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Risky learning Norwegian knowing Swedish? | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| raeve Diglot Groupie GermanyRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6362 days ago 65 posts - 66 votes  Speaks: EnglishB2, German* Studies: Swedish, Serbian, Spanish | Message 1 of 23 15 June 2009 at 12:14pm | IP Logged |
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I'm thinking about learning Norwegian for possible career chances in Norway, but I'm scared that my Swedish might get "replaced" by Norwegian, and I'll lose the ability to communicate in clear Swedish.
Did you guys make similar experiences when learning two closely related languages? Do you mix them up all the time, or can you distinguish between them without a problem? I haven't studied for my (mediocre) Swedish in a while because I had to study for SATs, and currently I'm mainly studying Serbian. Therefore I'm even more afraid mix stuff up between Swedish & Norwegian if I start learning now... 1 person has voted this message useful | |
 Iversen Super Polyglot Moderator Denmark berejst.dk Joined 6703 days ago 9078 posts - 16473 votes Speaks: Danish*, French, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Esperanto, Romanian, Catalan Studies: Afrikaans, Greek, Norwegian, Russian, Serbian, Icelandic, Latin, Irish, Lowland Scots, Indonesian, Polish, Croatian Personal Language Map | Message 2 of 23 15 June 2009 at 3:58pm | IP Logged |
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It depends on your level in Swedish. If you had to start learning those two languages at the same time the risk would certainly be there, but the better your Swedish is the less risk of mixing it up with things you learn in Norwegian. It is inevitable that you will sometime use a Swedish word when you don't know the correct Norwegian term (and in a few cases the result will be ridiculously wrong), but try to see this as a strength and not a weakness: guessing words on the basis of a related language may lead to some errors, but this is more than balanced by the thousands of words you get almost for free.
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| lifekiwi Diglot Newbie Australia Joined 5697 days ago 8 posts - 8 votes Speaks: English*, French Studies: Portuguese Studies: Russian | Message 3 of 23 17 June 2009 at 11:12pm | IP Logged |
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Attempt to keep the languages really distinct in your head. Speak in a thick accent from the moment you begin, and try to recognize the small differences in words that are Swedish or Norwegian.
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| Rmss Triglot Senior Member Spain spanish-only.coRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6564 days ago 234 posts - 248 votes 3 sounds Speaks: Dutch*, English, Spanish Studies: Portuguese | Message 4 of 23 19 June 2009 at 8:52pm | IP Logged |
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Why would someone speak with a thick accent by purpose?
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| cordelia0507 Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 5838 days ago 1473 posts - 2176 votes Speaks: Swedish* Studies: German, Russian | Message 5 of 23 19 June 2009 at 9:30pm | IP Logged |
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It doesn't matter if you mixed them up because they are mutually intelligible.
Remember, initially you will have a German accent whatever you do. That is the first thing people will notice, not whether or not you accidentally use a Norwegian word. Plenty of people move around between the Scandinavian countries. The accents and word differences are very characteristic and noticeable, but it is not a big deal. Nobody in Sweden would care if a German person accidentally used a Norwegian word. They would just be impressed that you took the time to learn Swedish in the first place since you don't even live in Sweden. Don't worry about it, go ahead with the Norwegian if that is useful for your career. Or you could simply ignore it and speak Swedish with the Norwegians. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| zerothinking Senior Member Australia Joined 6372 days ago 528 posts - 772 votes Speaks: English* | Message 6 of 23 20 June 2009 at 12:51pm | IP Logged |
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Don't be ridiculous. Just learn it. You won't mix it.
Have fun! 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Lizzern Diglot Senior Member Norway Joined 5909 days ago 791 posts - 1053 votes Speaks: Norwegian*, English Studies: Japanese | Message 7 of 23 20 June 2009 at 7:30pm | IP Logged |
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In the vast majority of situations you won't be expected to know Norwegian if you know Swedish. You'd be better off with advanced Swedish than pretty good at both. So it might be worth thinking it through so that you're sure you actually want to learn Norwegian, knowing that you will likely get on just fine speaking Swedish and understanding Norwegian, just like other Swedish speakers. The differences aren't significant enough that you won't be able to get on well enough with just Swedish, yes there will be vocabulary that's different and some fine-tuning of your ears to be able to listen to Norwegian - and yes, dialects that will trip you up - but all that will come with practice. It's virtually unheard of for Scandinavians to actively study another Scandinavian language simply for because they need it for work - because they really don't. Lots of Swedes work in Norway without needing to study the language.
That's not to discourage you from learning Norwegian, not at all, go for it if you want to, but it's not a must. Even in job situations typically any Scandinavian language is accepted, assuming you can adapt and function well with your clients and colleagues. If you want to learn both though, then by all means, have fun! :-) Liz 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| reineke Senior Member United States https://learnalangua Joined 6447 days ago 851 posts - 1008 votes Studies: German | Message 8 of 23 20 June 2009 at 9:18pm | IP Logged |
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You should expect constant Viking incursions into your territory.
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