The newest Norwegian research shows that we understand less and less of each other\u00b4s languages in Scandinavia. (To the Scandinavian languages you count Swedish, Danish and Norwegian). The researchers blame first of all the teachers and the media for this very matter and they say that it would be very useful to concentrate more on and Inter-Scandinavian understanding in schools. Especially nowadays when we live in a more and more globalized world. With better understanding in Scandinavian languages you shall gain contact to each other\u00b4s social media, tv, newspaper, literature etc. What a unique language situation and possibilites within!\u00a0We could involve approx. 22 million Scandinavians instead of 10 million Swedes. Not mentioning the other Nordic countries like the bilingual Finland, where the primary language connections\u00a0are English and\/or Swedish in Inter-Scandinavian communication. Or the Faroe Islands\u00a0and\u00a0Iceland\u00a0where Danish is a cumpolsary language in schools. However Norwegian and Swedish classes\u00a0are also available for students who have an interest in Scandinavia.<\/p>\n
My own experience is that Swedes and Danes are worst in understanding each other when it comes to spoken language however after many years of watching Danish crime stories and listening to Danish music, having Danish friends and some romances helped to develop my skills\u00a0all through the years.\u00a0I have to say it is absolutly possible. I never speak English anymore in Denmark. I feel absolutely comfortable with it. But a wider Inter-Scandinavian communication education would be good and benefit all in Scandinavia. Some say “Oh why should we learn Norwegian or Danish” well, the thing is you don\u00b4t have to spend that much time with it to understand it. You could easily read your other foreign languages like English or German\u00a0beside of it. So primary and high school teachers in Sweden!!! Update yourself on Inter-Scandinavian language education and teach more than you do now! See the oppoturnities in it like job markets, education, literature or developing language skills in general.<\/p>\n