The Swedes seem preoccupied over whether a country plays ice hockey or not!
I must say that I share their stereotype of Italy being the land of 'sweaty and hairy' men. How come all of them seem to have some sort of a rug on their chests? _________________ Hillary Clinton is an acquired taste which I have clearly yet to acquire.
Hmmm, I kind of think of Italians as very vain and shaved, but hey, I'm not Swedish! _________________ Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß nichts von seiner eigenen. = Those who don't know foreign languages, know nothing of their own. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
Last edited by Fredrik on Sun Jan 28, 2007 8:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
I'm wondering, the swedish think soemthing of all the countries but of Belgium *nothing* Why this ? Frederik can explain us probably.
Since I'm 1/16 Swedish, I'll tell you:
Most Swedes (and other Scandinavians) will think:
Belgium = Bryssel* = the more or less evil EU with all its Eurocrats.
* Apparently Swedes call the city Bryssel, Danes Bruxelles or Bryssel while Norwegians just use the Dutch form, Brussel. That sucks, I think, "Bryssel" is way cooler!
Of course, educated / curious people will have heard about the linguistical divide, all the wonderful medieval cities*, the Ardennes etc., but many people probably believe most Belgians are Eurocrats. (Pluss Swedes might remember Queen Astrid.) Indeed, I think many people would be surprised if you told them that Waterloo is in Belgium. Most people here pronounce it the English way, because of ABBA.
* flere byer i Belgia? = any more Belgian cities? is actually a phrase in Norwegian, used about mechanically memorized knowledge of no use, from a 19th century anti-Latin-based-school novel called "Gift" (= Poison) about a little boy who dies from exhaustion memorizing Latin conjugations _________________ Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß nichts von seiner eigenen. = Those who don't know foreign languages, know nothing of their own. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
The dividing red line on that Swedish map seems correspond to where people from England tend to believe it's okay to drink tap water. For example, no-one from would hesitate to drink the water straight from the tap in Germany, but many people here do still believe that it is not safe to drink tap water in, say, Italy or Spain. I don't know to what extent this is actually the case.
I actually wonder if this might be one of the reasons for why people here often associate France more with 'Northern Europe' than with Italy or Spain. You'll notice that France is above the red line on that map. I suppose that France is perceived as 'safe' — it's safe to drink the tap water, hospitals are up to standard, things are reasonably well organised and actually work etc. On the other hand, there is still prejudice against Italy and Spain, which are often perceived to be more corrupt with inferior public services (not saying that this is actually the case).
The dividing red line on that Swedish map seems correspond to where people from England tend to believe it's okay to drink tap water. For example, no-one from would hesitate to drink the water straight from the tap in Germany, but many people here do still believe that it is not safe to drink tap water in, say, Italy or Spain. I don't know to what extent this is actually the case.
I actually wonder if this might be one of the reasons for why people here often associate France more with 'Northern Europe' than with Italy or Spain. You'll notice that France is above the red line on that map. I suppose that France is perceived as 'safe' — it's safe to drink the tap water, hospitals are up to standard, things are reasonably well organised and actually work etc. On the other hand, there is still prejudice against Italy and Spain, which are often perceived to be more corrupt with inferior public services (not saying that this is actually the case).
It is funny that so many north Europeans tend think that Italy or Spain are underdevelopped countries - and that there seem to be in their minds a strong economic divide that is supposed to divide southern France to its neibours - safe and rich in one side - and almost third world on the other... such as a Mexican/US border ?... It is true that in the past the Iberian peninsula was until few time relatively backwarded towards the rest of western Europe due to the isolation due to the Franco regime - but that was not the case at all in Italy.
The divide between a developped Europe and a reletively backwarded one was (still is in many cases) between Lazion region and Campania(naples). between the two cities the change is really very visible, although both cities are separated by only 150km.
And of course above all between eastern and western Europe, even still today the difference is very important.
concerning the idea that in France everthing works perfectly is a funny misconception from a french point of view. just have to see the numerous cases of political corruption and the endless pointless strikes that paralyse the country most of the time.
As for the case of water, for those who would be tented to see those countries as underdevelopped, it is obvously drinkable in all of Italy and Spain without problem, even in sicily !
Concerning the level of life in Europe, it would be interesting to superpose it with the red line that was drawn by the swedish:
In green the propesrour regions, in red the less prosperous.
We just have to look at Italy to see how much this vision is wrong. Between the French and Italian side of the Alps it is the Italian side which is the richer. All the northern and central parts of Italy a among the richer regions of Europe, at same level than Southern Germany. It seems that on both sides of the Alps are the most propoerous places of Europe (with switzerland in the middle). southern Italy has still a lower economy, but it has nothing to see with the newcomer of the former eastern bloc but more like the very rural regions of France such as Britianny or Auvergne, eastern Germany, the rural regions of ireland or scotland...
The only region of France as properous than northern Italy is the Parisian area. It is also the case for Spain, Madrid region being monf the richest regions of Europe. The map dates back from 1999, so we can expect that a big part of the reddish regions of Spain are now more properous, since Spain has known since those year a very important growth.
between the south west of France and the nibouring regions of Spain we don't notice any difference of level of life - expect that Languedo-Roussillon is less rich that the Spanish side.
concerning work and social relations, even it does not always fit with economic backwardness; the opposition between the "Europes" that the swedish vision has expressed could be representated better that way:
concerning work and social relations, even it does not always fit with economic backwardness; the opposition between the "Europes" that the swedish vision has expressed could be representated better that way:
Someone who has drawn this division line must have been dull if he included Russia, Belarus or Ukraine below the whit line, i.e. as Roman Catholic countries.
I've observed that not only the French but also other 'western Europeans' tend not to distinguish between Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania etc. but they just say 'eastern Europe'. I suspect that this shapeless object on this map called 'East countries' actually exists in people's minds.
Of course it should be added orthodoxism to catholicism.
Concerning humour I find this, it is a bit vulgar and unrespectful but it could express how many people see Europe in France.
And, as you noticed it in france Poland is seen most of the time as a eastern country. the notion of a central Europe is not widely spread and generally doesn't include Poland, but more Hungary/Austria, slovaquia, Tchequia, etc.
Schotchland!!!!!!!!! What's that? A land where only bottles of whisky live? LOL! LOL! LOL!
The Swedish map is fantastic!!!!!! What you think of Hungary is not too flattering:
1. It is pink
2. It's among the "countries we don't care about at all".
I've never seen Hungary in pink, though.
Yes, Hungary is one of them countries where 1, nothing works 2, everything is corrupt and 3, you can't go out at night! And yes, it's pink and don't you forget it, ever!! And we don't care about it... at all!!!
Yes, Hungary is one of them countries where 1, nothing works 2, everything is corrupt and 3, you can't go out at night! And yes, it's pink and don't you forget it, ever!! And we don't care about it... at all!!!
You are lucky enough to escape my seething rage and get away with it easily as I don't have enough knowledge and information about Sweden...So I'm unable to disparage it properly.
Let's see...
1. Nothing works? No, everything works perfectly... until it goes wrong. In other words, everything goes pear shaped, especially women on the wrong side of 30...40...? Men in general find them sexier than the all-round fat women, though.
2. Everything is corrupt? Well, not really...only politicians are, but THEY JUST DON'T COUNT.
3. You CAN go out at night...just bear the consequences...or avoid visiting certain establishments in the outskirts of Budapest. Other places are quite safe...unless you are Swedish. But if you're a good runner, you'll have no problems and probably get out alive...
4. The colour pink as a symbol for innocence seems to be incompatible with the presumed dreadful qualities of our fair land.
5. If you don't care about it why do you Swedes bother to place it on the map and give a succint, nevertheless, rather misleading discreption of it?
The map is hilarious anyway... At least I had a good laugh and managed to prove the misconception wrong that Hungarians are pessimistic! _________________ Az alvástól megéhezem. Az evéstől elálmosodom. Az élet szép.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Join! (free) 
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
That map reveals some truth. 
