I read a quote from Swedish linguist, comedian, film director and TV presenter Fredrik Lindström about Swedes and the English language:
When people say that they speak fluent English, as well as they speak Swedish, then I want to take them out in the kitchen, pull out a kitchen drawer and say: Talk about these things now!
I think he's so right on! Swedish politicians and officials working at EU institutions and international organisations often turn down the possibility to receive simultaneous interpretation with the argument that their English "is perfectly fine, I don't need it", when they are really not at the level needed to discuss matters properly, or run their own cooking show in English for that matter. They don't realise that they are limited in their comprehension, vocabulary, creativity in using the language, etc.
I have lived in English-speaking countries for five years and work in an English-speaking working place, but I'm still aware of my limitations and feel that I learn new words, expressions and subtlities of the language every day.
Haha, as a result of this, today I actually got the question what the English word for "durkslag" is. I could actually answer. Yey!
ReplyDeleteColander, right? Or strainer. But I think there are more words for it?
ReplyDeleteColander was what I was thinking of. Thank God for Jamie Oliver and his cooking shows!
ReplyDeleteI guess strainer is the American equivalent?
Hey Anna, this is first to say that you are right: there is nothing more annoying, even dangerous, than people who think they don’t need professional help translating, when they so obviously do. That being said, and coming from the perspective of someone who is trying to raise a family bilingually, is it really that necessary or even desirable to be fluent in every area of each language? Me, for example, I work professionally in English and have the English vocabulary to go with it, but ask me to run you through the protein production and purification steps in Swedish and, errh, I will get back to you… I do nursery rimes and stories in Swedish, but I know all the pregnancy and baby related terms in English. And maybe certain languages are just better equipped to deal with specific topics? Kitchen French (James Oliver be damned – yummy as he may be), music in Italian, and all the words for snow that some Inuit languages may or may not have? Sorry for the rambling. I realize it was not the point you were tying to make.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I don't think we have to be perfectly fluent in all languages, but then people shouldn't portray that they are when they aren't. If that makes sense. At the same time, Swedes ARE pretty good at English compared to other nationalities.
ReplyDeleteYour post is so true. Mastering English is more difficult than people realise. ( Malaysians speak their own brand of english which is interspered by "lahs" ).
ReplyDelete