Mary's Accent and Languages

[Principezza Henar]

Quite interesting thread! I've enjoyed reading all your comments. I used to work for a Danish Bank in the US, and I traveled to Copenhagen a few times, but boy! I don't think it's ease to speak or understand I found it very hard, although there are some words similar to English in their language! Danish people are wonderful, though, very easy going, love them!

[Reina del Sur]

Sometimes when you are with someone with different accent, background or so, the more you stay with him/her it is normal you take one things from and give him/her others from you... that the way things are...

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by sgl

Fluent is a term that many linguistic researchers disagree on. I have yet to hear of a universal definition. When I stated that researchers believe that it takes someone 7 years to become fluent, I was referring to one's ability to communicate without hesitation, using the general intonation and rhythm of that language. Of course, there is no general agreement on what makes a person fluent. It sounds to me like Mary has become fluent in the language. I don't speak Danish, so I am basing my opinion on how she sounds and by reading the posts from the Danish members regarding her language.

sgl-Forgive me but it has been a very long time since I needed to study second language accquistion theory. (I'm a former teacher who worked with immigrant students in the Los Angeles area.) Was it Stephen Krashen or the late Tracy Terell who created BICS (basic interpersonal communication) or CALP (cognitive academic language)?

[sgl]

Stephen Krashen developed the idea of BICS and CALP. It sounds to me as if Mary has mastered BICS and is well on her way to developing extensive skills in CALP. Does anyone know if Mary still studies Danish? Is she able to write in Danish?

[BurberryBrit]

Originally Posted by carlota

what does mary say in this video? Mary erobrer modeugen - Royale - BT.dk

her make up is as always flawless!

It is clear that she is fluent or quite near fluency in Danish. But she does not have the Danish accent yet.

[ahtikavalentine]

Originally Posted by BurberryBrit

It is clear that she is fluent or quite near fluency in Danish. But she does not have the Danish accent yet.

I think she will never do, because you can not pretend to have any perfect accent when you passed your childhood and early life in a completly different country That's what I think

[mellie]

Originally Posted by ahtikavalentine

I think she will never do, because you can not pretend to have any perfect accent when you passed your childhood and early life in a completly different country That's what I think

I disagree with you. I'm a language teacher and have seen many who can speak another language very fluently. Sometimes you can trace the student's accent back to the teacher's because the student mimicking so well.
I don't know about Mary because i don't speak Danish though.

[ahtikavalentine]

Originally Posted by mellie

I disagree with you. I'm a language teacher and have seen many who can speak another language very fluently. Sometimes you can trace the student's accent back to the teacher's because the student mimicking so well.
I don't know about Mary because i don't speak Danish though.

I think I have a good level of English, but I have to admit that some words are so difficult for me that I can't avoid my latin accent.

[sesa]

Originally Posted by HeLLeNa14

The second episode of the Danish Family documentary (with English subtitles).

SBS Video Player

Thank you for posting this link. It still amazes me that with technology today, I can watch something on the computer that was watched in Denmark.
As for Mary, I don't think I ever gave her credit for learning another language. From what I heard on the documentary, it sounds like a very difficult language to learn and she speaks it very very good. I'm very impressed.
My parents speak can speak both english and spanish, english being their mother tongue. Even after 45 years of listening to them when they do speak spanish, I know nothing but a few words here and there. I commend her! Well done Pr. Mary!

[Cinderella5x]

Originally Posted by sesa

Thank you for posting this link. It still amazes me that with technology today, I can watch something on the computer that was watched in Denmark.
As for Mary, I don't think I ever gave her credit for learning another language. From what I heard on the documentary, it sounds like a very difficult language to learn and she speaks it very very good. I'm very impressed.
My parents speak can speak both english and spanish, english being their mother tongue. Even after 45 years of listening to them when they do speak spanish, I know nothing but a few words here and there. I commend her! Well done Pr. Mary!

I am sorry, but I don't think this is such an amazing accomplishment, to learn to speak another language... I mean, there are people who speak six, seven or even ten languages. That would be something, I would assume...

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Cinderella5x

I am sorry, but I don't think this is such an amazing accomplishment, to learn to speak another language... I mean, there are people who speak six, seven or even ten languages. That would be something, I would assume...

In Mary's defence I'd say it isn't that simple.

Mary has to be able to read and write Danish to almost perfection. She is expected to speak Danish not just fluently, but to master the nuances of the language. Including subtleties and sounds that simply doesn't exist in English. (Let alone our little habit of omitting words when we speak or cutting off the ends of words).
Oh, did I mention the constant use of irony? (Which can be a genuine problem in workplaces with different cultures).
Not only that, she also has to understand the natives. Copenhagener Danish sounds different from say Danish spoken on Southern Funen even though the words are exactly the same. - And that's pretty easy, because Danish spoken in Northern Jutland or Bornholm sound even more different!
And then there are dialects....
It's litterally no more than 100 years ago that Danes from different parts of the country would have had problems understanding each other.

I believe Mary may have needed an aspirin from time to time.

It'll be equivalent to dropping me off in Yorkshire or rural Louisiana. I may have learned to speak English, but I'd still be pretty lost...

[Frelinghighness]

It does seem to be a difficult language, I hadn't realized it was that non-standardized.
I must say I was a bit disappointed not to hear ANY english from Mary during the documentary. Even in the very small bit when she briefly speaks to her husband and says good night to Christian on their way out to the Greek state dinner.
I was under the impression she spoke English to her husband and children.

[IsobelMacGregor]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

It does seem to be a difficult language, I hadn't realized it was that non-standardized.
I must say I was a bit disappointed not to hear ANY english from Mary during the documentary. Even in the very small bit when she briefly speaks to her husband and says good night to Christian on their way out to the Greek state dinner.
I was under the impression she spoke English to her husband and children.

I think it speaks volumes for Mary in terms of discipline. I think that its wonderful that she speaks Danish on a regular basis, especially to the children.

[Madame Royale]

I certainly consider it to be an achievement. Especially as Mary learnt it as an adult and not a child.

I have recently become, after a considerable length of time, quite fluent in sign language. And I certainly wouldn't have anyone tell me that it isn't an accomplishment. Alot of time and energy goes into educating ones brain to refocus any such train of thought which results in an immediate response.

It's all so easy to detract from anothers commplishments, but I suggest those people perhaps try and learn the same language and see what they achieve...

I was under the impression she spoke English to her husband and children

I'm sure they do, but it's pivotal that Mary learns the language as fluently as is possible. She is to one day be Queen of Denmark, her life is in Denmark and her immediate family are Danish. It's only natural that the language and how she articulates it should play a very big part of her every day life.

[missjane]

And also to think in Danish after thinking only in English, then to formulate the words, is quite difficult I believe.

[Tarlita]

I am sure Danish won't be the only language she will learn. Perhaps one day she will start to learn French as it is the Diplomatic language.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

It does seem to be a difficult language, I hadn't realized it was that non-standardized.

Oh, it is. - In the same way as someone born and bred in say West London and someone from Lancaster both speak English. The same language, it just sounds differently.

[Susanna Wynne]

In terms of difficulty, Danish is considered one of the more difficult languages to master for non-native speakers. A friend in the diplomatic service says that she speaks it with not only fluency, but with nuance and subtlety.

So, kudos to Princess Mary, an intelligent and diligent person.

[nwinther]

Originally Posted by Cinderella5x

I am sorry, but I don't think this is such an amazing accomplishment, to learn to speak another language... I mean, there are people who speak six, seven or even ten languages. That would be something, I would assume...

How many of those people that speak multiple languages, speak danish and IS NOT a native dane?

Several languages are similar. The latin group or Germanic group can have similarities that make them very easy to learn - if you know one of them already. With a little effort, I could claim to master four languages - Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and English. With a little more, I could learn German as well (already had 3 or 4 years in school). But all those languages (except english) have considerable similarities - especially the scandinavian ones. Learning Spanish and then Portuguese would be rather easier than learning Spanish and then Danish.

What makes it even harder to learn Danish is the constant temptation to switch to English. Most danes speak English and almost all public information can be obtained in English. With a minimum of help you can go pretty far in Denmark without absolutely having to learn the language. You won't be accepted into society and in most areas you'll have a hard time finding a job. But you can get your essentials and live a long full life without too much hassel.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by missjane

And also to think in Danish after thinking only in English, then to formulate the words, is quite difficult I believe.

Not sure how difficult that is or whether it's something that comes natural when you are immersed in another language.
I think in English when I visit this board. - If I think in Danish while writing English, the grammar, choice of words and spelling go completely down the drain!

If I'm in Germany for more than a few days I start to think in German as well, even though my German is pretty poor.