Archive for April, 2009
Valborgsmässoafton Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 30, 2009
It’s April 30th and we all know what that means in Sweden – it’s Valborgsmässoafton or Valborg. In English this celebration is better known as Walpurgis. This year it also marks the start of a really long weekend. Tomorrow – Friday is Första Maj (May Day), then come Saturday and Sunday, and the world will…
Reading Books in Swedish, continued… Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 28, 2009
Continuing with our topic of reading Swedish books, there are a couple of issues that need to be addressed. 1. Where to get Swedish books abroad? Hmmm… That is a very good question indeed. Bokus no longer ships orders to the US, due to problems with the US Customs. This is very annoying, I know…
Reading Books in Swedish? – How to Begin Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 26, 2009
A while back somebody asked about which books would be a good choice for a first-time reader, in Swedish naturally. I know that some people recommend the classics: Astrid Lindgren, or Selma Lagerlöf or more recent works by Henning Mankell or Liza Marklund or Stieg Larsson. But I am going to be a little bit…
Hav or sjö? Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 23, 2009
When is a lake not a lake? When it’s a sea. Doesn’t make much sense, now does it? But unfortunately that’s how it can be in Swedish. Sometimes a lake is just a lake, but sometimes, even though it’s called a lake, it’s really a sea. Of course, I am talking about the “hav” and…
Your Experiences – Linda från Kalifornien Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 20, 2009
Your responses to my question about how you learn Swedish and what works for you and what doesn’t were incredibly insightful and I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to share your Swedish learning experiences with the rest of us. I also think that occasional readers may miss them if…
How Do YOU Learn Swedish? Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 17, 2009
I’ve been asked recently whether I prefer language courses or self-study, and which of those two is more effective when it comes to learning Swedish. My answer: neither. The most effective is moving to Sweden and using the language in every day life. However, that option was not feasible for the person asking the question…
Swedish Gifts – Dala Horses Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 15, 2009
Thank you all who contributed suggestions for gifts from Sweden. Your ideas were great! I tend to buy gifts that I would like to get myself, and hence, they are not always very representative of the region, and certainly do not take into account the tastes and preferences of other people. Since I am not…