Origins and history听

The LEGO Group was in Billund, Denmark in 1932. At the time, Billund was a small, humble town with fewer than 300 residents. However, after the LEGO factory was established in the 1930s and as a result of the continued growth that followed, the town鈥檚 . Billund, now with just over 7,000 residents, is home to Denmark鈥檚 second-largest airport and has transformed into a hub for tourists who want to learn about the LEGO company鈥檚 history and visit the original LEGOLAND amusement park.听

While the brand was officially created in 1932 and named LEGO in 1934, its story started some years earlier. Ole Kirk Kristiansen , planning to build houses in the summer and sell furniture in the winter. He did this successfully for a few years, despite an accidental fire in 1924 that burned down his workshop and family home.听

After rebuilding both structures, Kristiansen hoped for more profits from his business. However, by the early 1930s, the global economic crisis had reached the Danish farmers, who could no longer afford to pay for Kristiansen鈥檚 services. As a result, he turned to producing goods that were cheaper to manufacture 鈥� 听

Although this was not a particularly profitable venture while Billund was in the throes of the 1930s Great Depression and the Nazi occupation of the 1940s, Kristiansen had found a passion for building toys. He liked encouraging children鈥檚 early development by producing toys like trucks and pull-along animals that promoted thought and creativity. This inspired him to in 1934, which is a portmanteau of the Danish words 鈥�leg godt鈥� or 鈥減lay well.鈥�听

Now, over 90 years later, the LEGO Group has more than worldwide, including stores and franchises, as well as . How did the business achieve such significant growth after a difficult start?听

Building initial success听

Several factors played a key role, including Kristiansen鈥檚 focus on producing only the highest quality toys possible, the transition to using plastic instead of wood and the creation of a clear company vision and purpose.听

The is 鈥�det bedste er ikke for godt,鈥� literally meaning 鈥渢he best is not too good,鈥� but officially translated into English as 鈥渙nly the best is good enough.鈥� This set a very high standard for quality, and it all started with Ole Kristiansen. , Kristiansen used beechwood that had been air-dried for two years and kiln-dried for three weeks. Then, it was cut, sanded, polished and painted with three coats of varnish or paint.听

that his son, Godtfred, once tried to cut corners in the production process by only giving the company鈥檚 wooden ducks two coats of varnish instead of three. Upon learning this, his father chastised him, telling him to give them the last coat immediately and teaching him a lesson about the importance of quality. The elder Kristiansen proceeded to carve out wooden signs of the company motto and hang them around the factory so that employees would never be tempted to compromise on the quality of LEGO toys.听

This was evidently a lesson learned for Godtfred, as when , he always ensured that every single brick was built to the proper specifications 鈥� so much so that any of the bricks created back then should still fit together with today鈥檚 LEGO bricks. When new automation and machinery started to increase the efficiency of production, Godtfred to ensure that the company would continue to live up to its own motto.听

The transition to plastic bricks听

The LEGO company began working with plastics in the late 1940s when Kristiansen purchased an injection moulding machine . This coincided with supply issues that the company was facing, as high-quality beechwood was becoming harder to find.

Around the same time, Kristiansen and his son, Godtfred, were sent plastic blocks from a British company. They redesigned them, developing what would eventually become LEGO self-locking bricks. They called these , giving them an English name as an homage to the Allied forces who had liberated Europe in 1945. They would be renamed (LEGO bricks) a few years later to more resolutely establish the brand.

But not everyone was immediately convinced by the idea of transitioning from tried-and-true beechwood to plastic. Godtfred believed that wood was a stronger material and that plastic would not be able to replace it. However, because of Kristiansen鈥檚 belief in the potential of these new plastic bricks, they continued developing and selling these over the following decades.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the popularity of LEGO plastic bricks grew across Western Europe. Meanwhile, the company鈥檚 wooden toys were never sold outside of Denmark. Eventually, after a third major fire (the first having occurred in 1924 and the second in the early 1940s) in , Godtfred accepted that the company鈥檚 future would need to rely entirely on plastic and that they could not return to producing wooden toys.听

The 10 characteristics of the LEGO brand听

Once Godtfred had decided that all efforts would be put towards producing plastic LEGO bricks, he focused his full attention on developing a clear goal and vision for the company. Despite Godtfred agreeing with his father that plastic was the right choice, his brothers, who were also working in key positions within the company, disagreed so strongly with his decision that they left the company entirely. As a result, in 1960, Godtfred became the sole owner.听

As part of his plan for the company鈥檚 future, he developed in 1963, which highlighted the goals of the brand moving forward:听听

1. Unlimited play possibilities听
2. For girls, for boys听
3. Enthusiasm for all ages听
4. Play all year round听
5. Stimulating and harmonious play听
6. Endless hours of play听
7. Imagination, creativity, development听
8. More LEGO, multiplied play value听
9. Always topical听
10. Safety and quality听

The next few decades of expansion that followed the 1960s came with plenty of struggles for the LEGO company. It was ultimately its adherence and return to these principles that helped the company to adjust, adapt and overcome the challenges it faced. These characteristics are still very much relevant today and have become a core part of the LEGO company鈥檚 production strategy and vision.听

Early expansion in the Nordic region, Western Europe and the USA听

As a Danish company, the LEGO Group followed the same path as many other companies from the Nordic region and . Sales began in Norway in 1953 and Sweden and Iceland followed in 1955.听

The elder Kristiansen viewed Germany as the gateway to the rest of Europe, as it was the global centre of toy production. As a result, this was the natural next step for the company. Although there was initial pushback from the purchasing managers at German department stores, Kristiansen managed to convince the toyshops closest to Denmark, in northern Germany, to sell LEGO products. The LEGO Group鈥檚 first foreign sales office was set up in Germany in 1956.听听

Kristiansen was right about Germany: the LEGO company saw rapid expansion across the rest of Europe, opening sales offices in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Italy and Portugal from 1956 to 1958. What鈥檚 more, the first LEGOLAND, an amusement park dedicated to LEGO products, opened in Billund in 1968.听

In 1961, the LEGO Group licensed the American luggage company Shwayder (later Samsonite) to sell LEGO products in the USA. This helped the company get its foot in the door, and by 1973, it was able to buy back the rights to sell LEGO products from Samsonite, and build a factory in Enfield, Connecticut.听

The 1970s and 80s were a time of rapid expansion. The toy industry saw brought on by automation and the modernisation of machinery. This made the manufacturing process more efficient than ever. The 1970s also saw more discussion about product safety, including the impact of toy materials on the environment, and the LEGO Group joined various organisations working towards a European standard for toy safety.听

Over these very productive years, the company also released a , including building sets for older audiences to expand their customer base and engage those who might have played with LEGO toys as children. The focus during this period was on themed sets, such as LEGO Space, LEGO Castle, LEGO City and LEGO Pirates. The classic LEGO human figures, known as Minifigures, were also released during this time.听

The difficult decades: 1990s and 2000s听

By the 1990s, the third generation of the Kristiansen family (or Christiansen, as it was later spelt) was in charge. Under Godtfred鈥檚 son, Kjeld, the LEGO company experienced incredible growth, so much so that he even wondered if it would be possible to . Instead, they churned out new products at an incredible rate, including a line of LEGO-themed children鈥檚 clothing.听

However, a combination of factors soon began contributing to a growing crisis at the company. As a result, the LEGO Group suffered its first financial loss in 1998. To resolve this, was hired, but his attempts at cutting costs through layoffs and streamlining processes did not accomplish much. The company continued to spiral downward, with unprofitability taking it close to bankruptcy by 2004.听

What were the issues faced by the LEGO company? There was a lower demand for toys at this time in general, and LEGO products were beginning to be seen as expensive compared to other companies. Additionally, , meaning other companies had started producing essentially the same product and selling it for a lower price. It had also strayed very far from its original products, now producing video games and action figures. Even lifelong customers were moving to other brands.听听

Finally, the company itself couldn鈥檛 keep up with the speed at which it had created and sold its new products, often without taking time to determine whether the new product would be profitable in its intended market. It also couldn鈥檛 keep its inventory stocked appropriately. This added complexity to company processes was the source of the financial problems, and it meant that the company had to return to their core values of quality, creativity and connection with their customers.听听

, prioritising slow progression and reconnection with old LEGO customers. He noticed that the unchecked innovation was a problem, so he implemented measures to ensure that no new products were created that hadn鈥檛 first been researched extensively to understand how they would impact the company鈥檚 profits. He also did away with several of the new products introduced under Plougmann, which helped the company return to its simple core values and get back on its feet.听

The role of localisation in the LEGO Group鈥檚 international expansion听

As the toy company scaled up, a key part of its journey was finding a balance between standardisation of the product and brand, so that it was recognisable all over the world, and adaptation, so that each LEGO customer felt important and appreciated.听

The LEGO Group is an example of a company whose product is universally understood. Almost any child in the world, no matter the language they speak or their cultural background, can build with LEGO bricks. As former , 鈥淵ou put LEGO bricks in the hands of children in China, Afghanistan, South Africa, America or Germany, the play is the same, the idea is the same.鈥�听

While this might suggest that localisation is not necessary for the product itself, packaging, instructions, safety manuals and similar documentation must be adapted to new audiences. Moreover, even the products change depending on regions and cultural traditions or celebrations, such as The company鈥檚 key move in this aspect was expanding its staff and , rather than relying entirely on Danish product designers.听

Moreover, localisation has been essential to the LEGO marketing strategy and, in turn, its ability to give more children access to LEGO toys. Examples include the different structures that are built as advertisements in each country and store, often having a connection to that location or culture. For example, a new store opened in 2019 in Beijing featured LEGO replicas of the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. 鈥淟EGO stores are a great tool for building brand awareness and emotional connection with our fans.鈥澨�

The idea of localising for marketing purposes started with Godtfred, who in the late 1950s, as the company was on the brink of several decades of successful international expansion, 鈥淕ermans should preferably perceive them as German, French shoppers as French, etc.鈥�. By building cultural landmarks such as those in the Beijing store, the LEGO Group ensures that it is making a personal and familiar connection with customers that encourages them to engage with the brand.听

Importantly, even if those customers don鈥檛 buy a product, they still form a connection with the brand, which builds recognition of the LEGO brand around the world. This is an example of how the company has succeeded in making its product and brand more of an experience, rather than just something you buy and take home. Think about the memories you associate with LEGO products. They tend to revolve around much more than just the bricks, as perhaps you played with siblings, friends or your parents, and you built imaginary and creative worlds that you may still remember to this day.听听

Because of the nature of the product as something that anyone can universally experience, the emotional and nostalgic connection to childhood and the smart localisation of its stores and marketing materials, the LEGO brand has built very close connections with customers, so much so that many people are not just customers but fans and advocates of the brand.听

Looking ahead听

The company hit with a downturn in profits. It had expanded rapidly to keep up with high demand in the US and Europe, and when this demand declined, the company found itself too large, with too many products and employees to sustain. Layoffs and product scale-backs in Western markets helped, while expansion into new global markets meant that the LEGO Group was back on its feet by 2018.听

in Denmark, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Mexico and China. for the China factory, along with new factories in the USA and Vietnam. Currently, the company is looking to and invest in e-commerce to ensure that it remains able to compete with companies like Amazon. Finally, the leaders of the LEGO company have pledged to use in all products and packaging by 2030. They also ended the company鈥檚 partnership with Shell, the oil company, following . Hopefully, this marks a new era of sustainable and consistent growth in the company鈥檚 history.听听

There is no doubt that what has saved the LEGO brand over these past 90 years is its constant adaptation to new developments,听guaranteeing the longevity of the brand. From the shift to using plastic over 70 years ago to confronting the growth challenges of the 1990s and 2000s, the LEGO brand has consistently found a way to remain relevant in everyone鈥檚 lives. However, it will be interesting to see how the toy company grapples with the inevitable issues it will face in the future, like the decline of the toy industry due to technology. Additionally, whether it will be able to successfully enter new markets where copycat toys are perhaps more affordable for local people remains to be seen.听

As has been the case for the past 90 years, the company鈥檚 success will depend on its ability to adapt to new circumstances, quickly pivoting in a different direction when things go wrong. Not only has it learned from previous mistakes, but it has ensured that 鈥淟EGO鈥� is more than just a brand or a product 鈥� it is a memorable experience. If this continues, it will remain a classic brand for many years to come.听

The post LEGO: How the legendary toy brand has overcome globalisation challenges over its 90-year history appeared first on sa国际传媒.

Paving the way to today

Choosing your career path can take time and a lot of thought, and that鈥檚 exactly what Trixie gave her decision.

Between finishing her college studies and deciding on a master’s course, Trixie spent four years making the most of her time with learning opportunities and gaining further experience. She completed a language course in Paris, worked with children and spent time travelling, among other things.

After those four years, Trixie enrolled on a Master鈥檚 in Specialised Language for Business. Upon completing her degree she was awarded the title of state-authorised translator. This paved the way for a career that would continuously challenge and reward her over the years.

In terms of work, Trixie found the perfect place for her in the translation and localisation industry. Her first job was with a software localisation company in Denmark, and upon hearing of an opening with Sandberg, she took the opportunity.

Twenty-five years later, Trixie is still here with us as our Lead Danish Translator and holds the proud title of longest-serving employee.

The 3 Ds

When asked how she would describe Sandberg in just three words, Trixie didn鈥檛 skip a beat: 鈥渄edicated, dynamic and diverse鈥�.

Sandberg is dedicated, dynamic and diverse

厂补苍诲产别谤驳鈥檚 dedication is clear as day when you are always 鈥渟urrounded by people with a lot of enthusiasm for languages.鈥� Management also plays its part with a continuously positive and encouraging attitude.

Sandberg is dynamic in its ability to adapt to new situations, and Covid-19 has led to some of the biggest changes to working life. Long before this global pandemic, however, there were gradual but equally significant developments needed to keep pace with technological changes. Sandberg has always been quick to adapt to the latest tools, such as computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and the use of machine translation (MT).

Finally, Trixie explains that 厂补苍诲产别谤驳鈥檚 diversity stems from the great efforts made towards representing an ever-growing variety of countries and cultures within its workforce.

Call the alliteration coincidence if you wish, but we think this just goes to show the depth of Trixie鈥檚 natural skill with languages.

A day in the life of a translator

For those of you who may not know much about a translator鈥檚 typical working day, Trixie gave us the lowdown.

The process begins with the project manager, who is responsible for assigning linguistic tasks. The translator then checks the content and deadline to make sure they have enough time to deliver their best work before accepting the job. Once accepted, it鈥檚 time to get started.

Translators will use various tools to facilitate the translation process, and CAT tools听 鈥� such as , or 鈥� give translators easy access to term bases and translation memories (TM) which help to accelerate the translation process and ensure a consistent, high-quality translation.

Once translated, a series of automated checks are performed in these same CAT tools. The translation is then sent to a second linguist for revision. If the reviser is a fellow 鈥渋n-houser鈥�, terms and translation choices can be discussed together, which is great for developing linguistic skills and knowledge.

When the revision is complete, the job will either be sent back to the original translator for a final review or it will be delivered straight to the client.

What’s the problem?

I’ve had to swallow some camels – Trixie

Any job can throw out a problem to solve now and then. Interestingly, however, when it comes to translation work, Trixie explains that the hardest things she has had to deal with haven’t been work-related. Instead, the biggest challenge she has had to face concerns developments in the Danish language itself. To give an example, the Danish language is heavily influenced by English 鈥� what with the internet making the English language much more accessible to all.听 it can be difficult to not only implement the new English-esque grammatical structures, but actually accept them as being the 鈥渘ew normal鈥�.

Even though she has had to 鈥渟wallow some camels鈥�, as the Danes might say, Trixie was quick to reassure us that once you have mastered the various translation tools and systems used at Sandberg, the work itself is generally quite straightforward!

Changing with the times

In 25 years, Sandberg has been shaped and reshaped by all manner of changes. On the one hand there are those that are natural and gradual as the company develops; changes that are almost unnoticeable until you look back on things. But on the other hand, Trixie highlighted some changes that have been much more tangible.

Trixie shared her initial apprehensions concerning the game changer that is CAT tools. Like many other translators she feared that this technology would be detrimental to linguists. Would they suck the joy out of translating? Would they start to replace translators as these CAT tools became ever more sophisticated? Was the goal to remove the human from the translation equation entirely?

In the end, no. As it turns out, when it comes to CAT tools, it鈥檚 all in the name: they 鈥渁ssist鈥�. As they became more integrated into the everyday workflows and translation processes, Trixie realised that CAT tools and MT can be very beneficial. These tools facilitate tasks with regard to consistency and speed of production, amongst other advantages.

Skilled linguists still have an important role to play

Even when MT can deliver a high-quality translation, it still needs human input and thorough editing before it can be delivered safely to a client. So, it is clear that skilled linguists still have an important and necessary role to play.

Hidden talents

One of the joys of working as a translator is that the projects are always varied and a new challenge is never far away. But just like with any job, you need some downtime.

One pastime Trixie enjoys outside of work is music: both singing and, on occasion, composing! And while Trixie is very humble when it comes to her musical talents, her skill as a composer and lyricist won her first place in a hymn writing competition!

If the past 25 years at Sandberg weren鈥檛 proof enough of Trixie鈥檚 loyalty and dedication, then her hobbies certainly drive the point home. Twenty-five years of hard work with the same company is a testament in itself. But, add 20 years of singing in the same choir and it鈥檚 clear that Trixie sticks with what she loves.

When things are bad鈥�

鈥hey鈥檙e not that bad for long! According to Trixie, the best source of motivation is when things simply fall into place: projects and technology run smoothly, and the client gets a high-quality product delivered right on time.

But on days when a silver lining is particularly hard to find, you can always count on your colleagues at Sandberg. There鈥檚 always someone on hand to crack a couple of jokes or send a few choice memes that hit the spot and put a smile back on your face.

After 25 years, it鈥檚 clear that it鈥檚 really the little things in life and work that make it all great.

So, there鈥檚 really just one final thing to say: from all of us here at Sandberg, thank you Trixie for your continuous hard work and dedication over these last 25 years! Here鈥檚 to many more projects, challenges and good times to come.听

The post From CAT tools to choir singing – Trixie’s 25 years at Sandberg appeared first on sa国际传媒.

Have you ever wondered if the people of the Nordic countries swear? Finland and Denmark take turns being the happiest country in the world, and Iceland, Norway and Sweden are not far behind on the same metric.

So, do Nordic people even have reason to curse? If you ask them, the answer would probably be: of course! Across the Nordic countries, swearing is a widespread practice, from teenagers to jaunty grandmothers. Even younger children are known to throw in a swearword once in a while (sometimes under their breath, depending on the proximity of their parents).

If you鈥檙e curious about this perhaps controversial language practice as performed in the Nordic countries, then this article is for you. Read on to get an idea of the nature of profanity in this part of the world, as well as specific examples of swearwords from each country.

So, hva faen are you waiting for? Have fun learning a bit about Nordic foul language!

The nature of Nordic swearing

As in other parts of the world, swearing in the Nordic countries is often done to let off steam. For instance, when you鈥檙e angry with someone, you want to express annoyance at something, or you seek to (mentally) relieve the pain of stubbing your toe (we鈥檝e all been there!).

Just like swearing in other languages, swearwords in the Nordic languages reference things that are taboo in the local culture. However, swearing in the Nordic countries does seem to differ from swearing in the UK or the US, for example, in two particular areas: the perceived offensiveness of swearing and the themes of the swearwords.

Perceived offensiveness of swearing in the Nordic countries

Studies on the perceived offensiveness of swearing in English-speaking countries as well as the Nordic countries have been conducted and compared. The results suggest that Nordic people swear more freely than their English-speaking counterparts.

In general, Nordic people have a laissez-faire attitude towards swearing, and to many, swearing is an integral part of their everyday language. Whilst many in the UK share the same attitude, Nordic people often go further, swearing in contexts even Brits would find unacceptable.

To many Nordic people, swearing is an integral part of everyday language.

This laid-back relationship with bad words is evident when watching TV for instance. Even when guests on Nordic TV shows are instructed not to swear while on air, some just can鈥檛 help doing so 鈥� and the swearwords themselves aren鈥檛 censored or bleeped out.

Although Nordic people tend to swear more freely, swearing is not considered good form. Given that swearing is a rather informal use of language, there are of course certain situations in which it would be inappropriate to do so.

At a job interview, for example, you鈥檇 probably be better off keeping the swearing to a minimum 鈥� or just refrain from doing it at all. That way you don鈥檛 risk coming across as unprofessional.

However, if your potential employer is blown away by your wit, skills and vision, you might just get the job anyway.

Themes of Nordic swearwords

Some of the themes present in English-language swearing also exist in the Nordic languages.

Religion as a theme, or the incorporation of God, the devil or hell when swearing, is a prime example of this. In Sweden, for instance, many people use the swear word fan, which literally means 鈥榯he devil鈥�, as an exclamation for when something goes wrong.

You can also swear by 鈥榟ell鈥� in all five Nordic languages. In Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish, you would exclaim Helvetti!, 贬别濒惫铆迟颈!, Helvete! and Helvete!, respectively, whilst you would say For helvede! in Danish.

One theme that is not present in English-language swearing today is that of diseases. In Danish, this theme contains swearwords with reference to serious illnesses such as cancer.

Kraftedeme is an example of this as it is a contraction of Kr忙ften 忙de mig, which translates into 鈥榤ay cancer eat me鈥�. This swearword acts as an oath: a curse that is used to strengthen a statement and underline the seriousness of the speaker. For example, Det er kraftedeme ikke i orden!, means 鈥楾his is not okay 鈥� may cancer eat me if it is okay!鈥�.

Another theme that is exclusive to the Nordic languages as compared to English is numbers. In Sweden, you can exclaim Sjutton! or Attans! when something doesn鈥檛 go according to plan. Meaning 鈥榮eventeen鈥� and 鈥榚ighteen鈥� respectively, these words are technically classified as euphemisms in Swedish, which makes them very unloaded and safe to use in any situation.

Danish has a similar euphemism 鈥� For syv sytten!, literally meaning 鈥楩or seven seventeen!鈥� 鈥� which is used in a similar way to its Swedish counterparts.

The influence of English on Nordic swearing

Like other societies, the Nordic countries are heavily influenced by American culture in the form of TV, films, music and, as a consequence of this, language use.

In Denmark, code-switching (the act of alternating between languages in the same conversation) is not unheard of, especially within the younger generations. The occasional 鈥榣iterally鈥�, 鈥榟onestly鈥�, 鈥榮orry鈥� or even typical English syntax often enter the conversation.

This English-inspired language use has also found its way into swearing across the Nordic languages.

The Nordic countries and their swearing are heavily influenced by American culture and English-language use.

Apart from swearwords originating from Nordic languages, the use of 鈥榝uck鈥� and 鈥榝ucking鈥� can be heard and seen in each of the Nordic countries 鈥� 鈥榮hit鈥� has also been adopted by many Nordic people. Both four-letter words are used in much the same way as they are in the English-speaking countries, i.e. when something goes wrong.

In Danish, for instance, you could say Fuck, jeg har glemt mine n酶gler!, meaning 鈥楩uck, I forgot my keys!鈥�. You could easily use 鈥榮hit鈥� instead of 鈥榝uck鈥� in this example 鈥� the swearwords are interchangeable in most situations.

Just like in English, the swearword 鈥榝ucking鈥� is used descriptively to emphasise a negative attitude the speaker has towards someone or something. In Danish, Han er en fucking idiot! means 鈥楬e is a fucking idiot!鈥�.

The perceived offensiveness of English swearwords amongst Nordic people compared to Americans or Brits has been debated, as it seems that the aforementioned four-letter specimens don鈥檛 have the same impact when used in the Nordic countries.

It could be that the theme of sex is just not as taboo as in the English-speaking countries鈥� or maybe swearing in a foreign language doesn鈥檛 feel as bad as in your mother tongue.

In any case, 鈥榝uck鈥� and 鈥榮hit鈥� have become an integral part of the Nordic vocabulary of swearwords. So much so that certain countries have developed their own spellings of 鈥榝uck鈥� and 鈥榝ucking鈥�. Icelanders, for instance, spell the words fokk and fokking, respectively, whilst the Norwegians often spell 鈥榝uck鈥� either fakk or 蹿酶办办.

Swearwords from each Nordic country

Are you curious to learn some bad language from each of the Nordic countries? Below is a list of the most common or remarkable swearwords from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Denmark

Finland

Iceland

Norway

Sweden

Now that you know more about the controversial linguistic practice of swearing in the Nordic languages, you鈥檒l be able to show off what you鈥檝e learnt. Nordic people tend to have a great sense of humour and they鈥檒l probably enjoy hearing a foreigner swear like a native!

Just remember to keep the swearing to informal situations 鈥� Sandberg takes no responsibility for any lost job opportunities due to foul language!

Christina Bjerggaard is a Danish translator at Sandberg. She wrote her master鈥檚 thesis on the translation of swearwords from English to Danish and, with her additional research for this article, is now our in-house profanity expert!

The post Swearing in the Nordic languages appeared first on sa国际传媒.

During Lent, which traditionally lasts for 40 days, eating fatty foods and meat was not allowed, and historically Fastelavn served as a ritual-based feast to prepare for this period of abstinence. Today, however, Lent is not widely practised among Nordic people, so Fastelavn has largely become a fun-focused children鈥檚 festival featuring merry and distinctive traditions 鈥� some of which are in fact based on rather dark rituals of the past.

This year, Fastelavn falls on Sunday 14 February in Denmark and Norway and Tuesday 16 in Sweden and Finland, whilst the Icelanders will be celebrating from Monday 15 to Wednesday 18 February. Even though the Nordic countries are tightly knit in many ways, each nation has its own distinct way of celebrating, and each unique Fastelavn tradition is worth experiencing. If you鈥檙e not in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway or Sweden to experience Fastelavn for yourself, read on and learn more about this special tradition.

Cover image: A girl 鈥渂eats the cat out of the barrel鈥� at Fastelavn in Denmark.

? Fastelavn parades

In Denmark and Norway, Fastelavn is first and foremost a carnival. Children at pre-school and primary-school age (and some cheery parents) dress up in costumes ranging from the highly popular princess or superhero, to more creative and quite funny takes, such as a bucket of popcorn, a whoopie cushion or their favourite celebrity.

On the Monday after the Fastelavn Sunday in Denmark and Norway, children go to school in their costumes and take part in a special parade for the school鈥檚 older pupils, teachers and (occasionally) parents to behold. Marching around various school buildings, the children sing the traditional and cheerful song 鈥淔astelavn er mit navn鈥� (literally 鈥淔astelavn is my name鈥�) 鈥� the central message of which is the singers鈥� demand for the special holiday pastry fastelavnsboller听(鈥淔astelavn buns鈥�) by threat of shenanigans if this demand isn鈥檛 met.

In Iceland, children dress up on Ash Wednesday, called 脰蝉办耻诲补驳耻谤, to tour the streets of their town centre. Whilst unquestionably a sight to behold, Icelandic children don鈥檛 just show off their costumes for the sole purpose of pleasing their spectators 鈥� they鈥檙e in it for the sweets! On this day, shops and businesses are stocked up with sweets and the merrily clad children go from shop to shop to collect their bounty by singing to the cashiers.

? 鈥淏eating the cat out of the barrel鈥�

Fastelavn is an important event, especially in Denmark, and as a result, the Danes have certain traditions that are practised more or less exclusively in their country. One of these is the tradition of sl氓 katten af t酶nden (鈥渂eating the cat out of the barrel鈥�), now a lovely party game for children, but once a gruesome religious ritual.

It was once believed that cats were witches鈥� companions and therefore symbolised evil. To protect themselves from these wicked forces, people locked a cat in a barrel, strung it up and started beating it with clubs until the barrel broke. The terrified cat would then jump out and run away 鈥� if it wasn鈥檛 mutilated 鈥� which was interpreted as a metaphor for evil leaving the town.

Today, actual cats are fortunately nowhere to be found in Fastelavn barrels. Instead, they often contain a drawing of a cat, but most importantly, they are now filled with sweets, just like a pi帽ata. One by one, children (dressed up of course) try their luck breaking open the barrel by adding one solid hit to it with a baseball bat. As the barrel is made of wood, it鈥檚 relatively sturdy, so the children often have quite a few chances to be the one to break it open and release the sweets.

The person who beats open the barrel and makes the sweets fall out is proclaimed kattekonge (鈥渒ing of cats鈥�) and coronated with a shiny paper crown. The game continues until somebody knocks down the last board of the barrel. This person will then receive a smaller crown and the title of kattedronning (鈥渜ueen of cats鈥�). The sweets are then shared out amongst the children.

? Trick or treasure

Another Fastelavn tradition exclusive to Denmark is 鈥渞attling鈥� (at rasle), where children walk around their neighbourhoods collecting money, very similar to trick-or-treating on Halloween. On Fastelavn Sunday, children put on their costumes, grab a collection box or small plastic container and walk from door to door to sing to their neighbours in the hope of receiving a coin or two to spend themselves. Whilst singing, the children shake their collection boxes so they rattle, or rasler.

In some regions, children receive a Fastelavn bun instead of money and as a result, children can choose between two different songs when going 鈥渞attling鈥�. If requesting buns, the children will sing the aforementioned 鈥淔astelavn er mit navn鈥�, in which the lyrics say to give the singer some fastelavnsboller, or else they鈥檒l make trouble. If requesting coins, the children sing a slightly adapted version of 鈥淔astelavn er mit navn鈥�, namely 鈥淧enge op, penge ned鈥� (literally 鈥淢oney up, money down鈥�), which gives the neighbour the option of giving the children some change or falling victim to a trick. It鈥檚 all good fun, and most people are more than happy to open their doors to hear and see the dressed-up children sing.

Arguably, the practice is not as popular today as it was a decade ago, but there鈥檚 still a good chance of 鈥渢rick-or-treasurers鈥� knocking at your door if you live in an area largely inhabited by families with children in the primary-school age 鈥� in which case you better have some change ready!

? Fastelavnsris 鈥� a colourful decoration

For Fastelavn in Denmark and Norway, families decorate their homes with colourful birch twigs known as fastelavnsris (pictured right,听). These twigs are adorned with multi-coloured feathers and paper ornaments and sometimes also sweets, and they鈥檙e often arranged in vases around the home to symbolise the transition from the long, cold winter to the vibrant and fruitful spring.

Originally, the twigs were used to flog young, childless women to make them fertile. There was a pagan superstition that birch twigs possessed the power of fertility, and as a result, young men were allowed to flog young women passing by.

Traditionally, children also used these twigs to (gently) thwack their parents to wake them up on the morning of Fastelavn Sunday. The reward for this thwacking was always a bun, which gave birth to the tradition of the delicious pastry fastelavnsboller.

? Traditional Fastelavn foods

No Nordic tradition is complete without food 鈥� Fastelavn is of course no exception. In fact, fastelavnsboller, or in English 鈥淔astelavn buns鈥�, might be the only traditional aspect that is represented across all the Nordic countries鈥� distinctive Fastelavn celebrations to this day. Each country has their own take on this sweet holiday treat, but what characterises all of them is their round shape, puffy texture and delicious filling (which varies by country).

In Sweden, Fastelavn is known as Fettisdagen (Fat Tuesday) and is largely celebrated with baking and eating semlor听(pictured below), the Swedish version of the fastelavnsboller. The semla (singular form of semlor) contains a sweet filling of whipped cream and almond paste similar to marzipan, whilst the bun itself often contains aromatic cardamom and is sprinkled with icing sugar.

Danish fastelavnsboller are a bit different as they typically contain a thick, sweet cream and are topped with icing, whilst the Norwegian version is filled with jam, whipped cream or an almond filling. Across the Nordic countries, fastelavnsboller are highly popular and are sold from shortly after Christmas to well into March.

In Finland and Iceland, a traditional evening meal is part of the festivities on Shrove Tuesday, traditionally the day before Lent. On this day, called Laskiainen in Finland, the Finnish take their sledge out for a fun day in the snow and then return home for a hot meal of pea soup and their version of the Fastelavn bun, the delicious laskiaispulla, which is much like the semla.

Icelanders typically eat a dish of split pea soup accompanied by salted lamb on this day, but of course the bun is also part of the celebrations 鈥� in fact so much so that Iceland has a whole day devoted to the pastry, namely Bolludagur or 鈥淏un Day鈥�, on the day before Shrove Tuesday.

I hope you鈥檝e enjoyed this tour of Fastelavn traditions across the Nordic countries. Even if you can鈥檛 be there in person to witness them or take part, you鈥檝e probably learnt something new about this unusual and lesser-known Lent celebration. Gl忙delig fastelavn!

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Nordic dialect map

Learn about the languages and dialects of the entire Nordic region with our interactive map.

Nordic dialect map

Learn about the languages and dialects of the entire Nordic region with our interactive map.

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