Posts from July 2008

Useful Words: Jobbig

Posted by Transparent Language 13 Comments
Jul 29 2008

In every language there are words that you either just love or simply hate for whatever reason. Personally, I’m not a fan of words that are difficult to spell, and unfortunately the English language is full of them. Like “assassinate”. The only reason I remember how to spell it is because it has two of “you know what” in it.

I much prefer words that are useful and good at describing whatever it is that they mean. And the Swedish language is full of them! Like “jobbig” for example.

See? One look at it and I don’t think I need to explain what it means. It means exactly what it looks like what it sounds like.

My Swedish-English dictionary does not bother to provide a translation for “jobbig”. Instead, it gives an example:

  • jobbig – det är jobbigt – it’s hard work

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Plural Ett Words

Posted by Transparent Language 11 Comments
Jul 26 2008

I have a foreign neighbor who reads this blog (hi neighbor!), and I think it’s very convenient that she does. She’s right under my nose, she’s learning Swedish, speaks passable English and is not afraid to ask questions. So I wasn’t surprised when she spied me out while I was taking my cats out for a walk (yes, you can put your cat in a special harness with a leash and take it for a stroll outside, it’s quite common in Sweden) and came over to ask questions. And since she’s allergic to cats, I knew this had to be serious.

Our conversation went more or less like this:
Neighbor: “You wrote that “blåbär” is an “ett” word, so then where does “blåbären” come from? Huh?”
And she looked at me expectantly.
Anna: “Uhmm… It’s like with “barnet” and “barnen”, one is definite singular and the other – definite plural.”
Neighbor: “Elucidate, please.”

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Blueberry Forecast 2008

Posted by Transparent Language 5 Comments
Jul 23 2008

Come July and August Swedes change, and quite visibly even. One look at their hands and fingers and you begin to seriously ponder whether or not you are among madmen. Why? Their fingers are red and purple. Sometimes, their mouths are too.

Yes, it’s blueberry season! Actually, no. Wait! Technically, it’s “bilberry” in English, Vaccinium myrtillus in Latin, and simply “blåbär” in Swedish. What you guys know as a “blueberry” in the US is in fact Vaccinium cyanococcus, a not-so-distant cousin of the European variety.

Bilberry, blueberry, whatever the name, it’s time to go into the woods and do some serious picking. And then proudly, yet casually at the same time, display your stained fingers the day after. Those purple fingers are like a badge of honor, or a different way to show your national pride. It’s the “I went into the woods, braved being eaten alive by mosquitoes, risked dangerous encounters with wild animals, and all for the love of a small blue fruit” way of showing just how Swedish you truly are.

And this whole blueberry picking thing is a serious business indeed. Just how serious? The very famous and prestigious Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) does scientific research into the matter and publishes a yearly blueberry forecast map. And for the geographically challenged they even prepare the info in a diagram format. Sweet!

Here’s a link to the SLU page with the blueberry lowdown in Swedish.

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På And More På

Posted by Transparent Language 5 Comments
Jul 21 2008

I went to the movies tonight with my friend and we saw “Hancock”, it was actually pretty good. Yes, I know, I know. This movie is old news in the US, but here it’s just opened and the theatre was packed. I didn’t even know there were that many people left in my town on a Sunday night in July. And they all decided to go “på bio”.

Yes, it’s preposition time today! And I thought since we already used “på” last time, when talking about being “på semester”, which of course means “on vacation”, that we could continue with these “på” phrases some more.

“På” is a very pesky word. It has many meanings. Too many, if you want to know my opinion. And because of that, it can be translated into English in many different ways. Too many different ways, actually.

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Sommarstängt

Posted by Transparent Language 6 Comments
Jul 18 2008

The bus strike ended very quietly last Tuesday night, or Wednesday morning, depending on when you go to bed. Our dull and mundane reality has returned even duller and more mundane, if that’s at all possible. And why is that so? It’s July and that means that everything is closed. You think I’m exaggerating when I say “everything”? Ha! Think again! Here are some pictures I took during my lunchtime stroll today. And those were taken just within my local shopping center.

Closed for the summer!
On June 11th we’re closing at 5PM to open again August 11th. Welcome back!

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