Language Tip Number One: This Is It
I think I have finally reached 'the point' in this Language Tip. I think I'll just tell you it now. No digressions, stories, thoughts, or other straying from the point. OK.
Mainly, there are two things I want to say about Norwegian. They are both about pronunciation. Firstly, you are speaking Norwegian now, not English (or whatever your first language is). Have you seen the Swedish Chef on the Muppets? (Not so likely now, but you might remember this character from when the Muppets were more popular). At all times you must think of his way of speaking. That's not really a joke; it's important to get into the native pronunciation with all its stresses and pitches, and something has to break you out of your native patterns. I admit that he is a Swedish Chef, not a Norwegian one, but - and this might be too much of a shock, so stop reading now if you are afraid - he is not actually speaking Swedish so I think you get the point!
Many languages use the Roman alphabet that we know best of all as English speakers. But although it looks the same in other languages, it's important to realise that the sounds aren't the same. So in a way, it's a new alphabet. Still, the sounds should be close so don't panic. People will probably understand you all the same, more or less, but we're aiming at the top level of language skill in this tip. The best communication fits into the listener's own patterns perfectly so there is no dissonance between the speaker and the listener. The words fit in so well that the thoughts expressed seem to come from his or her own mind.
The other thing is that in Norwegian the consonants seem to have melted. Bear this in mind too! The words run into each other in a singing way, only pausing on double consonants like 'ff' or 'gg'. There will of course be other things you need to know, but that is the substance of Language Tip Number One!
Lykke til!
Mainly, there are two things I want to say about Norwegian. They are both about pronunciation. Firstly, you are speaking Norwegian now, not English (or whatever your first language is). Have you seen the Swedish Chef on the Muppets? (Not so likely now, but you might remember this character from when the Muppets were more popular). At all times you must think of his way of speaking. That's not really a joke; it's important to get into the native pronunciation with all its stresses and pitches, and something has to break you out of your native patterns. I admit that he is a Swedish Chef, not a Norwegian one, but - and this might be too much of a shock, so stop reading now if you are afraid - he is not actually speaking Swedish so I think you get the point!
Many languages use the Roman alphabet that we know best of all as English speakers. But although it looks the same in other languages, it's important to realise that the sounds aren't the same. So in a way, it's a new alphabet. Still, the sounds should be close so don't panic. People will probably understand you all the same, more or less, but we're aiming at the top level of language skill in this tip. The best communication fits into the listener's own patterns perfectly so there is no dissonance between the speaker and the listener. The words fit in so well that the thoughts expressed seem to come from his or her own mind.
The other thing is that in Norwegian the consonants seem to have melted. Bear this in mind too! The words run into each other in a singing way, only pausing on double consonants like 'ff' or 'gg'. There will of course be other things you need to know, but that is the substance of Language Tip Number One!
Lykke til!
posted by Philip Howard at 5:09 PM
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