What's the difference?

How do you do? VS How are you?

We delve into the intricate and often humorous interplay between these two neighboring cultures – Norway and Sweden. Much like Newton's laws of thermodynamics, the principles of conversation dynamics between Norwegians and Swedes can be observed and understood through a few key laws:

First Law: The Law of Politeness Conservation
In any conversation between a Norwegian and a Swede, politeness is neither created nor destroyed but merely transferred. Each party carefully navigates the exchange, ensuring that respect and civility remain balanced and intact.

Second Law: The Principle of Understatement Equilibrium
Understatements in Norwegian-Swedish dialogue tend to seek equilibrium. When one party downplays an event or achievement, the other instinctively matches this tone, creating a harmonious balance of modesty and humor.

Third Law: The Entropy of Misunderstandings
As the complexity of conversation increases, so does the potential for misunderstandings. These are often caused by the subtle nuances and cultural references unique to each nation. Yet, this entropy is often countered by the shared history and mutual respect between Norwegians and Swedes, leading to resolution and clarity.

Join us as we explore these dynamics and uncover the fascinating, and often understated, art of Norwegian-Swedish communication.

Everything Zenified 

The Dynamics of Scandinavian Communication – Understatements 

SANDRA: So … what should we do?
JULIE: Well, I like to do arts and crafts, and I’m really good at
drawing. What do you think?
SANDRA: Hmm … how about playing a board game? That would 
be more fun.
JULIE: OK. Let’s play Scrabble! I’m really good at spelling, too!
SANDRA: Oh, yeah? We’ll see about that!

LANGUAGE NOTES
• So … Notice how the “o” sound is drawn out here, combined with the intonation, which 
shows boredom.
• I’m really good at “Really” means “very” and is used to emphasize “good.” It goes before 
the adjective.
• What do you Notice the pronunciation here — it sounds like “Whaddaya.”
• Hmm … is used to show that the speaker is thinking. It is also used to show that the speaker 
disagrees with an idea.
• How about is used to make a tentative suggestion. The speaker is introducing an idea and 
doesn’t want to sound too strong.
• Let’s is used to make a strong suggestion. The speaker feels confident about the plan.
• Oh, yeah? We’ll see about that! “Oh, yeah?” is used in a joking way to show a bit of friendly 
competition. Notice the emphasis on “that,” which refers back to “good at spelling.”

English Conversation practice (30-day challenge)

Day 22: What you are good at!

В этом подкасте я рассуждаю о дружбе. Где мы встречаем своих друзей? Почему мы дружим?  Приятного прослушивания!

Привет, это Наташа!

Дружба

CHISTES MEXICANOS

DICCIONARIO.

[ — Audio description, listen and read along for greater understanding. — ]
Os livros são como amigos mágicos que nos levam para outros mundos.
Através das suas páginas, podemos viajar no tempo, conhecer novos lugares e personagens, e aprender sobre diferentes culturas e ideias.
Existem livros para todos os gostos.
Há livros de histórias, de aventuras, de mistério, de romance, de poesia, e muito mais.
Ler livros é uma ótima maneira de passar o tempo livre, aprender coisas novas e desenvolver a nossa imaginação.



PORTUREAD - Listen to small texts and conversations samples in portuguese!

Os livros — SMALL TEXT B1-B2 LEVEL.

Job interviews in a foreign language are tough.  I know it - I've interviewed for jobs in my second language, Spanish.  Today, we're going to talk about something I've seen over and over in my coaching work, helping candidates prepare for job interviews - the strategy of saying more by saying less.  

It might seem counterintuitive, but avoid having an answer that sounds desperate by limiting your details! 

Confident English Interview Podcast

How to Say More by Saying Less in a Job Interview

We are talking about question words here. 
Enjoy the episode! =)

Like a Chameleon

Question Words - Питальні слова Pt.1

¡Hola!
I hope this podcast will be fun and interesting for you and keep achieving your goals in spanish.