The "I love Roxette but I speak no Swedish" blues

[beangirl142]

The value of speaking Swedish and knowing about Roxette is more than you might think. I know only one word of it: "skon" (my computer won't print umlauts), which means "shoes". This is not good for two reasons:
1. If I were to go to Sweden in an attempt to find them... well, I know they speak English, but some Swedes don't. I wouldn't be accepted, because I'd be talking about shoes all the time. They'd think I was a maniac.
2. I can't read "Att Vara Per Gessle". They might never have the English translation. Or they might, but in 5 or 10 years.

I bet some of you have this problem. Tell me about it!

[whateveriam]

I don't.  I don't speak Swedish, but I understand enough, you know, by recognising words that are similar in English. 

Some Swedes don't speak English, true, but you may have a common ground in French or German or another foreign language, anything's worth a try.  And if you're there, you'll pick up the language

Att Vara will NEVER be published in English, simply because it wouldn't sell in a month of Sundays.  If I want to read it, I'll invest in a good dictionary.

Oh, and by the way, is it a Microsoft PC?  If so, CHARACTER MAP!!  If I need to write anything with umlauts or whatever, I just use that.

[ted_rox]

Not all but Most people speaks english
and most people like to help. I

 ´m from Sweden mysrlf.

[Yavanna]

All my Swedish comes from Marie's songs... and I have no idea what she's saying! Anyway, I think my pronunciation is quite good so I could go around Sweden singing her songs.

[nordish-by-nature]

I only met ONE Swede in my life who couldn't speak english and that was a very very very very old taxidriver. They speak better english than most non-english-speaking countries do.
They don't get dubbed movies, they have subtitles. And I think that is better. In Germany most of the people "freak around" with their school-english (me included)....embarrasing.

On the other hand I'm happy that I understand and speak enough swedish to read books, understand interviews and pretend not to be a tourist when I'm in Sweden.

[Kerstin]

Well, I am a non-Swedish-speaking Rox fan for nearly 19 years now and until today I never got that blues

Ok, I will star with a Swedish course next week but not with the intention to be able to read Pers book or understand interviews. I just wanted to learn a language, a language which is not that common around where I live. Being a Roxer surely made my choise easier, I must confess

[Papilia]

I do not speak Swedish and hardly understand when they are talking but sometimes I can understand a little bit of easy written newspaper articles or love songs...

I get the blues if I am in Sweden and someone talks to me and I have to say "Please can you speak English"...

[lonely_girl]

I understand quite much Swedish but I think my pronounciation is disastrous... Fortunately I have a friend who is fluent in that language 

[Almost Unreal]

and most people like to help. I

I bought Per t-shirt after his concert in Halmstad last year. When I went back to my hotel so I lost one. One lady with about 10 years old boy gave me my t-shirt back. They went cycling from the concert and found it. They were very nice to me and they also asked me if I want to accompany somewhere. What a pity I didn´t invite them somewhere 2nd day.

Btw. my friend started to study swedish just to understand Maries songs and now after almost 10 years she speaks and understands swedish very well.

[Raëlian]

I never thought about learning Swedish. There are not many places to learn Swedish here, besides the Swedish Institute that works in the same building of the Embassy. And frankly, it's not cheap. If I am gonna invest in a full language course, I'd spend the money in a language that's more... useful (it could be Portuguese, as we have Brazil as a neighbourg). I don't count on a trip to Sweden -or anywhere else- in the short term, so I'd have no chances to practise the language either... No practise means I will forget most of the things I've learned quite soon.

One way or another, all the Marie/Per/GT Swedish stuff has been translated into English by the always helpful fans. Maybe they are not professional translations, but you can get the whole idea. The conclusion is I don't speak Swedish, but I don't think that's a problem!

[RoxBoxDancer]

The value of speaking Swedish and knowing about Roxette is more than you might think. I know only one word of it: "skon" (my computer won't print umlauts), which means "shoes". This is not good for two reasons:

first of all, you're not explicitly right, because "skon" actually mean A shoe, shoes are skor....
second, you don't need umlauts to write that word
third, most of the Swedes speak English, so there would be not a hint of a problem to talk to them

[RoxBoxDancer]

And to help:

"hey" means Hi
"heyhey" or "hey då" means bye
"Jag heter..." or "Jag är..." is to introduce oneself
"Jag kommer från..." means I come from and you just have to insert the name of your country

[Papilia]

"hey" means Hi
"heyhey" or "hey då" means bye

They write it "hej" but it sounds like "hey".

[nordish-by-nature]

..sommartider hej hej...okej..nu har vi hösttider tror jag...brrr...
...hösttider hej hej hösttider..ge mej din jacka ge mig din filt.....

[Locachica]

Just like Nordish, I understand Swedish enough as to read books/interviews in this fantastic language, understand what they say in interviews and even speak a little when I am in Sweden... I suppose my grammar is like 0, but what the hell, for having learnt the language on my own it's just great.

How did I learn it? Once upon a time, I was 16?, Summer was boring, I had just got Marie's and GT albums and what did I do? Buy a dictionary Swedish-English and translate translate translate THen came the Swedish articles, interviews.. and somehow it feels so natural to read Swedish, learn it.

I love languages, whether language is useful or not, it's just good for the brain, for oneself just to learn something.

But now you reminded me of something I wanted to buy in Sweden and in the end I didn't... because I completely forgot! Per's biography... I bought many books but just this one.. I didn't even think of looking for it. Ok, next time then

[Pablo]

The value of speaking Swedish and knowing about Roxette is more than you might think. I know only one word of it: "skon" (my computer won't print umlauts), which means "shoes". This is not good for two reasons:
1. If I were to go to Sweden in an attempt to find them... well, I know they speak English, but some Swedes don't. I wouldn't be accepted, because I'd be talking about shoes all the time. They'd think I was a maniac.
2. I can't read "Att Vara Per Gessle". They might never have the English translation. Or they might, but in 5 or 10 years.

I bet some of you have this problem. Tell me about it!

WOW!  Another Roxette from the United States of America?!  Wow, I'm going to faint...what does that make us like 10 fans?  HEHEHEHEH! 

Well to be honest with you I have the book too, I only know a few words (such as 4 or 5 words in Swedish, wah!) So when I read some of it I only understand a few words hear and there.  The CD & the pictures make it for me even though I can't read it hardly at all