Norwegians speaking English, and syvfjellsturen

Creds to Devin for this picture! haha

Norwegians speaking English, and some other language observations:


-You know how in english, when someone asks "are you not going to the beach anymore today" or "aren't you going to jump off that bridge", neither yes or no works as an answer? Like "No, I'm not NOT going....wait, I mean yes, I am not....going." Norwegian actually has a word for that! They have "Ja", "Nei", and then an inbetween word, "Jo" for all those confusing double negatives.

-That's one example where they have a word we don't have, but for the most part it seems they have a smaller range of words to use than we do. The word "nydelig" (google translates it as "beautiful") is used to describe everything from people to food to scenery. Or "deilig" (delicious) is used for food, scenery and experiences. We wouldn't say that both our hot chocolate and our ski trip were delicious, but they do that here.

-Norwegians are generally very good at english, but sometimes they have little expressions they use where they translate directly into english from norwegian. For example:

• "I'll follow you" instead of "I'll come with you"
• They often replace "V" with "W", so things become "werry good" and you "waccuum" instead of "vacuum"
• The "TH" sound sometimes gets replaced with "T", so you get "tank you" 
• "Fun" and "funny" are the same word in Norwegian (morsom), so people will ask "did you have a funny time?"
• "I will learn you this": they often confuse "to learn" with "to teach"
• 
  

I'm starting to notice more and more that I have to actively stop Norwegian word order from coming out when I speak english. Just for fun, I'm going to try and write a little dialogue in english, but translated directly from norwegian.

-Hei, how goes it?

-It goes good, I've been out and jogged in the nature.


-Sounds good out! I have been bad today, I have infection in the lungs. Thus have not I done some thing outside of cozying me in front of TV

-Uff da! that sounds not funny out. Good bettering to you!


-Thanks for that! I have actually taken enough medicine that it does not pain. So have I big cozied me today! Delicious to just take it with easy.

-Not worst! Saw you what her with the big black boots had on her yesterday night? Her who has program on the TV? Have not you want on those boots?


-Jo, I have very want on those boots! But soon become it summer, so shall I rather use money on sandals.

-That sounds smart out! Now must I make dinner, potatoes and fish tonight, like usual. Hope you are soon healthy like a fish! Perhaps that was a bad comparison! In any case, we talk!


-Yes, we do that. Have it good!

I've yet to meet a Norwegian who talks anything like this, but give me a couple more years (nahh, months even) in Norway and it'll be me!

7fjellsturen:


On Sunday Inger and I  hiked over the 7 mountains around Bergen. (They're all around 350-600 m above sea level, so not like, enormous by Canadian standards, but plenty big enough for me!!) I guess paying to hike all day in the rain is an appealing prospect to Norwegians, because there were 8000 people hiking at the same time. It's called the 7 fjellsturen (you can do a 4 mountain one as well) and basically you pay for a card that you clip at the top of each mountain, and when you get to the end you get a t shirt. They don't even time people, and you can start whenever you want. I still find it a bit of an odd idea, but it was neat to do!

We started around 6 am, and I finished around 4 pm. Inger (host mom) finished an hour or so later. So all in all it took me about 9.5 to 10 hours, and I never stopped for more than 10 minutes! I don't think my legs have ever been so tired!

The first three mountains were muddy and wet, and then the weather actually cooperated a bit, although it was still cold.

 Top of the first (at like 7:15 am)

Coming down from the first- it was like a muddy slip and slide! When the sun came out a little bit people actually started cheering. And the guy in front of me started loudly singing a norwegian song about wearing sunglasses. 

 Top of the second

And top of the third.

Shoes are getting muddier

After the third we had to cross through the city to start up the highest, Ulriken:

Ulriken from the bottom and top.

By this point I was starting to get a little tired, and we were joined by the people doing the 4 mountain hike. You could tell who was doing which by how high up on their pants there was mud.

As we were walking up the road to the start of the trail a ridiculous looking tourist bus passed us. On the side and back it said "you haven't experienced Bergen til you've been up mount Ulriken" and some kind of ENJOY Bergen's highest mountain quote. I doubt I was the only person it drove by thinking "enjoy?? hah!! as if".

After I came down from Ulriken I was pretty much sleepwalking, but being passed by kids and grandparents forced me to keep walking.

From the fifth, looking back at the third mountain.

Somewhere along the top there were random people dressed up as.....trolls? wizards? who knows. It was funny though.

I eventually made it to the end, got my t shirt, and then had to wait an hour for the train. I don't think I could've walked another 100 metres after that! 

All in all it was about 35 km, here's a map:

I'm still a bit sore today, although not too bad! Glad I got to experience something so Norwegian!

On monday night I had my final presentation for the rotary club here, and then I switched back to my first host family, who I'll live with for the last month. I had planned that before I switched to live with Jon and Inger; there was absolutely nothing wrong there! I'm so thankful I got to live with them for 6ish months!! Takk for meg  =)

Have it good ;)