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- Topic: Swedish >
- "Jag tycker om brandmän."
44 Comments
271
As a firefighter in the US, these days we almost always use "firefighter" instead of "fireman," and despite serving with several enormously capable women, I've never heard anyone refer to them as "firewomen," even themselves. Fortunately, Duolingo accepts "firefighter" as a translation.
Side note: "brand" = "torch". A nice mnemonic for those of us with archaic vocabularies.
271
Thank you for the new vocabulary!
I wonder when svenska brand = conflagration parted ways from archaic engelska brand = torch. I love such etymological bagatelles.
Dylan, so glad to hear that where you work "firefighter" is the norm. Still drives me crazy when movies/tv use 'firman' and even worse when news reporters use it. Also glad to hear you acknowledge the capabilities of the women you work with. When your kind of respect is the norm, this will be an unnecessary shout out; may those days arrive ASAP :)!
271
At this point "fireman" actually sounds jarring, compared to "firefighter" --which is, I suppose, a positive sign.
Any social progress is --at best-- a "two steps forward, one step back" affair. These days feel dark, but hopefully we will soon be again moving in the right direction. As you say, ASAP!
No worries, Dylan! I'm going to share some links with you. The first is to "Swedish: Useful links and discussion topics, an overview" which Arnauti (the Wise) started about 5 years ago: https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/5892805
The second is from that page and it specifically addresses "hen" which Devalanteriel authored about 3 years ago: https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/15916853
Enjoy!
271
I'm flattered and honored, JYH6UtXB.
Now we need Duolingo to introduce the "hen" I've been hearing about for the last few years. Hon, Han, Hen. Or maybe I'm just not yet at that lesson yet.
I realise that the pronunciation we hear is and should be authentic, but hearing (and not seeing) this word for the first time, I don't believe any foreign learner could get it right. It sounded (and still sounds) like BRANNEN. Sure, no problem NOW that I know it and can see the etymology, but associating pronunciation with spelling in Swedish is something I'm still finding difficult. (Unlike Polish!)