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A Visit to the Baker Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Apr 29, 2012
To many people, there’s nothing quite as Danish as a baker’s store, with its rugbrød (rye bread) and rundstykke/r (roll/s) and loads of delicious cakes… One early morning, I took a trip to my local bakery where I met the baker Lars. How long have you been working as a baker? I was apprenticed at…
Sounds R Us Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Apr 15, 2012
There are basicaly two ways of pronouncing the letter R in Danish: as a consonant and as a vowel. As a sound you can’t sing and as one you can make part of a melody… If that sounds strange, just think about British English: In words like random and princess, where R introduces a vowel…
Who Made Holes In My Letter? Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Apr 10, 2012
While Easter is celebrated in many countries throughout verden (the world), there is one Easter tradition which only exists in Denmark: the sending of gækkebreve. Brev is ’letter’ (snail mail). If you lived in the 19th century and felt like asking if that bell-ringing jester in front of your table were pulling your leg or…
Danish Easter Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Apr 7, 2012
Påsken (the Easter) is one of the most important holidays in Denmark. Originally linked to Christianity, for most modern Danes it has become a welcome break from work and a chance to spend some time together with your familie. Påske is symbolized by the colour gul, and most people associate it with påskeæg (Easter eggs)…
The Secret of Danish Pronunciation Revealed Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Apr 1, 2012
For many foreigners trying to learn Danish, the natives’ pronunciation is a tough nut to crack. How on earth do they do it? I met Henrik Jørgensen, lecturer and researcher at the Scandinavian Department at Aarhus University. Mr. Jørgensen, you and your colleagues are rumoured to be on the scent of a brand new theory…
Seasons of the Year Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Mar 30, 2012
Spring has finally arrived to Denmark at full sail; green buds are waiting everywhere to shoot from the trees and hedges. There is no turning back… Let’s take a break from spellings and tongue twisters, and look at the Danish årstider (seasons, literally ”times of the year”)… Forår is pronounced ”FORE-ore” in the British way…
The Danish Soup Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Mar 25, 2012
For those who’ve come to enjoy the beauty of for example Danish poetry, the numerous comparisons of Danish with gray, grainy substances may seem a bit over the top. In fact, I suspect those dull descriptions stem mostly from Danes themselves. (Keeping an ironic, ”lowbrow” attitude can only make you pleasantly surprised when the prestigious speakers…