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Learn Danish with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Nimos

Well-Known Member
I speak German but...guys...Scandinavian languages are really light years away..they are a group on their own...
It made me wonder about language. Whatever language you might speak, do you have to use common sense when you listen to someone to understand what they are saying or do you have specific words for each thing?

What I mean might not make any sense. So ill try with an example.

In Danish we have a word like "is", not pronounced as in english. But it can mean two things. "Ice cream" or "Ice", so a person might ask me, if I should translate it into english:

Do you want ice? Which doesn't really make sense, but using common sense, I know the person is asking me: Do you want ice cream?

So was just wondering is that the same in other languages as well? or as an english speaking person would you say: Do you want ice cubes? or would you say: Do you want ice? and that would be more of a slang way of saying it?
 
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Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
It made me wonder about language. Whatever language you might speak, do you have to use common sense when you listen to someone to understand what they are saying or do you have specific words for each thing?

What I mean might not make any sense. So ill try with an example.

In Danish we have a word like "is", not pronounced as in english. But it can mean two things. "Ice cream" or "Ice", so a person might ask me, if I should translate it into english:

Do you want ice? Which doesn't really make sense, but using common sense, I know the person is asking me: Do you want ice cream?

So was just wondering is that the same in other languages as well? or as an english speaking person would you say: Do you want ice cubes? or would you say: Do you want ice? and that would be more of a slang way of saying it?
My mothertongue is a Romance language made of words with pretty univocal meanings...:)
 

Srivijaya

Active Member
Do you want ice? Which doesn't really make sense, but using common sense, I know the person is asking me: Do you want ice cream?

So was just wondering is that the same in other languages as well? or as an english speaking person would you say: Do you want ice cubes? or would you say: Do you want ice? and that would be more of a slang way of saying it?
Same in German: Eis = ice or ice cream depending on context.

Northern English slang has the following (to be used with great caution): I could murder a Chinese.

Meaning: I'm starving hungry and would love to eat a Chinese takeaway.

Room for potential misunderstanding there.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I speak a few languages to varying degrees. A couple fluently, a few haltingly and in a few more i can order a meal.

The problem is i am a Lancashire lass with the accent to match, it can have strange results.

Never tried Danish though, i should, i have Danish friends and i guess its polite.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
I speak a few languages to varying degrees. A couple fluently, a few haltingly and in a few more i can order a meal.

The problem is i am a Lancashire lass with the accent to match, it can have strange results.

Never tried Danish though, i should, i have Danish friends and i guess its polite.
Well the easiest words in danish are these:

ø = Island
å = River

Does it get anymore simple? :D
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Well the easiest words in danish are these:

ø = Island
å = River

Does it get anymore simple? :D


Pronunciation?

As i said, im a brit, but i live in france. The 2 languages share over 40,000 words. (Once you understand this it becomes easy)
Words such as garage, table, action, visible are letter for letter the same and some are similar but with slight differences like salad/salade, hospital/hôpital, forest/forêt.
However the pronunciation differs tremendously and the fun begins
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
Pronunciation?

As i said, im a brit, but i live in france. The 2 languages share over 40,000 words. (Once you understand this it becomes easy)
Words such as garage, table, action, visible are letter for letter the same and some are similar but with slight differences like salad/salade, hospital/hôpital, forest/forêt.
However the pronunciation differs tremendously and the fun begins

Never been to good at the pronunciation thing :)

But you go to google translate and copy/paste the letters and choose danish then you can hear how to say them.
https://translate.google.com/?hl=da

We have 3 "special" letters, which are old Norse ones.

æ, ø , å

Actually quite a few english words comes from old Norse as well, due to us fooling around in England :)
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Never been to good at the pronunciation thing :)

But you go to google translate and copy/paste the letters and choose danish then you can hear how to say them.
https://translate.google.com/?hl=da

We have 3 "special" letters, which are old Norse ones.

æ, ø , å

Actually quite a few english words comes from old Norse as well, due to us fooling around in England :)

Bloody norsemen get everywhere.

I sometimes use google translate, it really isnt good with pronunciation

I believe the old european languages were quite similar
 
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