Tuesday, 28 February 2012

I've been asking for a sausage when I'm at the checkout



I've recently noticed that my Norwegian skills seem to have gotten worse in the last few weeks... I think its just from pure lack of using the language which is mostly my own fault but partly Winters fault (For keeping me locked up in cabins and inside with people who naturally don't think to speak Norwegian to me, even if I ask them to!) and partly Stian's as he forgets to speak Norwegian to me regularly even if I pester him to - Luckily for him I think English has just became a second language, he dreams in English, watches movies in English etc. 


I'm not really sure what to do about it - The best way in my opinion is to go to school and learn but realistically we just don't have the funds at the moment and it seems badly timed since I'll be back and forth from Norway to England for Wedding things over the next eight months. I feel like perhaps I should be taking home study a little more seriously but I always tell myself that - Watch the youtube videos, head over to pa vei (Which I'm spelling wrong as I don't have a Norwegian a on my keyboard to add to my misery!) or just anything but I manage it for possibly a week and then it just keeps dwindling off to nothingness! Even now - twenty minutes ago I was on pa vei and now I've hoped over to blogging to complain about my lack of language skills when maybe my lack of dedication is the problem! 


I have tried watching the few Norwegian shows that make their way onto our telly, or even movies but they just don't hold my attention as I don't find myself being able to understand enough of the content to watch the whole thing! If I'm lucky I can sometimes switch on Norwegian subtitles and I'll understand a little more but god forbid anywhere gave me English subtitles /Sigh. 


I also brought a book from my previous Norwegian school class but it only came with the CD for half of the book so its became a little useless! I've got kiddy crosswords - which again aren't holding my interest as its really the same fifty or so words repeated over and over throughout them. I'm on the hunt for some new Norwegian bits and bobs! Preferably not the outdated poop you find on Amazon! 


I'm wondering if I can talk myself into watching a 30 minute Norwegian show... I talked Stian into doing 30 minutes to an hour with me every week but when we got busy it just sort of got forgotten about and alas I've only just noticed that its not happening! Ugh! My biggest problem is pronouncing words in Norsk - I don't speak Norwegian like a Norwegian (Or like and English person for that matter) I seem to hit somewhere inbetween the two tongues and it results in no one really understanding a great deal! I'm really awful and breaking bad habits too - If i start of saying something wrong under the illusion that I'm saying it correctly even when I find out the corrected version the old version says in my head! 


Example - 
pølse - This means sausage (note the 'l'!) 
pose - This means bag. 



Ever since I've started norwegian I've been asking for a sausage when I'm at the checkout somewhere (Trust me this gets you some funny looks to say the least!) as appose to a bag... And I still do it! I really, really need suggestions for ways to get back into learning the language, either that or just get off my butt and drag myself through the tedious ways I already know of...

11 comments:

  1. You don't need to speak Norwegian; just shout loudly at everyone in English.. hehe! Deccy x

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    1. Haha I try that from time to time; it does work apparently the only one incapable of mastering other languages is me!

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  2. I am sure you will master the language eventually,until then I hope Stian Likes sausages as you might acquire a few !!!!
    Thea x

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  3. There are some good books available on Amazon that come with CDs and answers in the back. Or Stian can help you. Paa Vei is good, but if you can get to Stein paa Stein you'll be cracking along. The books may come in handy later, you can find them through Norli or Capris.no

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  4. I've tried a couple books from amazon but found them a little dated to be honest :( If you can suggest any that you think are better than average I'd really appreciate it though :D Stein paa Stein looks good though I'd added it to favourites - Thanks

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  5. In this particular instance, perhaps association would help.

    Think of it this way: you could say that the letter "l" is sort of sausage-shaped, and that's not what you want. So, get rid of it! =)

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  6. Awww I love this blog, I always do things like this! Even though you're forgetting the language it must be amazing to be experiencing the culture and learning new things. I'm a regular spider rescuer me :P xxx

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  7. I wrote a very similar post to this a few months back when I was having problems with
    pause/pølse/pose! It will all make sense eventually!
    http://kjellerodskrimskrams.blogspot.com/2011/12/plseposepause.html
    The university of Oslo has a good website for you to practice verbs etc and I'd really recommend volunteering in a barnehage a few days a week as kids are perfect as you are forced to speak norsk with them (and they are more than happy to pull you up on your mistakes!) Lykke til!

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    1. Thanks!

      I've just started getting involved with volunteer work in the area so far just cats but I'll see where my free time takes me - Theres a bunch of kindergardens where we are so its a good suggestion.

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