tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369028485487089018.post3867909349068843842..comments2023-05-10T09:48:25.996-06:00Comments on Colorless Green Ideas: Why variation across cultures in SLA?wwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10904022654609157785noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369028485487089018.post-64091037425721249482009-10-01T20:35:11.577-06:002009-10-01T20:35:11.577-06:00Tack, susie, for your insightful comments. I wond...Tack, susie, for your insightful comments. I wonder if overall socioeconomic affluence does have some kind of influence? P.S. I think it's AWESOME that you lived in Sweden because I would really like to do that right now. Thanks for dropping by the blog!wwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10904022654609157785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369028485487089018.post-43534202231045114422009-10-01T18:42:33.849-06:002009-10-01T18:42:33.849-06:00Hej W. Notice I use the Swedish language greeting....Hej W. Notice I use the Swedish language greeting. I speak Swedish because i lived there for 20 years, even though I am American. <br /><br />Here are two reasons for the Swedes speaking English so well:<br /><br />1. Swedes are probably more affluent compared to Czechs, at least historically this is the case before the "wall" came down. Therefore, they had more money to travel----and with those cold, dark winters they really need to travel. Winters are not nearly as hard in the Czech Republic. (that was actually two reasons in one).<br /><br />2. Pop culture in Sweden vs C. Republic (especially before the "wall" came down) has always focused on the Western trends. When I moved to Sweden in 1986, even though television was limited to the state-owned channels, you could watch famous shows such as Dallas and Falcon Crest. And guess what? They were never dubbed, they were only subtitled. (I know this is only true in the Scandinavian countries... southern European countries always dub their tv shows from foreign cultures...<br /><br />Anyway, some food for thought. <br /><br />It was hard to learn Swedish.. Even though the language itself is very close to English, once those Swedes heard my American accent they immediately switched over to English. "I want to practice my English," they'd always say... But i put up a fight and eventually i learned.<br /><br />Sorry for the rant!<br /><br />contrats on your award. Do you follow Language Log? I think you'd like it. <br />http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/<br /><br />Hej Då!!!<br />susie.susiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00107004560448755856noreply@blogger.com