Learning Swedish?

[Illnath]

Learn Danish instead...it's more fun!!!

[Kalabalik]

Originally Posted by Illnath

Learn Danish instead...it's more fun!!!

No, thanks

You Tube

[pancreator]

haaaahahaha, know this video, its just great!

some people say, danish is not a language, but a throat illness.

[Illnath]

Originally Posted by pancreator

haaaahahaha, know this video, its just great!

some people say, danish is not a language, but a throat illness.

Why are people so evil!!!!

[pancreator]

[Draugen]

Haha! I've also seen that video before, but it never gets old - fucking hillarious!

[Runk]

Norwegians are good at imitating Danes

[Rivfadír]

Ahhhh... KAMELÅSÅ...

No seriously. The reason why people think Danish sounds uglier than Swedish and Norwegian, is because we don't have the same sing-song structure to our pronunciation. It is indeed harsher. I prefer to think of it as more manly. I don't mind Norwegian, but Swedish does sound a bit "fruity" to me. A lot of Danes feel the same way.
We are apparently also the ones who have the largest difficulties understanding our neighbors' languages here in Scandinavia. I think that's also because of the "singing".

[lefay82]

Originally Posted by Rivfadír

but Swedish does sound a bit "fruity" to me. "

ahahaahh
this recalls to me a phrase from the film Tenacious D "this place is kind of JUICY"

[NovembersDirge]

Originally Posted by Svartvintras

I mean learn Swedish so I can speak it fluently, and understand the lyrics to my favorite songs.

It's not so easy. I've been in Umeå for 9 months now and things are coming into focus a lot better. However, there are several things you can do. First, if you've got some money, I'd look into the Rosetta Stone stuff, that'll help. But honestly, get to a university so that you can study abroad. Then, talk every second you get no matter how much of an ass you feel like.

Even then, songs and TV are where you'll understand *last*. But, sit down and translate some of Vintersorg's stuff and you'll see that he's not using 'standard' Swedish, really.

However, there are better benefits to learning Swedish than being able to understand Mr. V. There's also an entire nation of pretty hot chicks here..

[Runk]

Yeah. A good way to explain Vintersongs singing Swedish is that it´s kinda in the same vein as his singing English,much stuff aren´t things you´d use in a normal conversation.

[NovembersDirge]

Originally Posted by mattsson

Yeah. A good way to explain Vintersongs singing Swedish is that it´s kinda in the same vein as his singing English,much stuff aren´t things you´d use in a normal conversation.

No, it's really true. His stuff is quite 'odd,' and every time I've asked people about things they've been like "Oh, well that's really old and it means...". That makes it cool and unique, but it's also difficult for foreigners and non-native speakers.

[pancreator]

Originally Posted by NovembersDirge

That makes it cool and unique, but it's also difficult for foreigners and non-native speakers.

...and interesting and useful to get better into the language. it makes you able to read f. e. more difficult literature (if youre interested).

[greigoroth]

Er... sorry to get back on topic, but I have just created a guide for where one can learn Swedish. It is aimed at students here in Sweden, but there are so many good links there to both free courses and fee-paying courses (distance education and what not) that I thought it was worth dragging up and mentioning.

http://www.uppsalastudentkar.nu/en/life/language

[Bulldozer]

Originally Posted by mattsson

Norwegians are good at imitating Danes

well, i think skåningar is better at imitating danes than anyone in scandinavia, actually... and värmlänningar is better at imitating norwegians.. not very strange


anyhow... if someone wants to learn some swedish, and doesn't have the time and money to take one of those courses, add a swede (interested in languages) on msn or something, and let them guide you a bit

[Vargaressa]

its pretty easy...but norwegian is more easy=)=)=)hehehe...

i think,when somebody will learn svenska(norsk,dansk),he must know german and english too.i am speaking norsk with german akcent,but i am no german...hoho...
u mast take more practic and u will have a success...

[Vampyrian]

[Disgustipated]

Originally Posted by mental_mercury

The threadstarter, like me, is a native English speaker. Both Swedish and German would be of equal difficulty to learn, as both are nothing like English. So you are biased.

Well, to settle this argument once and for all, you really need my opinion, as I am always right.

I am a native English speaker, who speaks both Swedish and German. German is definitely the more difficult language to learn, in my opinion. Mostly due to the confusing sentence structure, noun genders, complicated verb tenses etc etc. I would say, however, that the Swedish pronunciation is harder to master.

I taught myself the basics of Swedish vocabulary and grammar through books, then expanded on both by watching Swedish films, reading Swedish articles on the 'net, chatting in Swedish etc.. but you never really do get a true grasp of the language until you immerse yourself in it.. ie, go to Sweden.

Oh, and by the way, mental_mercury; Swedish, German, and English, are all Germanic languages. All three have a vast array of similarities in vocabulary, and grammatical structuring. Thus knowledge of either will making learning another much easier.

[Thidrek]

I'd say, Swedish is easier to learn for a native speaker of English speaking of grammar. both languages are analytic which means that the word order is very strict due to the fact that in both languages there are only two cases left whereas in German, aswell as in Icelandic, you still have 4 of them and are relatively free in the word order. If you are not used to "working" with cases it should be far easier to learn another analytic language especially if it is as strongly related to English as Swedish.

[Svarthjärtad]

I agree with "Mental Mercury".
To truely learn it fluently, you must learn from a native speaker/teacher.
Even then, you will more than likely screw up every now and again. You see it all of the time, there are a lot of people that are native speakers and often still screw up. You see, in Sweden, there are many different dialects. You have Stockholmers, Norrfolk, and you have the people that are crazy... from Skåne. Also, you have people that use a lot of slang and people that speak with an older dialect. For an example, when reading Swedish, often you may come accross words like "o" or "e". It's slang, a shortend version of "och" and "är". Also, you have to watch where you are in Sweden and who you are talking to. What I mean, is if you speak like Vintersorg does(how he writes his songtexts), most young people would look at you like a question mark. Take the word "Ulv" for an example, that's soo old, people say "varg" now, and some people won't know what that means.
So, my advise to you... is to pick a region that you want to learn the dialect. Also, if you choose to speak Swedish fluently to everybody, it would be wise to learn a bit of the slang because it is heavily used(as lame as it sounds).

[Svarthjärtad]

Also, and another thing. Which, I'm sure you realize this...
But, songtexts and everyday speaking aren't really the same thing. So, sure... translating the texts will make you know what Mr.V is saying, but really won't help you in speaking abroad. People, well.... really do not speak like that everyday. Hehe.
Good luck, my man!

[tobz]

Originally Posted by Svarthjärtad

and you have the people that are crazy... from Skåne.

Wuhuu!!!
Thanks for that great description of us! I know I live in Denmark now, but I was born and raised a 'skåning'.

Oh, and didn't you forget two of our most used dialects? I.E. Göteborgska (gothenburg) and Finlands-Svenska (finlandic-swedish, swedish with a very heavy finnish dialect spoken by the many finnish immigrants we have...).

[lefay82]

Originally Posted by Svarthjärtad

People, well.... really do not speak like that everyday. Hehe.

really????
so now you have destroyed a myth to me.... i'm sooo sad



( i hate this smiley but is the only one that laughs decently)

[Runk]

Originally Posted by Svarthjärtad

I agree with "Mental Mercury".
To truely learn it fluently, you must learn from a native speaker/teacher.
Even then, you will more than likely screw up every now and again. You see it all of the time, there are a lot of people that are native speakers and often still screw up. You see, in Sweden, there are many different dialects. You have Stockholmers, Norrfolk, and you have the people that are crazy... from Skåne. Also, you have people that use a lot of slang and people that speak with an older dialect. For an example, when reading Swedish, often you may come accross words like "o" or "e". It's slang, a shortend version of "och" and "är". Also, you have to watch where you are in Sweden and who you are talking to. What I mean, is if you speak like Vintersorg does(how he writes his songtexts), most young people would look at you like a question mark. Take the word "Ulv" for an example, that's soo old, people say "varg" now, and some people won't know what that means.
So, my advise to you... is to pick a region that you want to learn the dialect. Also, if you choose to speak Swedish fluently to everybody, it would be wise to learn a bit of the slang because it is heavily used(as lame as it sounds).

And there´s the people from Gotland,i wonder if an outlander would get that they spoke Swedish at all,Gotländska (at least in speech) is almost less Swedish than Norwegian is.

[Svarthjärtad]

OH yes, those fucking Finnish! Buggers!
Yes, Gotländska is a bit difficult to understand at first. But, moreso, the Finns invade Stockholm more than anyplace. As it is refered to as "the gayest city ever". Hehe. I utterly dispise Stockholmers. If I am abroad and people ask if I am a Stockholmer or a person from Stockholm, I get fuuurrrriousss! Trust me. The Norrfolk don't really bother me much, of course tehy just live in their own little world. Hehe. They just.... you never know if they are being sarcastic or not so you have to guess. Plus, most of them have like a funny dress to themselves. The people from Skåne, they are crazy and weird - a bit hard to understand. Hehe. Perhaps this is side-effect of being once owned by Denmark? Hehe. I'm kidding ...(whatever you name was, I forget)! Hehe. Danes are great people, I just know nothing of their language. Hehe.
But anywho, back to the main topic here, my advice to you, is that if you cannot take a personal class to learn Swedish, buy the Rosetta Stone computer software. Right now, I am learning Arabic, and it's going fairly great! I am using this program you see!

Skål!,
Svart