Reasons for learning Swedish

So few people speak Swedish and the Swedes speak other languages, so there seems very little utilitarian value in learning it. Wanting to learn Swedish just because there is one person in the world you want to speak to in that language sounds too weird, especially when he or she already speaks your language. So, I have decided to make up some other reasons for liking Swedish. See if you find them believable.

Reason 1. Swedish still has the “ig”s on the end of words. My family name is Camery. From the discussions of the Toyota car, I knew what cymry means in Welsh, but I did not know cymraeg. Then, one day, I heard my favorite singer, Katherine Jenkins say, “Come on, Cymraeg” to get people to sing along. After that the “ig” endings on words started to sound sexy and beautiful. I was intrigued as to the “ig” sound on the end actually meant. The “ig” ending makes it mean someone who speaks Welsh. So I decided to do the same tor Swedish. The official name of the country is Konungariket Sverige. So my pet name for someone who speaks Swedish is konstig. That will certainly apply well to me if I ever master it. Don’t get the idea that Katherine is my favorite singer because she is so beautiful, she really sings great!. I am glad I don’t have a crush on her. Can you imagine trying to learn Welsh? I certainly can’t.

Reason 2. Swedish sounds really funny to someone who speaks English. Looking at the words like “God morgon” for “Good Morning” seems normal enough. But then you realize that no one except the most pedantic pronounce the “g”. So, it sounds like, “Good Moron” and I have to smile. It seems like everything is like that in Swedish. So, I feel stupidly happy to try to communicate this way. It is a good thing I don’t try to really communicate with more than one person this way. One is enough to let everyone know how konstig I am.

Reason 3. My Swedish is really bad. I mean, it is so bad that only one person in the world really understands me. So, it is like a secret code. I don’t have to worry about even the NSA figuring out what my messages really mean. All anyone else knows is that they are konstig. For example: Jag vill åka E6 till Barcelona och dricka Pepsi Perfekt med dig och dina vänner. In 2010, no one has enough faith to go anywhere without a detour through an airport. So no one understands, do they?

Reason 4. Swedes are so nice. When they tell me how wonderful it is that I like Sweden so much, I am filled with joy. What they don’t realize is that Sweden is one of the thousand and one nicknames I have for my favorite Swede. So, I also enjoy the other interpretation which they did not really mean.

Reason 5. Swedes love English. Therefore, English speakers should love Swedish. It is only right to return love with love. You probably have to learn a little Swedish to feel like this.

Reason 6. Smiling faces. Liseberg i Göteborg will have 3 million smiling faces in the summer of 2010. Maybe you could smile too if only you knew some Swedish.

Reason 7. Swedes can sing. If you knew a little bit of Swedish, you could be singing along with them.

One can write a thousand more reasons… Om ni tänka på svenska.