Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra, Current Events 1: September 2003 - Sept. 2004

[moosey60]

Originally posted by anna@Dec 12th, 2003 - 7:56 pm

Men du må altså ikke bede mig om en bedømmelse af, hvad hun kan, og hvad hun skal lære. Det forstår jeg mig slet ikke på, siger prinsesse Alexandras og prins Joachims nye privatsekretær, Kurt Bache. Han understreger, at undervisningen er helt privat

-Joachim and Alexandra will be learning it together from a private tutor. (Kurt something)

Joachim will be learning to speak Mandarin too?

No !

The Personal Secretary to TRH Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra’s Household, Kurt Bache, talks about her language tutoring.

Sooorrrrrrrrry...haha... ...sounded like she said that it'd be good for her AND Joachim to.blah blah...and it said something like "Alexandra AND Joachim's" teacher-type person.

Haha.. never mind, I only speak Swedish. I'm just intrepreting the Danish-text that looks like Swedish.

Ah, here it is:

prinsesse Alexandras og prins Joachims nye privatsekretær...I guess i interpreted "sekretaer" as tutor-type person. Never mind.

 

[felipa]

Yea....I speak -She has a firm grasp of Cantonese- the dialect spoken in Hong Kong.
-She has now started to learn Mandarin- the dialect spoken in cities like Beijing in Mainland China.

Just to put something straight:

Cantonese: it is a dialect, spoken mostly by ppl from Guandong/Hongkong areas and some overseas Chinese, who come from these region;

Mandarin: it is OFFICIAL language in China, spoken by almost all ppl. It is NOT a dialect!

 

[bramair]

Actually, Felipa, Mandarin is a dialect, but it is the official dialect of China and Taiwan and the most widely spoken one. People who speak Cantonese can read written Chinese, and so can all the other speakers of other Chinese dialects. Also, almost all the people are supposed to know Mandarin, but in areas where other dialects are spoken, like Hong Kong, most of the people learn it only in school and speak it rather poorly. Take it from someone who has lived in Asia and knows Chinese and another dialect.

 

[moosey60]

Aha! I was right! Jk :flower: Never mind. I'm Chinese so I think I should know which language/dialect goes where-ish. Yes, I knew that Cantonese was from Guangdong in Chinese it's called "Guang Dong Hua"...So...mebbe it should be called Guangdongese?

 

[felipa]

Originally posted by bramair@Dec 17th, 2003 - 1:24 pm
Actually, Felipa, Mandarin is a dialect, but it is the official dialect of China and Taiwan and the most widely spoken one. People who speak Cantonese can read written Chinese, and so can all the other speakers of other Chinese dialects. Also, almost all the people are supposed to know Mandarin, but in areas where other dialects are spoken, like Hong Kong, most of the people learn it only in school and speak it rather poorly. Take it from someone who has lived in Asia and knows Chinese and another dialect.

bramair, I myself a Chinese, so I guess I know one or two things about my own's mother tongue. Don't you think so?

Cantonese is actually called "Guang Dong Hua" in Chinese, just as moosey60 correctly point out, which actually means "language spoken in Guang Dong area", i.e. Canton as pronounced by the Westerners.

Mandarine is OFFICIAL language, for it is used by news broadcast, schools, business, government and home as well in mainland China plus Taiwan. It's been based on northern dialetct just "High German" is, but itself is NOT a dialect.

Saying ppl who speak Cantonese and othe Chinese dialect have to learn Mandarin at school just support my statement: Mandarine is OFFICIAL lanuage, because ppl don't need to learn to speak a dialect at school, right? BTW, the "learn" Madarin at School for most of us is not different from American going to school to learn English., Danish go to school to learn Danish.

No matter what dialect ppl speak in China, Taiwan and Hongkong plus overseas, the writing Chinese are the same, except we write Chinese in simplified version at mainland China or traditional one in Taiwan & Hongkong. Cantonese is a spoken dialect and DOESN'T have its own writing form.

If you go to China, you'll find there are FAR MORE ppl understand you when you speak Mandarin than Cantonese. Hope this end our discussion about Chinese.

 

[lasu]

Okay. I have to add this.

Main Entry: di·a·lect
Pronunciation: 'dI-&-"lekt
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle French dialecte, from Latin dialectus, from Greek dialektos conversation, dialect, from dialegesthai to converse -- more at DIALOGUE
Date: 1577
1 a : a regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them a single language <the Doric dialect of ancient Greek> b : one of two or more cognate languages <French and Italian are Romance dialects> c : a variety of a language used by the members of a group <such dialects as politics and advertising -- Philip Howard> d : a variety of language whose identity is fixed by a factor other than geography (as social class) <spoke a rough peasant dialect> e : REGISTER 4c f : a version of a computer programming language

 

[hrhcp]

yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... keep it up Iasu !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :flower:

 

[bramair]

Felipa, I never disagreed that Mandarin was the official dialect spoken, and that yes, people can understand the written form of Chinese, so I don't know why you are repeating what I'm saying. Mandarin used to be called "Guan Hua," the dialect that only the government officials spoke, or "Beijing Hua," dialect spoken in the northern part of China (I'm going way back in history here), that is why even though it is the premier form of Chinese almost all Chinese people learn, nevertheless, I disagree with you when you say it is not a dialect, because historically, it was. Anyway, we are getting off the subject. I will agree to disagree with you here, I am just glad that Alex decided to learn the language of her Chinese heritage.

Also, nice to meet another Chinese person on this forum

 

[andiemac]

i was just curious why she decided to learn mandarin. besides the possible reason of representing denmark overseas, there is not much reason to learn it though. she won't have much oportunity to speak it in denmark assuming that there are not that many chinese people over there. are there many chinese in denmark ? is there a chinatown there ?

 

[moosey60]

Originally posted by andiemac@Dec 19th, 2003 - 3:42 pm
i was just curious why she decided to learn mandarin. besides the possible reason of representing denmark overseas, there is not much reason to learn it though. she won't have much oportunity to speak it in denmark assuming that there are not that many chinese people over there. are there many chinese in denmark ? is there a chinatown there ?

Well, Alexandra said that she was just interested in learning Mandarin. She loves Hong Kong and I guess she just wants to know more about China including the languages. She has said before that she wants her sons to experience Hong Kong too....something about Hong Kong being exciting and her loving the smells, sights, and sounds.

 

[Jasl]

Originally posted by moosey60@Dec 19th, 2003 - 9:24 pm
i was just curious why she decided to learn mandarin.

I believe that the people in Hong Kong now are being more and more open to learning Mandarin. Well, there's many mainland Chinese people going to Hong Kong and it is now again under Chinese rule, so it only makes sense that many Cantonese speakers now also want to learn Mandarin.

 

[lori]

Cantonese is a spoken dialect and DOESN'T have its own writing form.

Correct. Most of the dialect are just spoken language. You know one dialect that does not mean you can travel to another region and understand their dialect. Remember the backward country the China used to be. An official language is thus needed to communicate throughout the country.
Alexandra and perhaps Joachim "want" to learn Chinese, the way I see it, it is the business reason. You guys should travel to southeast area of China and see what a booming region that is. It used to be American manufacturing jobs exported to Mexico, but now they are down to China and Vietnam. So here you go, the reason why.

 

[paulette]

Is that Princess Alexandra? :woot:
She is getting more gracious and lovely as ever. I loved her attire, it looks so good on her. So with her hairdo, looks perfect on her.

 

[CD.]

This woman is beautiful and classy without even trying. She radiates warmth and sincerity and I really believe that she would have, if circumstances were different, made a wonderful Crown Princess and future Queen.

 

[lottehaldrup]

Hi all.

Princess Alexandra of Denmark is coming to the USA for 10 days.

 

[Ennyllorac]

Originally posted by lottehaldrup@Jan 9th, 2004 - 7:47 pm
Hi all.

Princess Alexandra of Denmark is coming to the USA for 10 days.

What for?

 

[Alexandria]

I think she is doing something with UNICEF, an organization she represents in Denmark. That is, at least, what I've read so far.

 

[Binny]

From Yahoo News -

Denmark's Princess Alexandra to visit Laura Bush at White House

COPENHAGEN (AFP) - Denmark's Princess Alexandra, the Hong Kong-born wife of Prince Joachim, will visit the White House on January 14 for talks with US First Lady Laura Bush, the palace confirmed.

Laura Bush has invited the princess for tea, it said. The princess will also attend a luncheon on Wednesday with Alma Powell and Joyce Rumsfeld, the wives of Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Princess Alexandra's week-long visit to the United States January 12-21, which will also include a stop in New York, is aimed at promoting Danish culture in the United States.

Among other events, she will attend the premiere of the Danish Royal Ballet's "Napoli" by August Bournonville at the Kennedy Center and tour the National Musueum of Women in the Arts, where a number of Danish designs are on display.

She will also attend a World Bank conference on efforts to promote the lives of children and women and their education.

The 39-year-old princess was born Alexandra Manley to a Chinese father and Austrian mother, and lived in Hong Kong until her engagement to Prince Joachim. The couple have two sons, four-year-old Prince Nikolai and one-year-old Prince Felix.

 

[Alexandria]

Thank you for this article, Binny. Looks like Alexandra will have a very full itinerary while she is State-side. I hope she squeezes in some time to stop by FAO Schwartz to pick up something for Nikolai and Felix!

 

[Dennism]

"I hope she squeezes in some time to stop by FAO Schwartz to pick up something for Nikolai and Felix!"

Yes, especially since it will close pretty soon. And the US men's soccer team will be playing the Danes on January 18th in a friendly. Just a coincidence. But a neat one.

 

[moosey60]

FAO SCHWARTZ is CLOSING?! Ay, ay, ay...evil.

Well, it'll be fun to see Princess ALexandra in North AMerica. Now if she could just go north of DC to a little wee place called Canada...it'd be just dandy. Haha...

 

[paulette]

another good news!

Patron of Foodexpo 2004/Nordbag 2004:
Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Denmark

 

[paulette]

Danish Princess Alexandra visits the United States

Danish Princess Alexandra visits the United States, January 12 – 21, 2004

Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra will be visiting Washington D.C and New York in January.

HRH Princess Alexandra will be in Washington DC from January 12 – 16. This is the Princess’s first visit to DC. The main purpose of the visit is to attend the opening night of the Royal Danish Ballet’s performance at the Kennedy Center. The program for the Princess’s week in DC will include the following

• Visit to the Eckersberg exhibition at the National Gallery of Art
• Lunch at the State Department
• Visit to the National Museum of Women in the Arts
• Tour of the Holocaust museum
• Visit to the Library of Congress
• Tour of Capitol Hill
• Attendance at the Master Class at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Visit to an American public school
• Tour of Arlington Cemetery and placing of wreath at the Danish me-morial
• Meetings at the World Bank, including a meeting with World Bank President James Wolfensohn
• Visit to Danish subsidiary Foss Nirsystems Inc.
• Meeting with leading persons involved with research in ovarian cancer

HRH Princess Alexandra will stay in New York January 16 – 21 in order to participate in UNICEF meetings.
--
She has very hectic schedule awaiting her in the US for the next days. I am very proud of Princess Alexandra. She is very sincere and dedicated to her work.
I hope she enjoys every minute of her visit.

I am very excited with the pictures though she is still in Denmark.

 

[Dennism]

Yes, a hectic schedule for sure. Sounds like a lot of fun too.

 

[andiemac]

what does joachim do exactly ? is he only involved with his business and occasionally perform his royal duties ? i think we get to see alex more than him most of the time.

 

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by andiemac@Jan 16th, 2004 - 10:32 pm
what does joachim do exactly ? is he only involved with his business and occasionally perform his royal duties ? i think we get to see alex more than him most of the time.

Or Alexandra's duties get covered by the press more than his do. I think Joachim must perform as many royal duties as his wife, he just isn't as "interesting" or press-worthy as Alexandra is, with her style and fashion sense, the press is probably always interested in that. And I think that perhaps some of Joachim's duties may be less interesting than Alexandra's. For example, if he is acting as Regeant, that probably isn't as interesting to cover as Alexandra turning up for a hospital opening; you could at least talk about what Alexandra was wearing if it, too, was boring!

 

[andiemac]

thanks for the info, alexandria. it's a pity that he did not get as much attention as alex. i'm sure he's proud of the attention that alex is getting unlike charles who used to be jealous of the attention that diana was stealing from him. joachim looks every inch the family man and i absolutely adore him and alex.

 

[paulette]

Another reason why Princess Alexandra gets more attention from the press than her husband, Prince Joachim, is that she is more involved in a lot of Danish and International Organizations which are very familiar. She also attends a lot of functions and engagements which makes her more closer to the Danes.

And besides for 8 years, she has been the only princess in the family not including the daughters of Princess Benedikte and Queen Anne-Marie. That's why she gets a lot of attention.

 

[sky]

Prince reveals he hopes for a son Search articles

AllThis weekArchiveIn & Out I got this from the copenhagen post.








21-1-1999 Print article (IE & NS 4+)



The tabloid press came in for another verbal beating when Prince Joachim followed the example set last week by his wife Princess Alexandra and spoke out for the first time on press harassment, his marriage, his role in the royal family and his hopes for the future.
In an equally open and candid interview with the daily newspaper Berlingske Tidende last Sunday, Queen Margrethe II's youngest son attempted to allay press speculation over whether he and Princess Alexandra hope to have children. The Prince left observers in little doubt on the matter stating that the young couple's future plans do include children, and that he hopes to have a son and heir to his Shackenborg estate, located in southern Jutland

"The most joyful element of a marriage must be to create a new generation, and pass on to one's children the things one believes are the most worthwhile. I must admit that in a way I am an old fashioned male chauvinist because I really want a son. A direct descendant that doesn't just come from a family tree, but one that can be seen as coming directly from me." Said the Prince.

The Prince also revealed that he and his wife lived together for approximately three months before their marriage on November 18 1995. "We did something very unorthodox…she moved in to the apartment I shared with the Crown Prince in Amalienborg. Of course we were 'living in sin' which is not really the done thing in royal circles. Looking back on it now I am really glad that we did it. It gave the Princess time to adjust to Denmark before the wedding. " Said Prince Joachim, who also used time to describe the many qualities that first drew him to Alexandra.
"I was very taken with the way she viewed Shackenborg. I could see that she saw it as much more than just four walls and a roof. Her reaction was one of the main reasons that I dared go down on one knee." Said the Prince. He also went on to describe the Princess's personality stating: "I was totally fascinated by so much more than just her appearance."

The tabloid press also came up for discussion with the Prince describing the constant press attention paid to his marriage as "extremely irritating." He also reiterated much of what Princess Alexandra stated in an interview the previous week. "The research for these articles could fit into the hole of an one kroner coin. The Princess feels that she is unfairly treated."

Prince Joachim, who is currently second in line for the Danish throne, also stated that he would be ready to step in as monarch in the place of his older brother Crown Prince Frederik should the unthinkable happen. "Hopefully the time will never come when I have to step in. I have of course thought about it but I really don't know how I would take it if it ever happened. But I am second in line…My military background has helped me understand that role. As second in command one actively supports one's superior, and can take over if something befalls one's superior. It would be pretty hopeless of me if I just sat back and let the Crown Prince bear all the responsibility."


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What interview is he talking about, when Alexandra spoke out about being treated ?

 

[lori]

And you know what? Joachim is actually a more articulate person than Fred. I just don't know why Danes are not enarmored by him, but they like Fred.