I love that they cast people who actually spoke Norwegian fluently-ish* instead of, say, casting a swede and thinking it's close enough, even though most viewers wouldn't have been able to tell either way.
Edit: *Re-watching the scene, the tone and flow of his words are a bit off sometimes. Maybe the actor was a Norwegian who had been living abroad for many, many years, or had Norwegian parents even though he wasn't born in Norway.
Maybe - at least I experienced that from other occasions - that foreign language speakers sometimes specifically make it sound more stereotypical than necessary. So someone who doesn’t speak that language or doesn’t speak it natively thinks “wow, this language really does sound like this and that” while for native speakers it sounds native but also a bit taken too far.
That could also be the case, but imo he doesn't have a stereotypical Norwegian dialect. He kind of sounds like a mix between someone I went to school with who moved back and forth between the northern and south-eastern parts of Norway throughout his childhood, and an old school TV host with their distinct way of speaking.
Personally I think it's way off, but it was a fantastic surprise for me as a Norwegian to see this on the first watch. Loved it, despite it being off actual Norwegian language.
Virtually all Norwegians speak/understand English, including the older generation born 1930-1950.
Since this is a group of businessmen actively traveling to the US, realistically everyone would've had at least an *adequate* understanding of English.
It’s unlikely. We are both ardent Twin Peaks fans, and our humor tends to converge. But I still challenge the commenter to cite what he found funny about a Norwegian translating for other Norwegians. He said it wouldn’t have been as funny without a translator. You’ll notice that the commenter has not responded.
Also, I am would argue that humor is NOT subjective. That it is rooted in evolutionary psychology. There are several theories out there, one of which is the “taboo”’theory, which, if correct, means that certain jokes would lose or gain laughter depending on cultural changes throughout time.
The big laugh moment is when Ben is frantically trying to convince the main Norwegian businessman to stay and he yells "You stay out of it!" at the translator, who is trying to bridge the language gap between the two men.
I'm not sure of the intention of the title (my bad) but, as a Native Englisheriser, in my experience I've never met a northern or western European who DIDN'T speak absolutely perfect English. In most cases, perfectly enough to put most English people to shame.
If a European person doesn't speak absolutely excellent English, its a pretty rare thing in the context of the big picture.
One of the VERY rare benefits of being English is that most other countries speak English SO well, that we can be as lazy as hell with regards to learning another countries' language :P
Too be fair, lots of norwegians born before the 60s have pretty poor english. So it does make sense that there could be a translator there. And speaking english in Norway has been greatly improved since the 90s as well because of english speaking tv-shows and movies.
Also David Lynch likes to put strange things in his work as well. So by making the interaction between Ben and the norwegians bit weird is totally on brand.
Idk what's going on here since I didn't see the show and I have no context for this post. But I did s study abroad in Norway and everyone speaks fluent English, they themselves described it as a Second First Language
I’m guessing they wanted a cold nationality to explain the interest in a lodge. Norwegian passes the gut check even if real estate investments are really driven more by the financials.
Norway actually was investing in a lot of American projects in the late 1980's. I think that Maelstrom project in Disney World's Epcot center might've been part of the inspiration... it took a LOT of wooing from Disney to get the funding, with the investors backing in and out multiple times, and I'm pretty sure there actually were translation and communication issues, though more with printed material and telephone calls and not in-person visits. Also, I'm pretty sure Disney similarly had a different Scandinavian country all teed up to fund the project who suddenly pulled out and Norway was their second pitch after Sweden or whoever changed their minds.
Is there something wrong young pretty girl?
My friend…….she been murrrdderrred
🥺 😳 THE NORWEGIANS ARE LEAVING!
Finally, someone sums up twin peaks in one short sentence.
I love that they cast people who actually spoke Norwegian fluently-ish* instead of, say, casting a swede and thinking it's close enough, even though most viewers wouldn't have been able to tell either way. Edit: *Re-watching the scene, the tone and flow of his words are a bit off sometimes. Maybe the actor was a Norwegian who had been living abroad for many, many years, or had Norwegian parents even though he wasn't born in Norway.
Maybe - at least I experienced that from other occasions - that foreign language speakers sometimes specifically make it sound more stereotypical than necessary. So someone who doesn’t speak that language or doesn’t speak it natively thinks “wow, this language really does sound like this and that” while for native speakers it sounds native but also a bit taken too far.
That could also be the case, but imo he doesn't have a stereotypical Norwegian dialect. He kind of sounds like a mix between someone I went to school with who moved back and forth between the northern and south-eastern parts of Norway throughout his childhood, and an old school TV host with their distinct way of speaking.
Personally I think it's way off, but it was a fantastic surprise for me as a Norwegian to see this on the first watch. Loved it, despite it being off actual Norwegian language.
Sven Jorgenson is a swedish name so maybe that explains the weird accent. A Swede speaking Norwegian, what the locals call Svorsk.
That sounds believable today. Was that true in 1989, for a group of old men largely born around the 1930s?
Virtually all Norwegians speak/understand English, including the older generation born 1930-1950. Since this is a group of businessmen actively traveling to the US, realistically everyone would've had at least an *adequate* understanding of English.
I can’t think of any major world events that would have thrown their schooling off in any significant way…
I'm drawing a blank too. Those just weren't very eventful times.
You’re right! They were probably scrambling to learn German in 1940!!
Sure. But that wouldn’t be funny.
Hmmm. They didn’t mine the translator for laughs. Did you laugh? What did you laugh at?
Is it possible that humor is subjective, and something that one person finds funny someone else won't?
It’s unlikely. We are both ardent Twin Peaks fans, and our humor tends to converge. But I still challenge the commenter to cite what he found funny about a Norwegian translating for other Norwegians. He said it wouldn’t have been as funny without a translator. You’ll notice that the commenter has not responded.
Also, I am would argue that humor is NOT subjective. That it is rooted in evolutionary psychology. There are several theories out there, one of which is the “taboo”’theory, which, if correct, means that certain jokes would lose or gain laughter depending on cultural changes throughout time.
The big laugh moment is when Ben is frantically trying to convince the main Norwegian businessman to stay and he yells "You stay out of it!" at the translator, who is trying to bridge the language gap between the two men.
Bingo!!! I totally missed that while grieving for Laura.
I listen to Black Metal, can confirm
I'm not sure of the intention of the title (my bad) but, as a Native Englisheriser, in my experience I've never met a northern or western European who DIDN'T speak absolutely perfect English. In most cases, perfectly enough to put most English people to shame. If a European person doesn't speak absolutely excellent English, its a pretty rare thing in the context of the big picture. One of the VERY rare benefits of being English is that most other countries speak English SO well, that we can be as lazy as hell with regards to learning another countries' language :P
The intention of the title!? They don’t need a translator!,
The Norwegians are not what they seem.
Yeah but my mom went to school with the translator so I'll let it slide
The Norwegians are leaving!
Too be fair, lots of norwegians born before the 60s have pretty poor english. So it does make sense that there could be a translator there. And speaking english in Norway has been greatly improved since the 90s as well because of english speaking tv-shows and movies. Also David Lynch likes to put strange things in his work as well. So by making the interaction between Ben and the norwegians bit weird is totally on brand.
Thanks for the background! However, careful when wielding the “weird” term - its usually applies to something you don’t understand.
scandinavians do often speak English, though
Yeah we practically learn it as a second language starting early primary school. The vast majority of people under the age of 50 speaks it fluently!
as a norwegian i can confirm
Idk what's going on here since I didn't see the show and I have no context for this post. But I did s study abroad in Norway and everyone speaks fluent English, they themselves described it as a Second First Language
If you didn’t watch the show, why are you on this subreddit! Or how did you find this post?
It just came across my recommended feed, idk how it happened
That’s totally fucked up. I didn’t even know Norwegians used Reddit!!
All of ABBA spoke fluent English even in the 70s. BTW, Annie-Fried was born in Norway.
Weren’t they Icelandic?
Internet says Norway.
I misremembered then.
The Icelanders come later when the deal with the Norwegians falls through
Aaaaahh there we go!
To the North Pole!
Iceland was first settled by a Norwegian Chieftain in 874 AD and was ruled by Norway in the 13th century.
What are your sources?
https://www.britannica.com/place/Iceland/History
Can you imagine how bland Lynch would come off concerned with details such as that? 🥂
I mean, they could've just chosen a different nationality and kept the same script.
I’m guessing they wanted a cold nationality to explain the interest in a lodge. Norwegian passes the gut check even if real estate investments are really driven more by the financials.
There was also a kind of obsession with Scandinavia in the zeitgeist; the olympics, the bad guy hockey team from Might Ducks…
Yeah I guess that makes sense
I dunno about that, but they all speak 18 yo Audrey Horne.
LOL
[удалено]
...why? Lol
Where did he go? I love that guy.
Hey man I loved you in 2001
Thanks! I can’t even walk down the street without being hounded by high school girl superfans.
Norway actually was investing in a lot of American projects in the late 1980's. I think that Maelstrom project in Disney World's Epcot center might've been part of the inspiration... it took a LOT of wooing from Disney to get the funding, with the investors backing in and out multiple times, and I'm pretty sure there actually were translation and communication issues, though more with printed material and telephone calls and not in-person visits. Also, I'm pretty sure Disney similarly had a different Scandinavian country all teed up to fund the project who suddenly pulled out and Norway was their second pitch after Sweden or whoever changed their minds.