Comments on: Hav or sjö? http://www.transparent.com/swedish/hav-or-sjo/ Language and Culture of the Swedish-Speaking World Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:27:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Amanda http://www.transparent.com/swedish/hav-or-sjo/comment-page-1/#comment-1776 Amanda Tue, 06 Apr 2010 06:10:33 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=198#comment-1776 Maybe the vikings called it a lake because they could drink the water and therefore thought it probably wasn't a sea. And at the same time it definitely looked big enough to be a lake. And once something has a name it is a very hard thing to change that name. We're having a bit of bother in our country changing Wangarei to Whangarei. Maybe the vikings called it a lake because they could drink the water and therefore thought it probably wasn’t a sea. And at the same time it definitely looked big enough to be a lake.
And once something has a name it is a very hard thing to change that name. We’re having a bit of bother in our country changing Wangarei to Whangarei.

]]> By: Anders http://www.transparent.com/swedish/hav-or-sjo/comment-page-1/#comment-648 Anders Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:53:59 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=198#comment-648 Thank you for your answer. It didn't make me any wiser but it was sure fun to read about. Thank you for your answer. It didn’t make me any wiser but it was sure fun to read about.

]]> By: Stu http://www.transparent.com/swedish/hav-or-sjo/comment-page-1/#comment-647 Stu Mon, 11 May 2009 19:06:15 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=198#comment-647 Hi Anna! I would have loved to jump to the Vikings' defense! The thing that's difficult to keep in mind is that languages were developed long ago. And they don't have "software upgrades" like we're used to in the modern world. The world of the Vikings didn't have GPS, or even the need for the distinctions we're making. In their Skando-centric (if I may) world view, the East Sea or East Lake was know to everyone who'd be speaking Swedish as an obvious point of reference. We're the ones who have the problem because we're trying to fit our modern world view to languages that grew before they were needed. Although it's natural to try and make sense of the confusion, the right answer is always, "because that's just how they say it". It's a shame the gentleman on the bus didn't point out how many BIZARRE quirks of the English language we put up with every day. Stu Hi Anna!

I would have loved to jump to the Vikings’ defense!

The thing that’s difficult to keep in mind is that languages were developed long ago. And they don’t have “software upgrades” like we’re used to in the modern world. The world of the Vikings didn’t have GPS, or even the need for the distinctions we’re making. In their Skando-centric (if I may) world view, the East Sea or East Lake was know to everyone who’d be speaking Swedish as an obvious point of reference.

We’re the ones who have the problem because we’re trying to fit our modern world view to languages that grew before they were needed. Although it’s natural to try and make sense of the confusion, the right answer is always, “because that’s just how they say it”. It’s a shame the gentleman on the bus didn’t point out how many BIZARRE quirks of the English language we put up with every day.

Stu

]]> By: Minty http://www.transparent.com/swedish/hav-or-sjo/comment-page-1/#comment-646 Minty Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:34:13 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=198#comment-646 Haha very amusing and brain tingling blog Anna! Even my Swedish boyfriend was confused :P Haha very amusing and brain tingling blog Anna! Even my Swedish boyfriend was confused :P

]]> By: Luke (Sydney) http://www.transparent.com/swedish/hav-or-sjo/comment-page-1/#comment-645 Luke (Sydney) Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:04:55 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/swedish/?p=198#comment-645 Hej Anna, I am not qualified to explain things here. Having said, I can't speak Swedish but I can think like a Viking now ;) Hej Anna, I am not qualified to explain things here. Having said, I can’t speak Swedish but I can think like a Viking now ;)

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