Tag Archives: language

Could it be false friendship? #7

False friendship in a language?

I am fascinated by words, especially the written word, and languages. The more languages I learn the easier it gets, and that sure comes in handy in expat life! It’s captivating to recognize similarities between languages, and to explore possible roots in common. Could it be a cognate or a false friend? Now if that doesn’t sound intriguing … 😉

I´ll explain it to you.

Cognates are words in different languages that have a common linguistic heritage. Examples are night natt nuit notte Nacht. Loanwords does not count.

Cognates within a language are known as doublets. Doublets are words that look similar, existing within the same language. Meaning of the words is irrelevant – they don´t have to mean the same thing, but could of course. An example is shirt and skirt in English.

False cognates are words that to the eye and ear appear to have the same origin but don´t. The meaning of the words is irrelevant here – it doesn’t matter if they are false friends or have the same meaning. An example hereof; mamma and pappa in Swedish – not related to similar words in other languages, merely stemming from baby language! (Svensk etymologisk ordbok – the Swedish etymological thesaurus, digitalized at http://runeberg.org/svetym/)

What about the false  friendship? Well, false friends are words in different languages that appear to have the same meaning but don´t. Here is a link to some false friends Swedish/English, serving as examples.

 

Primary sources

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kognat_(lingvistik)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognate

My brain. 🙂

Want to know more on Swedish language training with me? Head over!

Online Swedish language-tutoring

Online Swedish language training

Language is part of a culture. When you learn a language you also learn the culture connected to it and vice versa. It’s fun and valuable to know different languages. Now Swedish isn’t exactly one of the most influential languages in the universe but it might still be important to you.

I have studied and learnt several languages in my life. The methods and situations have been different, depending on the teaching institute and the teachers, as well as me and my current situation. Looking back, the most valuable and rewarding classes have been the ones where I constantly practiced speaking. It goes without saying that this was easier when I had private tutoring, or was in a smaller group of students.

As an expat, language studies have often proved to be the first social networking for me, and a routine in making a new life for me and my family. Yes, it involved breaks for diaper-changes and preparing a bottle. Sometimes we took the tutoring outside, to enjoy the weather and to accommodate the needs of a toddler longing for the garden swing.

Talking, talking, talking!

To really learn how to speak a language I think it is important to have enough opportunities. And to seize them, of course. The more you speak the easier it gets.

In order to make it interesting and motivational the learning should also relate to topics of the students interests or learning needs. Perhaps reading poems is not on the immediate priority list.

Learning a new language should be fun and without stress! For many it is hard to fit in language training in a busy schedule. Online tutoring can often solve that problem. The Swedish classes I offer are usually half hour conversations and it works well. I am flexible when it comes to timing and recurrence, and my students can choose if and how much work they want to do in between our sessions.

Taking the first step can sometimes seem hard. But guess what, that first step is just an e-mail or a phone call!

Why not make this year the year of learning or improving your Swedish!? In the comfort of your own home.

contact charlotta@globatris.se

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Cultural awareness even for the young

Presenting some photos from the playgroup activity a few weeks back! The children made a gingerbread creation for the annual exhibition/competition at Kulturhuset Fyren in Kungsbacka. Concentration and creativity, colors and craft! Multiculture and everyone being different was decided on to be the theme – as you can surely see! Teaching children about different cultures is key to tolerance and understanding. We all need to be aware of that people are different, and that that is ok! We do not have to accept their point of views, but understand that there are different views. And look at the picture below – amazing result!

different people, different nationalities, different cultures
we´re all different!

 more pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/32989978@N03/8232259036/in/set-72157632137461576/

Easter Craft Workshop in English

Looking forward to the Easter Craft Workshop in English for kids this week, arranged by Globatris. Conversation, singing, storytime and some serious craft!

Påskpyssel på engelska – ett roligt sätt att öva engelska för alla; denna vecka är det dock mindre barn som får chansen! Vi sjunger, pratar, pysslar och läser saga plus lite andra godbitar.

Glad påsk!

To learn Swedish is to learn the Swedish culture – Swedish classes online

Learn Swedish culture – also via Swedish classes online

Learning a language is also to learn the culture. Take greeting for instance; we greet differently when meeting a child, our boss, older relatives and friends. We use different words but also different gestures – shaking of hands, kissing on the cheek, hugs. Greeting is often the first we learn in a new language and a new culture, and the first thing we adopt!

Interested in Swedish lessons via Skype? For individual Swedish classes online Read on.

 

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