Snus in Denmark

[Slidingblues]

Fixed it for ya!

You are so kind.

[Mdisch]

Well - I'm actually quite amused with listening to Danish people speak English since quite a lot are absolutely horrible at it. Especially considering that they teach kids English in the 3rd grade. But I guess that about 80% of Danes speak English - although with an odd accent.

I owe a great deal of my English skills to having a part American family that always speak English when we're together for the holidays. But Scandinavia people seem to master English with a bit more easy than, say, the Germans or the French.
But I'm having some doubts about the "2nd language makes you smarter" concept. I speak 2 languages fluently, almost fluent Norwegian, can understand Swedish and a bit of German... And I'm not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

[lxskllr]

And I'm not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

It's the conversational tone I particularly find impressive. I see that with a lot of Europeans. It's one thing to tersely communicate needed information, but to include idioms like the above is especially impressive.

[Mdisch]

I suppose there's something to it. But we are heavily influenced by American television - and that's where most people pick up certain phrases

[Snusdog]

I think a lot of it has to do with exposure to many languages from early on. In America we are exposed to far less linguistic diversity that those in Europe..............The result is that we do not learn to think in other languages..............

Thus when we do try to become multi linguistic.............we begin by trying to speak another language..........the result is that “arbre” is just secret code for the English word “tree”........we say arbre....we think tree……..there is an extra step in the process that until removed…….. inhibits true fluency.

A French child looking at an elm will think arbre

An American child will think tree

An American trying to learn French will look at the elm…..think tree…..and then try to remember arbre….for him arbre does not = the elm…………rather it = the English word tree……which then = the elm