Archive for the year 2008
Surströmmingpremiären Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 21, 2008
I don’t have a Swedish calendar at home, I only have a goofy little one with a “Hello Kitty” design that is totally useless in Sweden (because what do I need Japanese public holidays for?) but it’s so darn cute that I keep it anyway. So imagine my surprise when I go to tvättstuga in…
A Little Bit About Adjectives Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 19, 2008
It’s grammar time today, because we can’t have just fun and games all the time. I want you to learn something really useful here, even if only occasionally. 🙂 When talking about “jobbig” I briefly mentioned the rules regarding Swedish adjectives. That when an adjective describes an “ett” noun, it gets a “-t” ending. And…
What’s a Hembygdsgård Anyway? Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 15, 2008
Because there’s not much to say about the Swedish performance at the Olympics (Ara Abrahamian’s hissy fit resulting in his bronze medal being revoked and Carolina Klüft’s dismal results so far, and that’s it in a nutshell) I’m going to continue talking about the wonders of Norrland instead. But first things first. Did you know…
Exploring Norrland Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 12, 2008
One good thing about being from (or living in) Umeå is that you’re not from anywhere else in Västerbotten. Because imagine the alternatives! You could be from a place like Lycksele, for example. I’m sure that Lycksele is a perfectly delightful little town, or a large village depending on who’s talking, of about 9 thousand…
When Your Tooth Hurts Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 8, 2008
Today is our Queen’s name day (Silvia) and also the first day of the Olympic Games, but I’m not really that fond of either one. The Queen has always struck me as creepily Stepfordish. I mean, is that woman even real or is she just a life-size paper cut-out? You know, like those of Star…
Sami Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 6, 2008
I said last time that I would tell you about the Sami. In fact, I’ve been thinking about a Sami-themed post for quite a while now, or at least every time I listen to Transjoik. Though Transjoik is technically a Norwegian band, we’ll let them in here on an honorary membership. Sami, the people formerly…
World Class Swedish Cuisine Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 3, 2008
Last week when I read about the Swedish agriculture minister Eskil Erlandsson‘s statement that he hopes to establish Sweden as haute cuisine leader of the world, I naturally assumed it was a joke. Or maybe that the venerable government official had one too many shots of Absolut. Because c’mon now, “Sweden” and “world-class” cuisine in…