Swedish" in their group's name they are helping to put Sweden on the map and shows up the innovation and breadth of the famous Swedish music scene.

[Deleted]

I just saw this article on a danish news site.
Th first line in danish reads (roughly translated): "The editors have come in possession of this list, probably written by an american living in Denmark".
I found it pretty funny, and i did recognize a lot of it! Does this fit to you other nords?

*EDIT* did not want to make a whole new post about it so i just trew it in here

[Tradu]

I just saw this article on a danish news site.
Th first line in danish reads (roughly translated): "The editors have come in possession of this list, probably written by an american living in Denmark".
I found it pretty funny, and i did recognize a lot of it! Does this fit to you other nords?

*EDIT* did not want to make a whole new post about it so i just trew it in here

That sounds pretty much spot on.

[Catta]

I just saw this article on a danish news site.
Th first line in danish reads (roughly translated): "The editors have come in possession of this list, probably written by an american living in Denmark".
I found it pretty funny, and i did recognize a lot of it! Does this fit to you other nords?

*EDIT* did not want to make a whole new post about it so i just trew it in here

You think its impolite to sit next to someone in a bus if there is a bench where you can sit on your own.
You go to the supermarket and buy three good beers and 10 not too good ones.
You can open a beer bottle with almost anything.
You honestly believe that the distance between Copenhagen and Aalborg is long.
You can tell the difference between a Grøn Tuborg and a Carlsberg beer
When a stranger on the street smiles at you, you assume that:
- a. he is drunk;
- b. he is insane;
- c. he is American;
- d. he is all of the above.
Silence is fun.
It no longer seems excessive to spend 800 kr. on alcohol in a single night.
You know that "religious holiday" means "let's get pissed".
You use "Mmmm" as conversation filler.
The word "yes" is an intake of breath.
You have only two facial expressions, smiling or blank
Traditional dinners may not necessarily mean a cooked meal.
You forget how to open canned beer.
Can't remember when to say "please" and "excuse me".
You will leave a pub if you can't find a seat.
You find yourself more interested in the alcohol content than the name of the wine.
You know the meaning of life has something to do with the word "hyggelig".
You are very surprised when you receive compliments about ANYTHING - including your appearance/clothing! In fact when you do, you find it suspicious and start thinking they might have ulterior motives.
You've completely forgotten what a "date" is - no one ever comes to pick you up and unexpected gifts are VERY unexpected.
You don't think it strange that no one ever comes by to visit without being invited and you never show up at any one's place unannounced either.
You wouldn't dream of coming even 10 minutes early to a party. (Once around the block is always an alternative)

Those are the ones i think sound about right...

[Whaatie]

I blame the rain !

Rain? It's snowing outside at my place...

[Livic]

for everyone who wonders, norway is about to reclaim its long lost vikingity, so you better run, you better take cover

[Northy]

I always pictured Germany as Norse, cuz they essentially worshipped the same pagan gods as the Scandinavians just with different names like Wodan instead of Odin. Also, in my history classes, all the Northern European tribes (pre-Christian) are called Germanic tribes, just with minor tweaks between groups like the Nordic, Celtic, and Germanic.

This is from an American education system though so please dropkick me with the real facts if I'm way off.

[Blobfish]

I Play Skyrim

It is largely based around Nordic Themes.

Do lots of Nords play Skyrim?

see Skyrim Trailer

[Northy]

While the religions may be basically the same, they're not considered the same people. Those referred to as Norsemen were specifically the North Germanic branch of the germanic tribes who spoke the Old Norse language and were settled in the Scandinavian area. The Old Norse language was of course a germanic language as well, as it developed from a proto-Norse germanic language, but it differs a bit from the other Germanic languages such as the West Germanic branch (Which developed into English, dutch, etc.)

But indeed, the people settled in north Germany weren't culturally much different from the viking Norsemen.

From what did the traditional German language develop? You talk about West Germanic branch becoming English dutch and such, but I also hear about Old German, High German, Low German, etc...what about those? Did Scandinavian languages come from a separated North German or something? It's all very intriguing and confusing =(

[Northy]

Don't they teach this stuff in History class? I remember having months of having to study linguistic history. It's not all that interesting.

The dot listed as "North Germanic" would probably be the Norse language, which split into Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Icelandic. (and Faroese)

Sadly, in America, we're urged/forced to take Spanish, yuck. Sometimes French spattered in. Latin based languages bore me.

[Reeve]

Sadly, in America, we're urged/forced to take Spanish, yuck. Sometimes French spattered in. Latin based languages bore me.

I live in America, was raised in San Jose, CA, and we briefly went over linguistic history, including charts like the one above, as well as the non-Indo-European language groups.

[Catta]

Sadly, in America, we're urged/forced to take Spanish, yuck. Sometimes French spattered in. Latin based languages bore me.

Much of English is latin by now...

[Reeve]

Much of English is latin by now...

English kinda went like this:

Celtic+other native languages
Roman invasion brings Latin influences, but never fully assimilates British culture into their own
Anglo-Saxon invasion brings Teutonic/German influences that form the underpinnings of the language as it is today
Catholic Church gets the gentry used to using a few Latin words in regular conversation
Norman invasions bring huge quantities of French into the language, but couldn't fully convert it

So English is really this crazy amalgamation of Celtish, German, Latin, and French. I'm actually always a bit surprised (and happy) that like 70% of the words I want to use in Spanish are practically the same as the English words.

[Jackmoves]

Ever heard someone from wales speak? You can't tell what language it is, sound kind of nordic :P