H3LL
Illuminator
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2004
- Messages
- 4,963
bignickel
Mad Mod Poet God
Madalch
The Jester
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2006
- Messages
- 9,763
When I worked in Norway, I was often asked to proof-read English papers. Nary an error did I find- it was much better written than the work of Canadian university students who had English as their first language.
YouBelieveWHAT?
Muse
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2004
- Messages
- 975
)) that Slartibartfast agrees with you.....Hawk one
Emperor of the Internet
OK, we're getting fairly good in writing... But there was recently an article about how Norwegian companies trying to cut it in the international market often lost contracts, because while they're pretty decent in formal, written language, they're usually no good in informal, spoken language. So they weren't able to develop a more personal type of business relationship to whoever they were trying to sell their services to, sometimes even insulting their proscetive partners (or whatnot) by using phrases that would be fine in Norwegian, but less so in English.
Don't trolls come from Norway? 
I've often found that many foringers sound OK when speaking English
but trip up a bit when they have to write. I often end up having to proof
read and correct stuff that my cow-orkers have tried to write in English.
Everyone should speak English!
I've often found that many foringers sound OK when speaking English
but trip up a bit when they have to write. I often end up having to proof
read and correct stuff that my cow-orkers have tried to write in English.
Everyone should speak English!
Hawk one
Emperor of the Internet
Don't trolls come from Norway?
Well, the kind that turns into stone if hit by too much daylight, yes.
Though to be sure, most internet forum trolls are likely to be 14-30 year old geeks sitting in their dark room/basement all day, shunning the sun whenever possible... So they might indeed be decendants from the original trolls!
Senex
Philosopher
Norway/Sweden you guys are all the muppet chef to me. Bork bork bork!
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Phaedrus74
Critical Thinker
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
- Messages
- 474
I think you just made the BIG mistake of calling a Norwegian a Swede.
This is on par with calling a Belgian, Dutch (and vice versa) or calling an Austrian, German (and vice versa).
I suggest not going there on holiday for a while.
Senex
Philosopher
Oh yeah, do you think I'm going North to 22 hours of darkness instead of my vacation to DisneyWorld USA?
One of you three (Sweden, Finland, Denmark) rascals is OK with us. Which one didn't surrender to Germany and wait for my uncles to bail your ass out?
Phaedrus74
Critical Thinker
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
- Messages
- 474
I'm sorry, I forgot you couldn't see the tongue up my cheek (blasted internetz).
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Senex
Philosopher
Tongue up the cheek -- hmmmm. You're a guy and the tongue belongs to a girl? You never know when you click on a site from Denmark.
BenBurch
Gatekeeper of The Left
Since the Coral proxy seems to be down, here is a direct link to the cartoon in the first post;
http://www.sott.net.nyud.net/image/image/5633/norway_comic.jpg
I was trying not to hotlink the guy and use up his bandwidth.
Coral used to be just über-reliable and lately has been playing up.
http://www.sott.net.nyud.net/image/image/5633/norway_comic.jpg
I was trying not to hotlink the guy and use up his bandwidth.
Coral used to be just über-reliable and lately has been playing up.
eir_de_scania
Thinker
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2007
- Messages
- 173
As in British English, American English, Australian English? Or should we develop Scandinavian English?
In Sweden, a majority is members in the until-recently-state-church. This is because you become a member when you're baptized. Most children are, as their parents, not to mention grandparents, see it as a traditional naming ceremony. Most Swedes would say they're christians if asked, as well. But, they hasten to add, they don't really believe in all that Bible stuff, just that there have to be Something Holy.
Madalch
The Jester
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2006
- Messages
- 9,763
Neither Sweden nor Finland surrendered to Germany. Sweden stayed out of it, and Finland's war was all about the Russians/Soviets.
Senex
Philosopher
Thanks. I'd hate to say if it wasn't for the good old USA you would be speaking German when in fact one might be speaking Russian instead
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Technically, Norway didn't either. Technically.
Now now... The Norwegians gets very offended at being called Swedes! Us Swedes also gets offended at being called Norwegians, but only on the surface. Deep down inside we are jealous as hell at our "little brother" getting better than us in everything
Madalch
The Jester
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2006
- Messages
- 9,763
Actually, I wouldn't be- it wasn't the Americans who liberated the parts of Europe where my ancestors and relatives were.
You -do- realize that other countries were involved, don't you?
Even if the Americans did win the war single-handedly (as so many internet trolls claim), the idea that conquerers would sweep away the native languages of their new territory is laughable. Quebecers still speak French, despite Louis giving away the territory as "a few acres of snow", and languages such as Cree, Ojibway, and Shuswap can still be heard.
I didn't mention Norway, since it wasn't one of the three that Senex specified.Ryokan said:
Thanks. I'd hate to say if it wasn't for the good old USA you would be speaking German when in fact one might be speaking Russian instead
Well, I do speak German. A lot of Scandinavians do. And my uncle is fluent in Russian.