Aside from the possibility of living in Sweden or Finland (where Swedish is an official second language), or meeting someone important who knows to speak only in Swedish, youre probably looking for other reasons to convince you to go through the trouble of learning it as a second language. After all, Swedish is not as widely used as Chinese, Spanish or Englishits not even among the top 10 languages in the worldbut knowing how to speak the language does have its perks.
If surviving in a foreign land is not enough of a reason for you, then it should be of interest that the Swedish language is one of the easiest to learn to those who fluently speak English. It is worth noting that Swedish has borrowed a lot from other, more popularly used and studied languages, such as French, German, and English, which may lend to the initial familiarity of the words to a first-time learner of the language.
Before borrowed words were included, however, Swedish has long enjoyed commonalities with most other Indo-European languages, particularly its closest kinNorwegian, Danish, and Icelandic. It is even said, that by knowing how to read in Swedish, one is also instantly able to read Danish and Norwegian text, as probably the main difference between the three languages is in the pronunciation.
Another good reason to learn Swedish, particularly if you plan to stay in Sweden for a long period of time and want to get on the natives good side is that knowing their language will make it easier for them to open up to you, with you being a stranger to the country. Learning the native language is important if you find it important to make many friends while youre there, as it is seen as a means of showing respect to the natives in many countries.
Convinced yet? Heres another good reason: with enough practice and reviewing, youll be able to gain expertise of language rules within a year of studying Swedish. Also, even if youre studying the language outside of Sweden, youre sure to find others to speak in Swedish with for practice, with tens of thousands of Swedish language students enrolled at any given time. However, nothing can introduce you to the languages melodic and expressive quality quite like a regular conversation with a native Swede. It is a language best acquired for more than just deciphering the manual of an imported car.
Ready to join the bandwagon? Before you sign up for Swedish classes, be sure to browse for aids on how to make learning a second language easier for you. One such resource is provided at http://learnmylingo.com/freeguide.htm, which offers Eight Ways to Learn a Language Quickly and Easily for free! Later on, when youre just about ready, click on the Swedish tab so that youll be prompted to start your journey to learning the Swedish language. Other language courses provided by the site are Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch and Japanese. |
