Mary's Accent and Languages

[auntie]

Originally Posted by AnnaNotherThing

I have actually heard an interview extract of Mary being asked a question in English, by an Australian journalist and then proceeding to answer in Danish before realising that the lady couldn't/didn't understand, then apologising and switching to English...it was quite funny and showed how Mary probably has to make more of a conscious effort to speak English now than was the case 10 years ago!

I fail to understand how anyone can so totally create herself anew and forget the mother tounge she spoke for the first 30 years of her life. My mother married at 20 and moved from switzerland to the uk knowing basic english (where my dad is from) and untill today, 40 odd years later, she has a slight german tang, eventhough she speaks to us English. I remember many years ago, when she was 16 years married her mentioning to my father that she feels English is her equal to swiss German. When Mary got engaged less than 8 years ago, she barely spoke the language, wow, Denmark has usurped her totally

[Madame Royale]

Denmark has usurped her totally

Being immersed in Danish culture and the Danish language is a key priority for Mary. And understandably so. With all due respect to your mother, of course, I doubt she has been a cultural ambassador for her adopted (?) country at the highlest level of societal representation.

You ask any Dane and they will tell you that Mary has an accent when she speaks Danish and certainly as an Australian first and foremost, I can assure you that when she speaks English, there is an apparent Danish lilt but with the expectation to achieve fluency, and what I'd imagine to be a good deal of self critique and determination to succeed along the way, I think it's no wonder Mary articulates her mother tongue the way she does nowadays and for some time too I might add.

[auntie]

I percieve it as her totally letting go of the old mary, as if that wasn't good enough, yet the crown prince did fall for the old mary, so why shouldn't it be. It is my opinion and speculation alone, so pleeease don't bash me...

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by auntie

I percieve it as her totally letting go of the old mary, as if that wasn't good enough, yet the crown prince did fall for the old mary, so why shouldn't it be. It is my opinion and speculation alone, so pleeease don't bash me...

Don't worry.

Well, the "old Mary" only spoke English and I think he find the current Danish speaking Mary pretty charming as well...

Yeah, yeah, I know what you mean.
But Mary is not the same as she was in 2000, she and all of us have changed. In Mary's case she has adapted so well to her new country that she thinks in Danish. Which I would consider a necessity. I think in English while writing this, if not what I wrote would be a mess. After a while I think in English when I speak English. Speaking English for the first few sentences to a Dane is something I've done myself, that happens.
You understand?

I doubt Mary has forgotten her old country and why should she?

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by auntie

I percieve it as her totally letting go of the old mary, as if that wasn't good enough, yet the crown prince did fall for the old mary, so why shouldn't it be. It is my opinion and speculation alone, so pleeease don't bash me...

Who's 'bashed' you? No one I should hope.

For what's been discussed, I personally can't rationalise how a change in the Crown Princess's accent when speaking english is indicative of Mary having become 'lost in translation' and thus is not the same person Frederik initially identified with. Since that time, they have shared a common path and grown together as people, partners, parents and public figures :)

[camelot23ca]

I actually think Mary's kept plenty of things from her Australian background. Her day to day public life is in Denmark, though, so that's what onlookers are mainly going to see. But she's remained close to her Australian family and Australian friends, she's been back to visit Australia as much as I think she reasonably can, we've heard Christian speaking English so I assume she's exposing all the children to her mother tongue. And those are just the things that have happened in public - there are probably more parts of the royal family's private life that are hold overs from Mary's childhood in Australia.

I would say the Danish part of Frederik's background would seem to have eclipsed his French roots if you look at his day to day public life now. That, IMO, is how it has to be, since he's the Crown Prince of Denmark, not of France. But Frederik I believe has made the comment that he does consider himself part French, and again, maybe behind the scenes this part of his background comes more to the forefront.

[IloveCP]

So great to hear her children know some english.

[AnnaNotherThing]

Found a free Danish course online audio guides...and wow, you have to commend Mary for being able to firstly speak the language, secondly, to understand it spoken by native Danes (who speak so fast and mumbly) and thirdly, to be able to comprehend the question/statement and respond...And now almost 8 years on from her first introduction to the language, she is thinking, writing and quite comfortable conversing in her adopted language...To me as an Australian, Mary seems more Danish than Australian now...which is not a criticism, more in recognition of how hard she has worked to make this happen...She's a Dane through and through :)

[Muhler]

Yes, she is indeed our Crown Princess now.

Talk about an Australian export success!

And now I need some advise from the moderators.
This is a gallery in Billed Bladet with a gallery selected by an editor from the style magazine Elle.
With comments on how Mary has changed in the past ten years, and not least her style.
I believe a translation of the captions might be of interest, but where do I put it?
Billed-Bladet - 10 år med kronprinsesse Mary - se hendes store forvandling

[Lady74]

Isn't she wonderful as an Aussie I'm very proud of her. She has taken on everything and done it well And had 4 beautiful babies 

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Lady74

Isn't she wonderful as an Aussie I'm very proud of her. She has taken on everything and done it well And had 4 beautiful babies 

Mary is a wonderful Princess, but she's done what she was suppose to do. Learn the language and produce heirs. As for looks, Frederik kinda helped to.

[Lady74]

It might have been what was expected but not every princess does it

[helenbeee]

Originally Posted by Madame Royale

It's known that Christian speaks both Danish and English and I'd imagine Isabella would too.

I personally think Christian resembles his mother in many ways, and Isabella more her father.

Originally Posted by auntie

I percieve it as her totally letting go of the old mary, as if that wasn't good enough, yet the crown prince did fall for the old mary, so why shouldn't it be. It is my opinion and speculation alone, so pleeease don't bash me...

not bash you but it is a strange way to look at it. I dont see what she is doing is any different really if she had married into British Monarchy. Australian accents are quite organic meaning that they tend to soak up other languages influences quite easily.
What Iam saying is that even if she had married a british Prince and moved to the UK her accent would have altered shw would have become British and her Aussie twang (we dont even know if she had a pronounced one to begin with) would have been eroded in some way.
She is what she is an Aussie born Danish Princess and speaks Danish out of necessity because that is where she lives and is the language of the people she is representing.
It would not be to hide her past Im sure she (and Fred for that matter) are veru proud of the diversity they have built there little family on. Im sure they take advantage of the fact that they can provide their children with a bilingual environment because it will be beneficial to the children's education.

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Lady74

It might have been what was expected but not every princess does it

Not every Princess needs to learn a new language, particularly if they are from the area who's royal family they are marrying in to. But almost every Crown Princess or Princess for that matter has to have children if they want the royal line to continue through them and not a sibling.

[nwinther]

Originally Posted by helenbeee

I dont see what she is doing is any different really if she had married into British Monarchy. Australian accents are quite organic meaning that they tend to soak up other languages influences quite easily.

I have often wondered about Mary's lack of an australian accent. I have quite a bit of family in Australia - in several walks of life - so I'm not unfamiliar with the accent. She's only had a trace of it since I heard her speak officially the first time.

However, if it's an inherent quality in the aussie tongue or if it's a personal quality, I'm not so sure.

Personally, I learnt English with an aussie accent (My parents lived in Australia in the 70's and my family there were the basis of my english). Later in life this disappeared and have been replaces with a (IMO) US/International accent.

However, I'm quite impressionable with accents. I'm from the centre of Jutland and speak certain words in distinct local dialect (for the danish speakers, to me "meget" is pronounced "måj"). Hoever, I studied in the north of Jutland, and much to my irritation adapted to the local dialect (going from "måj" to "maje"). Now I live in the south-west and notice that I've adapted to the local version of (måj - it's pronounced slightly different from my home region).

Anyway - what I'm trying to say is, that some people are more sensitive or impressionable to dialects (and perhaps accents) that others. I have two cousins who lived for the first 2-4 years of their life in Aalborg. They're 30+ and have lived in another dialect region for more than 25 years, yet speak "Vendelbomål" as if they lived there still - making them less impressionable to new dialects.

[Grandduchess24]

Does mary only know Danish and English I also heard she' ll try to learn French and I find she speaks perfect English.

[Lady Rosie]

English is her mother tongue. She attended university and was well travelled so her english is almost flawless ( with a Danish twist as some say).

As for her french. I am sure she knows some basics and lived in Paris for a time but unsure as to whether she has pursued it further. Having four children and adjusting to her role has probably consumed her study time so far.

[helenbeee]

Originally Posted by nwinther

I have often wondered about Mary's lack of an australian accent. I have quite a bit of family in Australia - in several walks of life - so I'm not unfamiliar with the accent. She's only had a trace of it since I heard her speak officially the first time.

However, if it's an inherent quality in the aussie tongue or if it's a personal quality, I'm not so sure.

Personally, I learnt English with an aussie accent (My parents lived in Australia in the 70's and my family there were the basis of my english). Later in life this disappeared and have been replaces with a (IMO) US/International accent.

However, I'm quite impressionable with accents. I'm from the centre of Jutland and speak certain words in distinct local dialect (for the danish speakers, to me "meget" is pronounced "måj"). Hoever, I studied in the north of Jutland, and much to my irritation adapted to the local dialect (going from "måj" to "maje"). Now I live in the south-west and notice that I've adapted to the local version of (måj - it's pronounced slightly different from my home region).

Anyway - what I'm trying to say is, that some people are more sensitive or impressionable to dialects (and perhaps accents) that others. I have two cousins who lived for the first 2-4 years of their life in Aalborg. They're 30+ and have lived in another dialect region for more than 25 years, yet speak "Vendelbomål" as if they lived there still - making them less impressionable to new dialects.

I have lived in different states within Australia and here too there are noticeable differences between the twangs. South Australian is very english sounding in its pronounciations. QLD and NSW and to a lesser degree Vic and Tassie have a much broader Aust twang. As Marys father John is Scottish I would imagine that he would have passed on a bit of scottish brogue also (I know a few people with the same influence).

I have also noticed friends who have lived in other countries in Europe and Americas seem to pick up flavours in addition to their australian that remains in their pronounciation. They tend to lilt which is what Mary does.

So I suppose what I meant is that Mary doesnt sound any different to people I know who have moved away from Oz and embraced another language and return to Oz for visits. They still speak Australian but with a bit of a lilt a little more sing song.

[Saragli]

To me, Mary still sounds like an Australian. Of course its a much more refined English with a Danish flavouring to it, but still very aussie. It was especially noticeable during the Royal Jewels documentary that was just released. I think because she was interviewed in her own home and in private she was more relaxed and there for the aussie accent was more noticeable.

[helenbeee]

Its her general persona that reminds me of her aussieness. Just the openess of her smile and her clamness. That Auusie saying "giving it a go" certainly shows in the way she has embraced this different lifestyle.