Blogging from A to Z in April - The Letter O - Friday 17th April 2015

 

Thursday 17th April 2015 - The Letter O.

 O is for all of those O-ORD in Swedish (='un'-, 'im'- and 'in-words'; often adjectives) that mean the opposite or the negation of the ground form. Examples? OMÖJLIGT (=impossible) or OTROLIGT (=unbelievable, incredible) OSANT (=untrue, false, not true, a lie) OSKÖNT (=not beautiful, not pretty, ugly) OANTRÄFFBAR (=unavailable) OUPPNÅLIGT (unreachable) OGÖRLIGT (undoable) OSYNLIGT (=invisible) OÖVERTRÄFFAT (=unbeatable).

I think you get the picture.

In English the over-use of these negating prefixes is used for fun , such as wishing someone a happy un-birthday. But you would never say 'happy un-birthday' in Swedish. But certain Swedish writers have actually created new words for their stories by using prefixes and suffixes in new and unexpected ways, or just making new compound words putting old words together.

More examples?

Have an un-bad day today!

Thank you for reading!

Best wishes,
Anna












First Commenter:
Tanya Walton

Blogging from A to Z in April - The Letter N -Thursday April 16th, 2015

Thursday April 16th, 2015 - The Letter N.

 

N is for NÄSSLOR, BRÄNNÄSSLOR, which are 'NETTLES', 'BURNING NETTLES'. We don't have poison ivy in Swedish gardens, meadows, fields and forests , but there are burning nettles. If you brush against some burning nettles, when you are out exploring in the Swedish countryside, it stings and is sore for a few hours, and then goes away.

No childhood memories in Sweden are complete without some episode with burning nettles, NÄSSLOR, BRÄNNÄSSLOR.

There is even an autobiography by the Nobel laureate (1974), Harry Martinson (1904-1978), with the title, Nässlorna blomma (1935) (English translation by Naomi Walford as Flowering Nettle, 1936).








Thanks for visiting,

Best wishes,
Anna












First Commenter:
Barbara David
of
Entrepreneurial Goddess

Blogging from A to Z in April - The Letter M -Wednesday April 15th, 2015

 



Wednesday April 15th, 2015 - The Letter M.

M is for MAT, which is 'FOOD' in Swedish, another important word as far as our survival is concerned.

There are several lovely M-words in Swedish, such as MOR (mother), MORMOR (=mother's mother = maternal grandmother) MUMS (approximately 'yum' or 'yummy'), MÅNAD (month) and MJAU (what my cat says, 'meow').

On Sunday, 12th April, my daughter, Elisabet and I returned Rosetta, the cat (our cat, Mathilda's daughter), to her new owner, Sofia, who lives in neighbouring Söderköping. Rosetta spent the Easter break with us.

Rosetta Cat (Matilda's daughter) in Elisabet's arms

We also realised that we only have one month until Elisabet's birthday: She will be eleven om 12th May. So much to do to get ready for Elisabet's birthday party.

Thank you for visiting,

Best wishes,

Anna

First Commenter:

David Powers King