Ye Olde Pub (The English Pub)

[jjkoggan]

Today americans celebrate what we do have, not what we don't have. The custom is to say what we are thankful for. I am thankful for good health, a loving family and the ability to discuss ideas openly with y'all, amongst other things.

 

What are y'all thankful for?

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Slimda]

I'm thankful for my intellect, which has provided me with a great insight into various subjects. And whatever I choose to dig into, I'll do reasonably well.

 

In short, I'm thankful for being me.

[jjkoggan]

What intellectual subjects Are you most interested in?

[Slimda]

Well, one of my biggest interests concerns languages. How they evolve, why they evolve and such things. Mainly the Norwegian and English languages and dialects. I'm dabbling a bit in Japanese, but nothing serious there.

I'm also fond of thinking about all the "why"'s. Why is it that we do "this" and "that". Why is "this" normal. Why is some things in our culture accepted, and why is some things not? For example, picking your own nose. Why, exactly, is it "disgusting"? What makes it disgusting? Why do we take all these things for granted and never question it?

And for the past year or so, I've gotten a blossoming interest in politics, so I'm reading and watching a bunch of political material.

 

When I'm not doing any of this, my mind just wanders off and does it's own little thing.

 

Maybe it's not intellectual, or maybe I'm just too young yet, but I like to challenge my own preconceptions and put them to the test.

[veingotte]

This was on the giving tree...

 

EDIT: No it wasnt. I thought it was. But its not. How odd.

[jjkoggan]

Well, one of my biggest interests concerns languages. How they evolve, why they evolve and such things. Mainly the Norwegian and English languages and dialects. I'm dabbling a bit in Japanese, but nothing serious there.

I'm also fond of thinking about all the "why"'s. Why is it that we do "this" and "that". Why is "this" normal. Why is some things in our culture accepted, and why is some things not? For example, picking your own nose. Why, exactly, is it "disgusting"? What makes it disgusting? Why do we take all these things for granted and never question it?

And for the past year or so, I've gotten a blossoming interest in politics, so I'm reading and watching a bunch of political material.

 

When I'm not doing any of this, my mind just wanders off and does it's own little thing.

 

Maybe it's not intellectual, or maybe I'm just too young yet, but I like to challenge my own preconceptions and put them to the test.

 

Keep it up it will make you more interesting and knowledgeable. The best way to notice them are to travel. There you see the unexpected both linguistically and culturally. In a way Norwegians don't have the fun that americans do because there are several other nations that have their mother tongues as english. Visiting the british isles, Australia, New Zealand, many Caribean islands and others are interesting not only for their location but the different ways they speak english and even your small children understand 99 percent of everything that is said. When I take my children to Norway they are a bit lost and not as interested as London or Sydney. I realize Norwegians have many dialects within their nation and your scandinavian neighbors speak tongues closely related but they are not in very different environments and the languages are not the same. Interestingly I find Norwegians obsessed with their own language and afraid of language change very unlike americans who want to constantly create new expressions. Change is expected and enjoyed, permanence and consistency is boring. Not all agree, but in general this is true.

[Dryasanne]

I´m in serious trouble, trying to explain bad manners and how to correct these. You see, I am profoundly interested in why we not are cavemen anymore, that one requires some travelling around Europe.

 

I have been at "the beginning", well, were we started to speak civilized, the Pnyx. I have also visited the next step, Palatin (Mons Palatinus), in two weeks my travel goes to La Seu, Catalonia.

 

Ok, I have been robbed once, at my travel to Plaka, that is the reason I have raised the Q about manners. I am scared stiff when I plan my next trip, to Barcelona, will I get robbed again?

 

Some human beings still are cavemen, jumping at me taking my valuables, so I need to be more careful, not beeing an utterly naive "trønder" assuming everyone is nice :-(

 

The essence, the Crux: does my English sucks? I have never learnt any english at school, just by watching the movies....

[Lidskjalv]

You are doing perfectly fine. There is no grammar police here. And thanks for your road report - remember to keep us updated!

[Heddy]

Is this thread still active? I'd like to write even more English than I usually do, so this would be a great place for me

[jjkoggan]

Is this thread still active? I'd like to write even more English than I usually do, so this would be a great place for me

Welcome

What's your deal?

What makes ya tick?

Where's your abode?

What's your reason for wantin' to chew your cud with other anglophiles?

 

My abode is in the Queen City in southwest Ohio but I lived in "det gamle landet" a long time ago. I speak midwestern american english in the style of author James Whitcomb Riley, but love Hemingway even more. At different points in my life I have had a southern accent but the weirdest time was when I forgot how to speak my mother tongue properly after living in Norway, switching v's and w's and singing up and down.

 

I like european football, basketball and yacht racing but most of all traveling.

 

 

Enough about me, what about you?

[Heddy]

Haha, I forgot about this thread.

Well, I'm currently studying to become an English teacher, so it's important for me to use the language as much as possible. I do have a lot of friends that I can speak English to daily, so that's good.

 

I love music and reading, and I'm also a big fan of football, although I usually stick to the Norwegian teams. I'm from Trondheim, so naturally my team is Rosenborg.

[Slimda]

It's about time you found your way into this decrepit pub. It's suffering heavily from the neglect of use we've imposed on it.

 

Also, where are these friends of yours from? Are they Norwegian friends, or are they genuine English friends? I believe Norwegian's English isn't quite up to the task of teaching me how to pronounce certain words and sentences correctly.

[Heddy]

They're very much English. One of them would be my ex, who is from Nottingham. And in a year and a half I'll be able to speak English all the time, since I decided to do a semester in York!

 

When I was in York in January some people actually though I was British. Quite funny.

[Slimda]

Did I mention that I'm slightly envious of your semester in York? I would love to have done something different, but the paths in life brought me elsewhere.

 

But I could use some more practice speaking English, all I've ever practiced with are people online during gaming.

[Heddy]

It's going to be brilliant! I fell in love with the place after just two weeks there, I'm sure I'll love studying there. It's such a nice city, just the right size, nice people and it's beautiful as well.

And they have a pub for every day of the year

[Slimda]

I'd hate to do the Tom Waits-marathon in that city then.

 

You know what that is, right?

[Heddy]

I googled it now

 

Haha, that would be interesting in York. I do love Tom Waits by the way. He's brilliant

[jjkoggan]

I googled it now

 

Haha, that would be interesting in York. I do love Tom Waits by the way. He's brilliant

 

 

I saw Tom Waits in Kalamazoo Michigan once and it was a great concert. He is quite the character. Interestingly, my introduction to his artistry was a long time ago through an old girfriend whose last name was Ciccone. She had a interesting older sister who lived in New York who eventually became world famous- her name is Madonna (Madonna Ciccone). I only met her once and yes, most people don't believe me until I show them pictures. She had a large Italian catholic family and another interesting fact is that I was introduced to the family through a norwegian exchange student.

[2ball_]

I think I love you people

[jjkoggan]

I think I love you people

 

What people?