Mary's Accent and Languages

[UserDane]

... so not sure why Henrik's accent for example is problematic in Denmark.

Personally, I do not base my opinion of Henrik's Danish language skills on his accent; I don't expect foreign born persons to acquire a thoroughly Danish accent (just as I cannot acquire a thoroughly English accent no matter how hard I try...).

IMO, Henrik has a surprisingly poor grip of which Danish words are the neuter and which are the common gender - and that is immediately audible to Danes. And he often uses sentences structures which are decidedly not Danish. So even if he had acquired a near-perfect Danish accent these 'flaws' would immediately be noticable.
But perhaps queen Margrethe has done him an unintentional disservice by using French as the family language; while this may have benefitted their sons' French language skills, it may have been a major reason for Henrik's relatively poor Danish. A shame really, because he is said to have an ear for foreign languages and is said to if not speak then know quite a bit of some Asian languages so there really does not seem to be any reason why he should not have had a better grip of the Danish language at an earlier point in time.

 

[Fashionista100]

True Mary may not have an ear for accents, but she does seem to have learned Danish well. I know I could learn German
and Italian easy but French? Hardest language for me and I just couldn't do it no matter how much I studied. Plus, learning styles for languages have changed. I agree where I think communication is key. If your accent is wrong, so be it. Sometimes to you it sounds correct and others it does not.

I thought, and someone will know more about this, that Henrik is fluent in multiple languages because of his diplomatic background. I thought he was fluent in many Asian languages. Maybe that is why he has problems with the Scandinavian lilt.

 

[Vanesa]

Since I'm from Argentina, a country made by immigrants from here and there, I can asure you that there are persons who lives here since they childhood and now are elderly people and the CAN'T pronounce our language properly...And a lot of them just doesn't have a good amount of vocabulary. Italians are the ones who almost never learn to speak Argentinian-Spanish as they must, for they knows that, being the two languages a little similar, they are understood...So, they uses to speak their very own language that is widely known as "cocoliche", an interesting mixing-up of Spanish, Italian...and words that sounds Italian but that aren't Italian, nor Spanish...Just inventions. The Chinese population (mainly speaking Hakka or Cantonese, or Oklo) is a different story. Of course, they can't communicate with Spanish speakers, but they aren't interesting in it. They speak among themselves, and only knows little words here and there, which is awful, since they own almost all supermarkets of our country, and we can't speak with them about what we are purchasing , asking them for their advice in a product, etc...They only knows numbers and prices, and isolated words...I knew a Chinese man who is living here 12 years by now, and he can only said a few amunt of badly-built phrases.

Portuguese speakers always speaks portuguese, and even if it is relatively easy to understand them , their pronunciation is very hard to pick up, and sometimes, they remain ununderstood.

German people speaks pretty fine, but they confounds verbs and genders, and their pronunciation is strong. And it is the same for Hungarian, Croatian, Russians, French, Pole, Syrians, Lebanese, English, Armenians etc

There is an exception in all this mess: Japanese people. They learn quickly to speak Argentinian Spanish, and begings to use own particular slang as soon as they can. Their pronunciation is not always excellent, but they fights until they knows somewhat how to manage it.

Of course, these are generalizations. There are isolated people from all these communities who speaks greatly our language and with little accent.

Vanesa.

 

[Madame Royale]

I don't recollect saying anything about my origins!! - so the assumptions are you're own conclusion, and besides, FYI you can obtain a university degree in Russian for example, without ever having been there!

It seems you took my post with an offence that was not intended, nor was it even contemplated.

...surely realise that a mother tongue is completely different to the second language that adults have to learn.

And where did I suggest it wasn't different?

There is nothing wrong with accents and as far as I am aware I thought Henrik had a very good Danish vocabulary - just with a French accent.

To learn a foreign language when an adult is much more challenging than when you're growing, but again, it's not his accent which stirs interest. It's the length of time his had to spend on the language meets his acknowledged ineffectual public attempts throughout the years. Though, as User Dane pointed out, perhaps the language of choice spoken in the home hasn't helped. And if Frederik and Mary chose to do the same for the next however many years, then her Danish won't ptogress to the capacity it should either.

I thought from hearing the accent when she first became publically acknowledged that it had already changed and of course perhaps she was trying to emulate her future Danish relations' very good English accents.

.lol. What is with these english accent associations? I've simply never heard it.

In any case thought the standard Aussie accent is based on the estuary english and as even the Queen has changed her acccent I suppose that is OK

Changed? I'd say shifted.

And what can one say, if it's good enough for the Queen of Australia...

 

[wiwaxia]

It seems you took my post with an offence that was not intended, nor was it even contemplated.

No offence whatsoever taken Madame Royale! I was just replying to the inference in your post!

 

[Madame Royale]

No offence whatsoever taken Madame Royale! I was just replying to the inference in your post!

Good to know!

Though the conjecture to which you refer remains rather indistinct, given I stated ‘…who themselves is not familiar with the Danish language on an everyday basis’. That’s not discrediting any possible study you may have undertaken. Not at all, as I’m in no position to do so.

I did note though (In not so many words) that due to your display icon, which clearly reads ‘Tunisia’ as your country of residence, that any Tête-à-tête you should undertake on a daily basis would therefore be conducted, not in Danish, but Arabic or possibly French. Perhaps (?) even English, considering the command you seem to have on it.

A most logical thought one would believe, which again, is not ill meant.

Thanks for replying Quite often than not, it’s somewhat tricky to interpret one another’s denotation.

 

[Royal Darkness]

(I want to see one of these anonymous language experts one day ....) ...

My Mum saw a report about Crownprincess Mary (on German TV) and she asked me - after the report: "Isn't she able to speak Danish?" So I promise to read about Crownprincess Mary's Danish and her accent in the Royal Forum and tell my Mum later, what I found.

Now I read, that an expert said, that she couldn't speak Danish very well. UserDane said, that she wants to see one of these anonymous language experts one day...
Maybe it helps: I read the name of this language expert in a newspaper. His name is Hans F. Kragh.

I don't want to take place in this discussion, but I want to name the expert... As I allready said: maybe it helps...

 

[tara1983]

mary with a aussie accent.

i found this clip of mary when she and fred did the documentry just before they got married and in part of the clip (8:40) and a kangaroo is trying to take food out of her hand if you listern closly you can her her aussie accent.

i really do think that she has to live up to some sort of exbertation when becoming a royal figure and as i said before when your a royal you have to smile, wave, eat and talk the right way.

take a look


YouTube - Mary Donaldson part 6

 

[ashelen]

sorry that i ask but it is not clear to me, so Mary can not speak proper danish?? I am sure she will have her english accent, like the danes have accent when speak english but this is normal!

 

[JessRulz]

sorry that i ask but it is not clear to me, so Mary can not speak proper danish?? I am sure she will have her english accent, like the danes have accent when speak english but this is normal!

Mary speaks Danish quite well, just with an Australian accent. Danish is a notouriously hard language to learn (just ask GT ), but Mary has been doing extremly well according to various Danish members of the board.

 

[ricarda]

Here is a video where you can hear Mary expressing her thoughts in fluent Danish (but with an accent of course):
TV 2 Nyhederne
It was at the presentation of the Integration Awards in autumn 2007.
At the end of the video Mary tells the interviewer that - regarding her own integration - for her the hardest thing was to learn the language. Then the interviewer says: " You have become very good at it".
(And Mary turns into a smile and says: 1000 thanks.)

 

[norwegianne]

Here is a video where you can hear Mary expressing her thoughts in fluent Danish (but with an accent of course):
TV 2 Nyhederne
It was at the presentation of the Integration Awards in autumn 2007.
At the end of the video Mary tells the interviewer that - regarding her own integration - for her the hardest thing was to learn the language. Then the interviewer says: " You have become very good at it".
(And Mary turns into a smile and says: 1000 thanks.)

She has an ok pronunciation on some of the words, and a fairly broad vocabulary - but there is definitely still too much accent in there. It is difficult to know what she means with some of the words. But still, a massive improvement from a year or so ago, so it is moving in the right direction.

 

[Shikha Pal]

I never heard CP Mary speaking so far, what accent does she speak in?

 

[sgl]

I don't speak Danish, but it seems that she is competent in the language. Of course she will have an accent. This is normal when one learns another language after they have reached puberty. I am getting a master's degree in bilingual education, and have taken many linguistics courses. In all of the books I have read on the subject, it is almost impossible for a person to speak a second, or third language without the accent of their primary language if that person has learned the second language after they have reached puberty. There is a very small percentage of people in the world who are able to perfectly mimic native speakers, but it is very rare. Maybe the language expert will be able to help Mary train her ears to be able to discern and mimic the sounds of a native speaker. It would take a lot of time and practice, but she may be able to do it if she happens to fall into that small percentage of people.

 

[ashelen]

Mary speaks Danish quite well, just with an Australian accent. Danish is a notouriously hard language to learn (just ask GT ), but Mary has been doing extremly well according to various Danish members of the board.

I know how hard it is, my father was danish and actually I learned first danish then spanish, but he died when I was 2 so I lost the language and my mother had such a shock that she could not remeber , so I went to studied at the embassy in argentina in my teens and I can read and write quite good but i have a very srong accent, in the ohter hand my british husband went to denmark at the age of 15 and his danish and accent is so good that when he meet here people from denmark , they ask him in which city in denmark he was born, if he was from Kobenhavn, so he is talented and there are out there some people like him easy to get the accent but i can imagine how hard is for Mary specially withh all the press on top of you!

 

[tara1983]

hay everyone. i posted the doc about mary when she was in tassie, if you go to (4 mins and 40 sec you can hear mary's aussie accent) a kangaroo is trying to eat out of her hand.

(NOT 8 MINS AND 40 SEC)

 

[sgl]

Tara1983: could you repost the link?

 

[acdc1]

I'm not fluent in Danish, I'm still learning, but I've kind of gotten my ears trained to and for Danish, I think. I can kind of tell her accent in there, it just sounds different than with native Danes. She has a strange accent when speaking English, too, IMO. It's not really Danish, but it doesn't sound exactly Australian to me.

 

[Madame Royale]

I'm not fluent in Danish, I'm still learning, but I've kind of gotten my ears trained to and for Danish, I think. I can kind of tell her accent in there, it just sounds different than with native Danes. She has a strange accent when speaking English, too, IMO. It's not really Danish, but it doesn't sound exactly Australian to me.

I'm not really sure what you're idea of exact Australian is, but I think it very easy to identify Mary as an ex-Australian...

 

[acdc1]

I'm not really sure what you're idea of exact Australian is, but I think it very easy to identify Mary as an ex-Australian....

Oh, I totally have no idea of what true Australian is, never having been to Australia nor meeting anyone from there. It could be like US, different accents for different parts of country. But I saw the documentary where her family was talking, and she doesn't sound like them. Her voice has also changed since then, when she speaks English.

 

[Madame Royale]

It could be like US, different accents for different parts of country. But I saw the documentary where her family was talking, and she doesn't sound like them. Her voice has also changed since then, when she speaks English.

It is somewhat like the US in this regard. There are slight differences between states, but nothing comparable to the US.

My pronounciation is different to my next door neighbours and we were both born here in Melbourne.

I can't say I've noticed her voice having changed since the interview with her family, but maybe it has a little (?). When I've heard her speak english I find it easy to distinguish where she's from

 

[caroline mathilda]

Madame,
I still find it a bit odd, and dare I say prententious, that her English has a Scandinavian lilt. The Queen of Denmark speaks English like an upper class English woman and if anyone was entitled to a "lilt" it would be a Dane speaking English. Queen Noor of Jordan always speaks English like an American; Princess Grace of Monaco never developed a French accent and both of these women lived in their respective countries longer than Mary and they learned their adopted countries' language as adults as well. I don't know why Mary insists on doing this; perhaps she is trying to be more Danish, etc. Whatever it is, it detracts versus enhances in my opinion. Madame, what do other Australians think of the accent lilt?
None of this is meant to offend anyone..just my observation.

Skippy

 

[ashelen]

well, sometimes you can loose a little bit your own accent, I left argetina in 1994 and last time i was there 2006 all my frieds would say i speak spanish with some accent, it is more i went to the bank to change money and the cashier would say:sorry we do not ex-change to freign people:
i had to show him my argetinean id. so may be she had been long enough and trying so hard that she lost a little of her accent

 

[HRH Kerry]

Mary speaking Danish is quite impressive especially from where I'm standing; only knowing "Americanized" English. I'm very impressed with her progress and she should be commended. Learning a new language is no easy feat especially one as hard as Danish.

 

[Madame Royale]

Madame, what do other Australians think of the accent lilt?

Skip,

No offence taken whatsoever...

My observation is that Mary is well thought of by the majority here in Australia. The majority being those that actually care..haha. You have some who think unkindly of her though I put that down to jealousy if anything. Considering it seems to be women within the same age bracket as Mary, who have also paved themselves a corporate career.

The Scandinavian lilt has been noticed by most, but I think Australian's are quite used to such phenomenon's. I don't think Mary having a lilt when she speaks english does anything to detract from the affections (those who are interested) held for her. Though it's no easy task to hinder one's accent, it's not uncommon for those living abroad for some period time to adopt a certain twang when they speak. And Mary has undergone many language lessons and is surrounded by Danish all the time. They even speak Danish to Christian most of the time, so she is cosntantly switching between the two.

But overall, the fact Mary's english is afflicted with a certain Nordic lilt does little to damped the overall affection held for Denmark's Crown Princess, as is my observation.

 

[Charlotte1]

As an 'other Australian' I don't think many Australians actually spend a lot of time thinking about Mary. Generally though Australians don't particularly like it when their expats loose their Australian accents. I'd point out here too that there is a variable as to what is an Australian accent based on location, economic level, and education. While the variations aren't as great as in the UK or US there are variations. Mary in her preDanish days never spoke like Steve Irwin but she had a marked Australian accent, now she has a Scandinavian lilt.
Nicole Kidman is still 'our Nicole' as she speaks with an Australian accent.
Kylie Minogue after she first went to live in the UK came back to Australia speaking with a very affected British accent, she was ridiculed for it, and has since toned it down.
Other Australian actors who work in the US and speak with American accents in TV interviews, once in Australia and on Australian TV speak with their original Australian accents. Therefore they're still considered 'one of us'.
My own personal experience, I lived in the US for a while and was told "I hope you won't come back speaking with an American accent" (I didn't but found that certain words I had use the American pronounciation when in the US otherwise I wouldn't be understood! So I've added American English to the languages that I speak, I tell people I'm multilingual! My British English is also pretty fluent!)

 

[Madame Royale]

Nicole Kidman is still 'our Nicole' as she speaks with an Australian accent.

Actually, Nicole too has a slight Amercian lilt when she talks. Not as distinguished as Mary, but nonetheless it's still present.

I don't think many Australians actually spend a lot of time thinking about Mary.

I'd agree.

 

[caroline mathilda]

I think Mary is lucky that she is Australian born and not American born as the American press would have skewered her for her Danish lilt. She would have been derided for "putting on airs."

 

[Mermaid1962]

To my Canadian ear, Crown Princess Mary sounds like she speaks English with an Australian accent but has a slight Scandinavian lilt and vowels.

 

[Marchesina]

CP Mary speaking Danish

I' m new and I don't know if there is a thread on this subject.
I have never heard Crown Princess Mary speaking Danish. Do anyone have some videos of her speaking Danish? And how does she do this? I mean, does she speak danish well or not?
Thanks for replies!