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THINK
DIFFERENT. TRY SWEDISH (THE UNBÖRING LANGUAGE) |
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TEN GOOD REASONS TO
CHECK OUT THE SWEDISH PROGRAM AT COLUMBIA |
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| 1. Here you can find courses in folktales, political poetry, Nordic film
classics (silents to Dogma), feminist lit. crit., the sex wars of Ibsen
and Strindberg, and the underpublicized charms of Scandinavia's personable,
civilized cities. |
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| 2. You can learn to communicate with individuals who are ecologically
high consciousness, pro-active on equality, technologically ingenious,
and unanimously literate |
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| 3. You will get to know the
people who invented dental implants, zippers, monkey wrenches, cream
separators, ball bearings, safety matches, turbo
engines, paper milk cartons, propellers, modern telephones, safe cars,
smörgåsbord,
and not only dynamite but also the Nobel Prize (for peace, among other things).. |
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| 4. Learn to understand a part of the world where nearly half the government consists of women, same-sex partners have legal rights and
benefits, and it is against the law either to spank children or fire employees. |
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| 5. Most Swedes have cousins in America and are curious about the place.
About a quarter of the population of Sweden emigrated here starting in
the mid-nineteenth century. |
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| 6. You can learn about a place with one of the world's longest life spans and lowest infant mortality rates. |
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| 7. This is the world's third most successful exporter of pop
music, and Stockholmers go to the theater about eight times more often
than New Yorkers. |
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| 8. Enrolled in our courses, you will definitely get to know your teacher
and classmates. |
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| 9. The lilt of the language is lovely, and you can learn it. |
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| 10 Once you do, you can go to Sweden and discover for yourself whether blondes have more fun. |
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| PLUS A FEW TESTIMONIALS FROM WORLD AUTHORS |
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| "THE SWEDISH LANGUAGE has given us,
and is still giving, works of such outstanding value, that knowledge
of it will soon form part of the equipment of any man calling himself
well-educated. We need to be in the position to appreciate the important
part likely to be played by Sweden in the Concert of Europe." --
André Gide, in a letter published with Lagerkvist's novel Barrabas.
English translated by Alain Blair. |
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"I LOVE the Swedish language
as sound. The long and short vowels, the double intonation of the
words. I liked
the simplicity of syntax and grammar which made me think that it would
be next to impossible to lie in Swedish."
"Greek rhetoric is more aggressive, more offensive than Swedish,
which is more the rhetoric of consensus and moderation."
"Yet it was a relief to hold up the moderating Swedish mirror to my Greek
exaggeration. It naturally made me feel a little less Greek, but my writings
gained in objectivity and freedom. ...It was a kind of magic." -- Theodor
Kallifatides, Language and Identity, Viewpoint Sweden, Swedish Information
Service periodical bulletin no. 11 (July 1992). |
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