Language meme
Mar. 25th, 2017 03:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scripsiGakked from all over my f-list.
LANGUAGE MEME
1. What is your mother tongue?
Swedish
2. What are the official languages of the country you live in?
Swedish.
3. Are there any minority languages in your country? Are you interested in them?
Five official minority languages; Finnish, Sami (there are actually three Sami languages spoken in Sweden, and four more spoken in Norway, Finland and Russia), Meänkieli (originally a Finnish dialect which now have language status), Romani chib and Yiddish. Some think Swedish Sign Language should be considered a minority language as well.
The we have Romani rakripa which it spoken by Swedish Travellers, which differs from Romani chib as the grammar is largely Swedish. Very few speak it now. There are also dialects which are so difficult to understand for the average Swede, that the could be considered a minority language, Westrobothnian, (I can’t understand a word of this northern dialect), Dalecarlian, Modern Gutnish, Jamtlandic and Scanian (which could be considered a dialect of Danish, Scania was part of Denmark until the 17th century).
I’m interested in them because I find it fascinating how languages and dialects evolve, but I have no particular interest in learning them. My paternal grandfather was from Scania and I think it’s interesting how I use some turns of speak which is distinctly Scanian, though I’ve lived in Stockholm my whole life. I also think it’s interesting that Swedish, with its small population, has so many minority languages and dialects which are close to their own languages. I think it may be that even if we are few people, Sweden is actually a large country when it comes to size, the fifth biggest in Europe. So a lot of people lived in very isolated areas, with little contact with others.
4. Are there any minority / extinct languages you are interested in?
Not more than I mentioned above.
5. How many languages can you speak and on what level?
Three. Swedish, of course, and I’m fluent in English. I understand French fairly well when I hear or read it, but I can’t speak it.
6. When did you start learning your second language?
I was nine when I started to learn English and thirteen when I started to learn French.
7. Is second language a mandatory subject in your country and how many hours per day do children learn it?
Up until the end of WWII german was mandatory for older students, now English is. You start earlier than nine now, my kid has studied it since he was seven. I can’t recall how much, but there certainly wasn’t lessons every day. At thirteen students are free to select a subject from a set list, and a lot choose another language then, as i took French and my son is studying German.
8. What do you think about immersion? Have you ever / would you like to try it?
I think it’s a good way to learn. I didn’t become good in English until I started to read English books.
9. How many languages are you learning at the moment {self-study counts}?
I’m doing Italian and freshen up my French on Duolingo.
10. What languages would you like to learn in the {near} future?
If I ever start to learn another language, then it’ll be German or Spanish.
11. Do you prefer attending courses / classes or learning on your own? Why?
Learning on my own. Because I prefer to do things on my own rather than in a group.
12. Is there a language you have just given up on although you really wanted to master it?
No.
13. Is {are} there word{s} you just always misspell?
Not in Swedish. In English I never seem to get definitely right at the first time, though.
14. Are there words you have always loved?
None which springs to mind. But I’ve always liked the letter Q. As a child I loved a book called “Why Is Q So Rare?” which was a story about a Thief who never got a name on it’s own, so he started to hate all letters and words. He constructs a machine which suck the words out of the books, much to the dismay of his dog The Q-dog, because he loves to munch on them. The tail of the Q is so nice and crunchy. Q, in Swedish is basically a dead letter, nowadays only used in some names, which makes them very rare indeed.
15. What aspect{s} of language interests you?
Its history, and cultural aspects.
16. What linguistic category interests you the most? {lexicology, semantics...}
No idea.
17. Favourite language teacher?
My English teacher when I was between 16 and 18. My English was SO bad back then and I almost failed in my final exams. But he gave me a chance, which he didn’t need to give me, and I managed to pass.
18. What does your name mean and from what language does it come from?
Charlotte is originally French, and is the female form of Charlotte. I’ve always heard it means “free”. Elise is a French short form of Elisabeth, which is Hebrew by way of Greece, and means “My God is abundance” or “My God is an oath".
19. Native speaker or not, as a teacher?
Fluent speaker.
20. In case you are planning to have children, would you like to raise them bilingual {multilingual}? Or in another case, what do you think about teaching such young children languages?
Planning? I didn’t raise my son to be bilingual, but he was fluent in English when he was ten and is far better in German than I have ever been in French. I think it can only benefit a child to learn more than one language. My son’s cousin who is 20 months old, already speak three word sentences in English, and talk a little Swedish, and it’s clear she understand both languages perfectly.
21. Do you think that one day we will speak only English?
No. Especially since Mandarin is spoken by a lot more people, and there are more Spanish speakers than English speakers too. :) But even if that happens, language evolves and eventually new languages would come. After all, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish used to be the same language. I had an English teacher from India once, and she said the English spoken in India has started to differ so much from British English that in a few generations it will probably be a language in its own right.
22. What is the hardest language to learn in your opinion?
No idea.
23. Favourite foreign name{s}?
Alison and Anahita (Persian).
LANGUAGE MEME
1. What is your mother tongue?
Swedish
2. What are the official languages of the country you live in?
Swedish.
3. Are there any minority languages in your country? Are you interested in them?
Five official minority languages; Finnish, Sami (there are actually three Sami languages spoken in Sweden, and four more spoken in Norway, Finland and Russia), Meänkieli (originally a Finnish dialect which now have language status), Romani chib and Yiddish. Some think Swedish Sign Language should be considered a minority language as well.
The we have Romani rakripa which it spoken by Swedish Travellers, which differs from Romani chib as the grammar is largely Swedish. Very few speak it now. There are also dialects which are so difficult to understand for the average Swede, that the could be considered a minority language, Westrobothnian, (I can’t understand a word of this northern dialect), Dalecarlian, Modern Gutnish, Jamtlandic and Scanian (which could be considered a dialect of Danish, Scania was part of Denmark until the 17th century).
I’m interested in them because I find it fascinating how languages and dialects evolve, but I have no particular interest in learning them. My paternal grandfather was from Scania and I think it’s interesting how I use some turns of speak which is distinctly Scanian, though I’ve lived in Stockholm my whole life. I also think it’s interesting that Swedish, with its small population, has so many minority languages and dialects which are close to their own languages. I think it may be that even if we are few people, Sweden is actually a large country when it comes to size, the fifth biggest in Europe. So a lot of people lived in very isolated areas, with little contact with others.
4. Are there any minority / extinct languages you are interested in?
Not more than I mentioned above.
5. How many languages can you speak and on what level?
Three. Swedish, of course, and I’m fluent in English. I understand French fairly well when I hear or read it, but I can’t speak it.
6. When did you start learning your second language?
I was nine when I started to learn English and thirteen when I started to learn French.
7. Is second language a mandatory subject in your country and how many hours per day do children learn it?
Up until the end of WWII german was mandatory for older students, now English is. You start earlier than nine now, my kid has studied it since he was seven. I can’t recall how much, but there certainly wasn’t lessons every day. At thirteen students are free to select a subject from a set list, and a lot choose another language then, as i took French and my son is studying German.
8. What do you think about immersion? Have you ever / would you like to try it?
I think it’s a good way to learn. I didn’t become good in English until I started to read English books.
9. How many languages are you learning at the moment {self-study counts}?
I’m doing Italian and freshen up my French on Duolingo.
10. What languages would you like to learn in the {near} future?
If I ever start to learn another language, then it’ll be German or Spanish.
11. Do you prefer attending courses / classes or learning on your own? Why?
Learning on my own. Because I prefer to do things on my own rather than in a group.
12. Is there a language you have just given up on although you really wanted to master it?
No.
13. Is {are} there word{s} you just always misspell?
Not in Swedish. In English I never seem to get definitely right at the first time, though.
14. Are there words you have always loved?
None which springs to mind. But I’ve always liked the letter Q. As a child I loved a book called “Why Is Q So Rare?” which was a story about a Thief who never got a name on it’s own, so he started to hate all letters and words. He constructs a machine which suck the words out of the books, much to the dismay of his dog The Q-dog, because he loves to munch on them. The tail of the Q is so nice and crunchy. Q, in Swedish is basically a dead letter, nowadays only used in some names, which makes them very rare indeed.
15. What aspect{s} of language interests you?
Its history, and cultural aspects.
16. What linguistic category interests you the most? {lexicology, semantics...}
No idea.
17. Favourite language teacher?
My English teacher when I was between 16 and 18. My English was SO bad back then and I almost failed in my final exams. But he gave me a chance, which he didn’t need to give me, and I managed to pass.
18. What does your name mean and from what language does it come from?
Charlotte is originally French, and is the female form of Charlotte. I’ve always heard it means “free”. Elise is a French short form of Elisabeth, which is Hebrew by way of Greece, and means “My God is abundance” or “My God is an oath".
19. Native speaker or not, as a teacher?
Fluent speaker.
20. In case you are planning to have children, would you like to raise them bilingual {multilingual}? Or in another case, what do you think about teaching such young children languages?
Planning? I didn’t raise my son to be bilingual, but he was fluent in English when he was ten and is far better in German than I have ever been in French. I think it can only benefit a child to learn more than one language. My son’s cousin who is 20 months old, already speak three word sentences in English, and talk a little Swedish, and it’s clear she understand both languages perfectly.
21. Do you think that one day we will speak only English?
No. Especially since Mandarin is spoken by a lot more people, and there are more Spanish speakers than English speakers too. :) But even if that happens, language evolves and eventually new languages would come. After all, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish used to be the same language. I had an English teacher from India once, and she said the English spoken in India has started to differ so much from British English that in a few generations it will probably be a language in its own right.
22. What is the hardest language to learn in your opinion?
No idea.
23. Favourite foreign name{s}?
Alison and Anahita (Persian).
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no subject
Date: 2017-03-25 04:34 pm (UTC)Some dialects can be as hard to understand as a different language.
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Date: 2017-03-25 05:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-26 02:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-25 05:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-25 06:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-25 07:54 pm (UTC)In the UK, we started a second language at 12, too late I think, and most dropped it after 2 years. :(
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Date: 2017-03-26 01:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-25 08:12 pm (UTC)How long has your son been learning German?
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Date: 2017-03-26 01:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-26 10:23 pm (UTC)That was the one thing I noticed when I first started visiting here was the dialects. There seem to be more dialects. However, the more I lived here, the more I don't notice the difference that much any more compared to when I was just a tourist.
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Date: 2017-03-28 04:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-27 12:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-27 02:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 04:41 pm (UTC)