SV: Swedes and character names in strange languages

Sigvald Grøsfjeld jr. sigvald at duckburg.dk
Fri May 23 23:11:47 CEST 2003


Lars Jensen <lpj at forfatter.dk> wrote:

> No. But then, I didn't have to. You said you'd
> "bet" Danish readers were not as interested in
> Asian "rubble" as in Swedish names. Which meant,
> you tried to speak for me (amongst others). I
> am a Danish reader, and I *am* more interested
> in the Asian names than in the Swedish ditto.
> Which contradicts your line about all Danes
> sharing your opinion. And makes you lose that
> bet.

No, because I didn't use the waor "all". "Danish readers" is *not* the same
as "all Danish readers" it's more like "most Danish readers".

Anyway this dispute doesen't lead anyway so why not drop it here.


>> OK, and the lack of a Portuguese or was is a
>> Spanish name for Drakeborough tells me that
>> some readctions haven't published some of
>> Don Rosa's stories yet. But this is not why
>> I look in such list of Character's names
>> anyway.
>
> But that is sometimes why *I* look at such
> lists.

Well then both types of readers should be respected by the publisher.


> You tried to speak for every Norwegian and Dane.

No, just for most Norwegians and Danes.


> Just as the use of Japanese and Arab names
> in "Jeg, Mikke Mus" seems to have been a
> problem for you only.

Bah!! That's only because noone else have botthered to complain.

> I certainly haven't seen any other Norwegian
> members of DCML chime in with their criticism.

No why should they - I have spoken for them, besides this is not a problem
anymore as we have the Internet today, so I guess they don't bother.


> Just as the Swedish members of DCML (and
> Christina) haven't given you any reason to
> assume they support the attitudes behind the
> use of Japanese and Arab names in "Jeg, Mikke
> Mus".

Oh, yes they have indeed. By showing such interest for Rich's topic that is.
But to not offend anyone I did add the last lines to my message in where I
wrote that thanks to the internet those interested in Swedish names can help
them selves while the Swedes and Finns are discussing Chinese names with
Rich.


> You only asked Swedish members of DCML to
> "clean their own house before taking care of
> other people's business".

That was only a stupid joke in order to get attention.


> Honestly, Sigvald, it would be much easier
> discussing these things with you if you used
> the correct words.

You're right about that.


> Although, you *do* realize that Sweden has two
> characters in their alphabet (ä and ö) which
> don't appear in the Norwegian one, right?

Correct!


> Doesn't this make the Swedish alphabet "rubble"?
> Which, according to you, means it should be
> kept out of "Jeg, Mikke Mus" - which of course
> it was...

No, I have never had any problems with those two characters - and IMO they
are a part of the Latin alphabeth just like our own æ and å, the German ü,
etc. Norwegian and Danish kids unfamiliar with those letters would have no
problems finding someone to help explaining those characters for them.

For the outsiders I can add that (ä = æ and ö = ø) so the way the letters
look in the Scandinavian languages is the only difference. For example: in
Norwegian Text-TV the swedish variants are often used instead of the
Norwegian ones.

Sigvald :-)


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