Martin Rundkvist20h ago

The Scandy languages like long sequences of consonants, and not just for reasons of coding non-Latin sounds with the Latin alphabet.

The SKS in Fisksätra, where I live, is a problem to many immigrants. But the place has a pet name in typical Stockholm style: Fiskis.

So a lot of people call it Fiskis-ätra.

#language

Show threadsunflowerinrain

@mrundkvist
The consonants wouldn't stump me, but the ä would. There are consonant groups in English too. However, some English people can't pronounce sequences of consonants in English (e.g. rendering umbrella as umb-uh-rella).

Swedish words are hard for an Anglo to pronounce from the spelling. I sang in a multi-lingual vocal group: Japanese ok, Czech yes, German and French a doddle, Swedish we had to take out of the concert programme. We'd have done better if we couldn't read the words.

Apr 11 at 8:13amWeb
Show threadMartin Rundkvist19h ago
@sunflowerinrain
Ä and Å are at least easy for Anglos to pronounce: MAN or MEN, DOOR or LOST. Ö, Y and U are problems.
Show threadsunflowerinrain19h ago
@mrundkvist
Ah, memories of a geography lesson on Scandy economy in which the teacher had us practising "Jönköping". I don't know if we got it right.
Show threadHerzleid18h ago
@sunflowerinrain I've always wondered what an English-speaking person would make of Yasjön, a village I pass whenever I go into Big Town here… 😄
Show threadsunflowerinrain18h ago
@herzleid
I'd have to hear it!
Show threadsunflowerinrain19h ago
@mrundkvist
On coding non-Latin sounds with the Latin alphabet: it really doesn't work well for English, either. Putting in an 'h' to denote something that doesn't feature in Latin is bad enough, but trying to represent the plethora of English vowels with far too few letters is a mess. Still, it provides comedy.
Show threadMartin Rundkvist19h ago
@sunflowerinrain Oh indeed, thoroughly. 😄