DANISH,NORWEGIAN AND SWEDISH

Fredrik from Norway   Friday, February 25, 2005, 22:36 GMT
I've been to Madurodam, Cute place! But isn't it in Den Haag, not in Amsterdam?

The grandfather of the present king was a Danish pince who was offered the job as king of Norway when the union with Sweden was abolished in 1905 (100 years ago this year! Hoorah!!!). (The Swedish royal family at that time was so insulted that they refused to provide a king! The Danish guy, prince Carl = Haakon 7. of Norway had been suggested as a suitable husband for Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands before he married an d became king of Norway!

King Haakon married an English princess (who had a Danish mother), they were cousins). New revelations this year have revealed that their son, king Olav was probably produced by insemination with semen from the court doctor of the English king!!! (Because king Haakon may have been infertile). King Olav again married a Swedish princess (the sister of Belgian Queen Astrid) and their son is the present king, Harald. He married a Norwegian and their son, Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, married the infamous Mette-Marit!

Sp the royal family of Norway is an offspring of the Danish royal family (but with much Swedish blood, too!) Their family name is Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderborg-Glücksburg, as their were originally German. Deep down in the pedigrees you can also find a link to the first king of Norway, king Harald the Fairhaired, who did not cut his hair until he had united all of Norway in 872!!!

By the way: The grand-mother of King Haakon 7. was princess Louise of the Netherlands!
Ved   Saturday, February 26, 2005, 00:35 GMT
>>Ved:
Funny (and impressive!) that you know so much about Danish and come from...? Ever been to Denmark? <<

I'm from Toronto, Canada. As a linguist, I happen to know a thing or two about the odd language here and there, that's all.

Scandinavia is just about the only part of Europe I've never been to, but Danmark, Norge/Noreg and Sverige rank high on my list of priorities when it comes to future travel destinations. And... I am going to learn Swedish before I die.
Elaine   Saturday, February 26, 2005, 02:29 GMT
There's a picturesque little Danish town just a couple of hours from Los Angeles, in Santa Barbara County, called Solvang. It's billed as "The Danish Capital of America" and is laid out like a typical village in Denmark. It's one of my favorite local places to visit whenever I'm touring through the Santa Ynez Valley wine country, with its cobblestone streets, windmills, thatched roofs, and the sweet smell of abelskivers and kringles baking in the many mom and pop bakeries all over town. At Ingeborg's Chocolates there are pictures of the Queen and Prince of Denmark during their last visit to Solvang. I'm wondering if any of you have ever heard of this town.

http://www.solvangca.com/1/photo/index.html
Elaine   Saturday, February 26, 2005, 02:42 GMT
I think I misspelled "aebleskiver" (??)
Fredrik from Norway   Saturday, February 26, 2005, 03:56 GMT
Æbleskiver, that is!

I have heard a little about Solvang (= Sun Meadow), as one of several exotic places in the Californian hinterland (like Anaheim etc.)
Fredrik from Norway   Saturday, February 26, 2005, 04:00 GMT
Looks very Danish, indeed. Just add some young girls sunning themselves topless and some older women smoking big cigars and voila: there you have Denmark
Sander   Saturday, February 26, 2005, 09:33 GMT
=>I've been to Madurodam, Cute place! But isn't it in Den Haag, not in Amsterdam?<=

Yes,ofcourse!
I have to do something about me Dutch Geography,its very hard because the Netherlands are so huge (lol).

But the real problem is that unlike in most countries,we don't have ONE "capital",sure we have a capital (A'dam) but not like in.....lets say France where all the inportant things are in Paris,In Holland we divide these things across the country.
Elaine   Sunday, February 27, 2005, 07:09 GMT
<<I have heard a little about Solvang (= Sun Meadow), as one of several exotic places in the Californian hinterland (like Anaheim etc.) >>

Solvang perhaps, but Anaheim can hardly be considered the hinterland. There are many miles of continous urban sprawl (and traffic snarls!) connecting Los Angeles to Anaheim. And Solvang is only 40 some minutes from the urban center of Santa Barbara, so it isn't too remote. But I'll agree that Solvang definitely is an exotic place. It's appearance and ambience is unlike any other in California.

The Californian hinterland would be like Barstow or Redding where you'd have to traverse many miles of nothingness before you start to see civilization again. And even then you're not quite sure if you've reached civilization! ;-)
Kirk   Sunday, February 27, 2005, 07:28 GMT
So, THAT'S how you spell æbleskiver!! I'm Swedish-American and grew up eating those tasty things for breakfast (with lingonberries, powdered sugar, or any other kind of jam). I didn't know they were actually Danish, because my great-grandparents (who were Swedish) brought over the tradition of eating them. So, with the "æ" it's obviously a Danish word, since Swedish doesn't use "æ". I wonder if there's a Swedish equivalent?

And I've been to Solvang and gone to a smörgåsbord place there...really unique town.
Fredrik from Norway   Monday, February 28, 2005, 00:00 GMT
In Swedish I think it is spelled äppleskivor.
This dish is totally unknown in Norway as far as I know!
Fredrik from Norway   Monday, February 28, 2005, 00:04 GMT
Kirk:
A quick Internet browse revealed that in Swedish äppleskivor normally means real slices of apples, and not a cookie, as in Danish æbleskiver. Were your great-grandparents from Southern Sweden or Skåne (Scania). Culturally, that area is almost as Danish as it is Swedish!
Kirk   Monday, February 28, 2005, 07:45 GMT
Oh, thanks for the information, Fredrik from Norway. My great-grandparents were from Karlstad...so, central Sweden. Who knows where the whole æbleskiver thing came from. Hey, this is off the current topic but I was wondering if you or anyone else knew about opportunities for teaching English in Sweden...I've heard it can be somewhat difficult for Americans to go there and teach English, but I would appreciate any information anyone has. Thanks :)
Fredrik from Norway   Monday, February 28, 2005, 11:52 GMT
Kirk:
Ok, Karlstad. That is in the province of Värmland, where people almost speak Swedish with a Norwegian accent!

No, I really don't know about English teaching opportunities in Sweden. You should contact the embassy. I suppose you have to have some formal qulification in order to get a job in the Swedish school system, so teaching evening classes etc. or maybe on a folkhögskola (folk high school, like an all-year summer camp for young adults) may be easier.
Ambrose   Tuesday, March 01, 2005, 06:46 GMT
A question for Kirk: Where do you live, you Swedish swine? Have you no respect for Danish authority? Why don't you mingle with those Norwegian-American bumpkins? ;)
Kirk   Tuesday, March 01, 2005, 07:23 GMT
Ambrose--haha, I appear to have escaped the grasp of Danish authority and am currently hiding out in California. Just don't tell Her Highness Queen Margrethe II :)