Languages as Ways of Being: The Linguistic Biography of a Nordic Nomad

Abstract

This paper documents the Dominant Language Constellations (DLC) in my personal multilingual repertoire, as it traces my path and pathos (or passion) of learning languages—starting with my mother tongue which has been a point of reference for most other languages that I have learnt during my life. It is also a sort of memoir of different periods in my life, inevitably linked to cultural and linguistic experiences, to formal and informal language education and self-access learning, as I was acquiring the languages that I speak today, and of the strategies I have used instinctively as a language learner—language learning strategies that served my purposes and worked for me. In providing a detailed account of when and how I enriched my linguistic repertoire, primarily with the five North Germanic or Nordic languages some of which are to a certain extent intercomprehensible, but also with other languages acutely different from the Germanic languages such as Lithuanian and Greek, I talk about how I felt or feel about each of these languages which have played different roles in my life, depending on a wide variety of factors, including place of residence, work, family, close friendships and social networks.

Appendix

1.1 Commentary on My Clay Chart

The big blue clay ball is for Icelandic, and the others ‘come’ from that source, so to speak—it is the language of the heart, the soul, the language of thought—it is the language I best play with, think in—my mother tongue.

It is the language closest to my heart, but not always the language I think best in. As I get older, sometimes English or Swedish might take that part/take on that role. I have a sense that it has to do with vocabulary and not being used to expressing myself in certain areas, using Icelandic. As I mentioned somewhere here, I have been looking up words that I mean I understand, but that I might not have a ready Icelandic word for. This has deepened my understanding. Can be time consuming, maybe that is why I do not do it all the time/under other circumstances.

Words touch me in Icelandic in a way they do not in other languages. Deeper. I feel more deeply about them; they fill me with warmth. I need to think whether it works the other way around, if they ‘give me the creeps’.

The lilac is Swedish, the language (apart from Icelandic of course) that is closest to my heart, and thoughts.

Important years of my early adulthood were spent in Sweden. It is where I raised my children, acquired parts of my education, was politically active, acquired social skills that I treasure and have made use of.

The red ball is Danish, the first foreign language at school—this relates to the fact that Iceland was a ‘colony’ of Denmark for many centuries and up until 1999, was the first foreign language in schools—Denmark is where I now live.

While living in Sweden, with close proximity to Denmark, I would visit regularly and gradually understand more. I would also pick up Danish, while in Sweden, by watching Danish TV.

As I add to my years in Denmark, my vocabulary grows, I can express myself with more ease, but my fondness for the language is nowhere close to that of Swedish, and certainly not Icelandic. Danish is the language of my grandchildren and from them I also pick up, toddlers’ Danish proved tricky for me and one of the children was particularly difficult to understand, very slurred. Good training there. There is also some reverse affectivity from the fact that Iceland was a colony of Denmark for several hundred years. I am born 10 years after we were completely independent and in school, history lessons would not be particularly positive, regarding Denmark and the Danes.

The yellow clay ball is Norwegian, a language I hold dear, that I am fluent in but do not use as much as Swedish and Danish. My mother studied in Norway before the war and always spoke well of her time there, but she would never use Norwegian at home. I know that her Norwegian was good. Norwegian was one of the subjects she took in Norway, she told me once that she wanted to make sure she would not get behind in class and her marks were excellent (affectivity).

A much more positive attitude towards Norwegian, but I do not feel very strongly about it. I am fond of Norway and the Norwegians; glad I speak the language.

Brown/white/yellow (using the colours left) is Faroese, in which I am also fluent, but seldom use.

It is the language closest to Icelandic and there are strong bonds between the Icelandic people and the Faroese. I enjoyed learning and am always glad when I get the opportunity to use the language.

I put the Nordic languages together, they are related, not only linguistically, but also attached to me in many ways—seeing myself as something of a Nordic nomad.

On several occasions, speaking to a mixed Nordic audience, I might use all five, Ice, Swe, Dan, Nor and Faroese. Especially in discussions where I want to address someone in particular and do it in their language/mother tongue.

Brown is English, the first foreign language I learned and the foreign language I am most at ease using, and most fluent in – along with Swedish. I did not learn English in school, but from hearing it from early childhood. My father was a travel guide in Iceland, I often travelled with him.

Orange is German, which I had in college, but have had very little use for. I often use it with English, and relate to it in a way, through English—and English is often a ‘helper’ when I speak German.

When in a German speaking country, I try to use it and it works okay. I sometimes watch the German TV channels I have at home. And on social media, I try to use some German.

German was very unpopular; I can’t remember any of my classmates (one exception, whose mother was German) liking the subject and the teachers did not do much to make up for the negative attitudes.

And, on social media, I get new opportunities to use the languages I have not used much in recent years, and I enjoy the opportunities and that I get to freshen up my knowledge in them.

Yellow, white and orange is Lithuanian which I started learning in 2012—it is on its own, since I have mostly learned it from people who do not speak English and, whose first foreign language is usually Russian, which is not of much help to me, since I only know a couple of words in Russian. Lithuanians over 35 years of age had Russian as a first foreign language in school.

Greek is the blue and white because of Greece’s colours and it is the language I have begun getting a feeling for and learning a little—starting only six years ago. I place it in relation with English, since I use English when learning Greek.