The Nordic languages are supposed to be inter-intelligible ie if you speak one, you can understand the others but I have just seen evidence that this may not be so, twice this evening. The first was in a consumer program explaining why Danes are flocking across the sea to live in Sweden while commuting to Copenhagen (much cheaper in Sweden) but the Danish couple who were interviewed did mention that things sometimes got to the stage where they had to use sign language.
The second was a TV ad where a Danish tour company is using a series of spots playing on this supposed fact of inter-intelligibility. All you need to know is that the tour leader is Swedish and the tourists are Danish and the Danes are saying at the end 'Er.. could you repeat that... from after you said hello?'
Keywords: Denmark, Intercultural understanding, Sweden
