Language Learning and Me: Norwegian

In a new series of interviews about the experience of language learning, I asked Katy a few questions about her experience with Norwegian.

You may remember that Katy was freshly pressed a few weeks ago with her post, “ 15 years on and still learning the lingo “, in which she reminded us that some days are better than others, and that you won’t find all jokes funny in another language, and that’s okay.

Why Norwegian?

Because I met and fell in love with my husband who is Norwegian and moved to Norway to live.

You’ve learned other languages before. What were they, and did they help you with Norwegian at all?

Yes, I studied French and German to degree level, I did Latin at school and I can also manage a smattering of conversational Greek.

German helped in the sense that some words are similar but they all helped in the sense that I understand grammar and its importance.

What are the particular challenges of Norwegian, particularly when compared to the other languages you speak?

The main challenge was simply the sheer volume of words to learn. I found the grammar quite straightforward. When I moved here I only knew the words for yes, no and, rather helpfully given the climate, snow!