Much of what I notice from X's language is of course the Swenglish constructions and usages while speaking English but it certainly reverses.
Today at dinner at Farmor's X announced he didn't want another serving saying:
--Jag är full. (I am "full")
Full in Swedish is the colloquial usage of expressing the state of inebriation. So his Swedish statement is literally translated: "I am drunk."
Some of his other mix ups with the two languages --with their being so similar-- can go unnoticed. The other day we were talking in English but used the Swedish word "snaps" which is pronounced much like the German ""schopps" meaning a shot of alcohol. X spoke up determined to be part of the adult conversation and declared:
--Girls aren't as interested in "snaps" (pronounced in an American accent /snops/) as boys are.
I tried hard to contain my laughter and realized that the hubby didn't really "get" what he was referring to. The hubby had only thought that girls weren't as interested in throwing back a shot of spiced alcohol as boys --a statement he probably fully agrees with from experience.
I pointed out that X was not referring to "snaps" but "snoppar" --the child-friendly and euphemistic nomenclature for a boy's "willy."
About Me
- An American in Stockholm
- As a backpacker on my first visit to Stockholm in 1992 I met, fell in love with and eventually married my Swedish husband. We've moved to the suburbs preschool son and daughter along with our six bicycles, bike trailer and three baby carriages and two cars (just like other Americans;-) The house we're building (and living in) is slooowwwwwly getting its finishing touches. Fair guess is by 2010 we'll be done with the construction--probably in time for some maintenance renovations.
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