US Middle Class on the Edge | 47 comments (47 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: And through the ages too. (none / 0)

The way I see it - as do virtually all Norwegians:

Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark
Nordic region: Scandinavia + Finland + Iceland
Baltic region: Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia

I don't find the language difference irrelevant at all; mutual intelligibility is essential to 'Scandinavia.' And Finnish is more closely related to Hindi than to the North Germanic tongues. Besides, the proportion of Finns who speak Swedish is small & shrinking.

But even assuming that it is irrelevant, as you say: Culturally we don't have more in common with you guys than with the Brits or Germans - maybe less. Politically and economically, most of Western Europe is welfare capitalist by now, so that doesn't count for a lot.

However, if you really, really crave to be Scandinavians, we just might let you. Provided, of course, that you quit accusing our cross-country skiers of doping based on pure transference!

The world's northernmost desert wind.

by Sirocco (sirocco2005ATgmail.com) on Tue Jan 3rd, 2006 at 12:15:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Not true (none / 0)

Besides, the proportion of Finns who speak Swedish is small & shrinking.

Correction: the number of Finns who speak Swedish as their first language is small and shrinking.

Swedish is still a main subject in schools, though, I agree, it is under attack.

As for Danes being intelligible, I'd have to argue. But pop a hot potato in your mouth and maybe you can reproduce the speech patterns.

Personally I regard Norwegians as outside the Axis. You can't even pay taxis by credit card, and you need bank loan to get a G+T in a hotel.

We do not wish to belong to any club that would have us as a member.

Please name 10 important Norwegian innovations of the last 100 years. ;-) (apart, of course, from finding oil on your doorstep)

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Tue Jan 3rd, 2006 at 12:25:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not true (none / 0)

Well, for one thing, GSM technology started here:

Above: the head of the Norwegian Torleiv Maseng

But of course, certain others have cribbed it to produce worthless phones that spend half the time on repair...

The world's northernmost desert wind.

by Sirocco (sirocco2005ATgmail.com) on Tue Jan 3rd, 2006 at 12:35:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That's one n/t (none / 1)

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Tue Jan 3rd, 2006 at 12:54:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: That's one n/t (none / 0)

So you can count that far. Not bad for a Finn! ;-)

Seriously though, I think it's time we quit hijacking this thing. We can duke it elsewhere later... Näkemiin.

The world's northernmost desert wind.

by Sirocco (sirocco2005ATgmail.com) on Tue Jan 3rd, 2006 at 01:00:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not true (none / 0)

unbelievably good looking women?

......(I may regret this remark,,,an attempt at humor).

by wchurchill on Tue Jan 3rd, 2006 at 12:37:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not true (none / 1)

I think the blonde is an earlier innovation, roughly cotemporal with the cheese cutter.

The world's northernmost desert wind.

by Sirocco (sirocco2005ATgmail.com) on Tue Jan 3rd, 2006 at 12:45:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And through the ages too. (none / 0)