Being the Tower of Babel – my linguistic background
So here we go – I never wanted to write off topic posts, but bear with me: some of my wonderful readers have been asking me about my linguistic background. It’s a bit complicated, so I thought it’d be easier to write a seperate post. I didn’t write this post to justify myself, it’s just so much easier to write one post than long comments! I appreciate when you’re helping me with my English, but don’t feel obliged to do so.
First of all: Finland is a bilingual country. Finnish is the language of the vast majority, but Swedish is an official national language as well. You can read more about the Finland Swedish minority on Wikipedia.
So far, so good, but now it gets complicated. I’m dealing with 4 to 6 languages in my everyday life. 4-6?
Finnish, English, German and Swedish (the latter mixed up with Danish and Norwegian). Oh, and if you were wondering: Tessa and Kajsa are ignoring the word “no” in all of them.
Finnish
Society in general
Work
Friends and neighbors
To some extend medical care, mostly physical.
To some extend public institutions (mostly oral)
Swedish
Friends
Work
To some extent medical treatment, mostly related to mental health.
Public institutions, (mostly written)
German
Family and friends
Officially my mother tongue, but not always my strongest language
English
Feline Internet
University
Sometimes work
Friends (but very few of them)
Danish / Norwegian
I’ve never attended any Swedish classes, although Swedish is one of my strongest languages. I’m sometimes feeling more comfortable with Swedish than German. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are Scandinavian languages and very similar, yet different. I can’t come up with any comparison. Many native speakers have difficulties understanding each other, but they’re normally copying very fast when exposed to another Scandinavian language. My ‘basic language’ was Norwegian. I adapted to Swedish, and eventually forgot Norwegian. However, I’ve been also living in Denmark, and adapted from Norwegian and Swedish to Danish.
So what happens when I’m very tired? I’m mixing all of these 6 languages. People have difficulties to understand me – if they don’t speak all the languages I do. I can’t concentrate when I’m tired. I’m not only using foreign words, but I also translate expressions to other languages, and they hardly make any sense. If you don’t know what “it’s raining cats and dogs” means in English, it sounds very weird in Finnish. I’m sometimes worried how I’ll be able to communicate when I’m old and demented. It’s also a real problem in acute medical care. When I was in the emergency room some weeks ago, I felt so bad that I couldn’t concentrate on any language. I was saying sentences nobody understood.
Talking about being tired: I need a small break from this blog as I’m really tired and exhausted. I just don’t wake up, and I’m afraid that I will fall back to depression. Blogging became an obligation during the last week, and I need some time off.
May 8, 2015 @ 13:09
Wow! That is so cool that you’re exposed to so many languages! I imagine that there are some really cool things you have picked up on all of them like how words are similar and various idioms.
There’s no reason to have to explain what happens when you’re tired though. Anyone who gets tired messes up speaking. Hey, I do it even when I’m not tired, and I only know English and Spanish. However, it is really cool that you know so many Or at least hear them all. Languages fascinate me.
I really hope that this post wasn’t just posted because of what I said.I really never meant to offend. I was just trying to understand because I got confused. It wasn’t meant to upset or make you feel defensive. I really enjoy your blog, your experiences, and your humor here as you explore life with cats. If you would like to talk about it privately, feel free to email me.
Enjoy your break. I admire how much time you have devoted to here. It’s tough work to post regularly, especially every day and with new changes. You’ve earned some time to relax!
May 8, 2015 @ 13:21
Hi!
Oh, I’m sorry if you got this post wrong! I really appreciated your comment the other day! I don’t mind at all when I get feedback, the opposite is true: I highly appreciate feedback! I just realized that I wrote very objective, and maybe bitter. I’ll edit my post a bit! Thank you for making me aware!
I wrote this post partly because of your comment, but not because I wanted to justify myself! People have been asking me about my linguistic background; it’s confusing, because I’m also reading and commenting on blogs in other languages. So I thought it’d be easier if I wrote a post on my linguistic background (and for being frankly, it’s great that I now have a link!).
I commend you for Spanish! It’s an interesting and important language, and I was actually thinking about going to some Spanish classes. I reconsidered, because I’d like to improve my Finnish first.
Thank you for your kind words!!
May 8, 2015 @ 13:48
I don’t think your post came across as bitter. I think I just took it the way I did because I was worried I’d offended you and because I’m tired. How did you end up in Finland? Reading this makes me wonder where you grew up since German is your native language.
What languages were the hardest and easiest to learn?
May 11, 2015 @ 15:09
Oh, I know exactly how you feel! Don’t worry, everything is fine – I like your comments a lot!
I grew up in Germany, but I’ve lived in Scandinavia for about 13 years. (4 years in Norway, 6 months in Denmark, 9 years in Finland). Finnish was the hardest language too learn, as it’s not related to any other language I speak. I’m still making a lot of mistakes, but I get along. Norwegian / Swedish / Danish are easy to learn for a German native speaker. It took me about 6 months until I understood everything, and about 9 months until I could speak fluently (with mistakes, of course).
English is ok to learn, but not as easy as the Scandinavian languages (Finnish isn’t a Scandinavian language). I also have to admit that English has never been my favorite language. I can feel and think in Swedish, but English is rather a “communication tool” to me.
May 8, 2015 @ 18:51
Wau! I am in awe of anyone who can speak more than one language – and inevitably think in them. I have been in Finland 7 years and am struggling with it: as a English person I have not been immersed in many languages, despite having had a German mother.
And I also really admire that you have paused the blogging, realising that it can become an obligation and deciding to stop for a while. Loads of people don’t and end up in real messes with stress and guilt etc.. We should blog for fun and friendship, or not at all!
Tickles to the girls. That’s from Äiti not Punapippuri. He’s too cool for that.
May 11, 2015 @ 15:18
Oh, slow down there! Finnish is one of the “worst” languages you could possibly choose, at least in Europe! My Finnish is far from perfect, and I do a lot of mistakes all the time! I’m often embarrassed about my Finnish, but I force myself to speak it. I know so many Finns who wouldn’t speak English, let alone their school swedish, although they could make themselves understood. I try not to do the same, but it’s hard.
I also would like to add that I’ve always admired native English speakers learning a second language. It must be so hard! Finally, also age plays an important role. The younger, the easier you learn. I think you’re older than me (I was 23 years old when I started to learn Finnish). Besides, as far as I understood, you’re working in English. It’s hard to learn a language when you aren’t exposed all the time!
Thank you for encouraging me for taking a break! I’m just about posting something, because I had fun writing. I’ll probably continue with irregular postings, and not trying to write EVERYTHING down. It was great to have a couple of days off. I got some perspective – after all, this is only a blog!
May 8, 2015 @ 23:00
Mum speaking on the cats’ account : Blogging should be fun ! You’re so wise to listen to yourself and pause because you feel you need it ! I loved your post about being multilingual ; I love to speak many languages because I love to communicate. French is my mother tongue, German is my (old) judoka background, English is worldwide, and Italian is part of my family : I don’t mix them though, because French is from far stronger. But I chose expression in one or the other language, and am not able to find a good translation ! Take care and relax. Claire
May 11, 2015 @ 15:22
Hehe, I’ve introduced some foreign expressions and words to my friends, because I couldn’t translate them. They are now using them themselves!
I think I mix languages because I need all of them every single day. I’ve said this before, but I really admire your multilingual blog! I’d never had the energy to write all my posts in 4 languages, you’re a hero!
And yes, blogging should be fun – if you’re not making your living with your blog. Well, also work should be fun, but work is still work: there’ll always be days when you would rather do something else.
May 9, 2015 @ 00:31
WOW…am so impressed. I speak 1 language and admire folks who can speak other languages. Give yourself and wee break then come back to fun of blogging.
I’m rounding to tell everyone there’s a contest!
May 11, 2015 @ 15:26
Thank you! This very short break helped a lot! It’s funny, but yesterday I had so much fun writing. I was too tired to upload the pictures though, so I saved the post for today.
It’s easier to learn other languages when you’re living in another country. I never got good grades in school, and I would have never thought (and neither my teachers) that I’d be multilingual one day. I love to meet people, and I want to know what’s going on in the society I’m living in. You hear the language every single day, so learning is so much easier!
May 9, 2015 @ 02:00
Wow, we have enough problems with one language. We can’t imagine trying to understand and speak 4 – 6 of them on any given day. Impressive! But we can understand why it would be exhausting too. So take a break…we’ll be here when you get back. 🙂
May 11, 2015 @ 15:29
Thank you! This post really gave me some perspective, and I’m more motivated to blog!
As I’ve written above: it’s something different to learn languages when you’re living abroad. I totally understand that many people are monolingual, I’d probably be the same if I wasn’t forced to speak foreign languages!
May 9, 2015 @ 04:28
I’m impressed that you speak so many languages – we only know one! Haha and too funny that the cat’s ignore “no” in all of them – that’s cats for you!
May 11, 2015 @ 15:35
Hehe. Yes, they certainly know what they want to hear. I try to say the most important words in Finnish to them. If they ever had a family, it’s most likely that they heard Finnish. So far it seems like they were never living with humans, because they don’t know what no means. They’re also very slow learners. Ok, they’re royals, they don’t need to listen to their servants, I suppose.
I wouldn’t speak foreign languages if I lived in Australia. I was never good at school. If I lived in a monolingual society, and the language of the majority was my mother tongue, I wouldn’t be able to learn a second language.
May 9, 2015 @ 05:59
I am so impressed that you can speak so many languages fluently. I have never been able to pick up another language. I took 4 years of French in High School out of necessity, but could never actually speak it. That is funny that the kitties don’t respond to No in any language 🙂
May 11, 2015 @ 12:44
Hehe, they do understand the word food in every language though. I’d love to have such a selective hearing myself!
Thank you for your compliments. I think it’s really hard to learn a language if you aren’t forced to use it. I learnt French in school as well, and I only remember a few words.
May 9, 2015 @ 13:06
I join the long list of people who are totally awestruck by your linguistic ability! Because English seems to be the official language of business, airlines and technology it has kind of taken over. I spent some time living in France, so can get by in French, but I’m not naturally gifted in languages! I can understand that you have would find it a strain and exhausting at times knowing what language to communicate in!
Don’t worry about being consistent or regular in blogging. Most people will follow you by email or in a reader and will just pick up next time you post. As has been said, blogging is about fun and relaxation, so when it isn’t, a break is a good idea. Anyway, you have two new housemates to get to know 🙂 Hugs, Caro xx
May 11, 2015 @ 12:40
Thank you so much for your kind reply! I’m not a natural with languages, meaning that I had bad grades at school. I’m not good at studying languages. Since I need all of them in my daily life, I get to use and practice them. People are generally very patient and don’t mind if I say something wrong.
Thank you for your encouragement. I was a bit afraid to take a break, because I really enjoy the comments and social connections I got here. However, those who are really interested, will find my blog again. And I don’t earn money on my blog, so it’s a hobby. A hobby should be fun!