So what if I was to blog in English? I thought of it often, for numerous reasons. One being that frightening feeling of the English language slipping through my fingers after having had it in the palm of my hand. My spoken and understood English way exceeds my writing skills. Better keep practising. (See, there’s one thing, should that be practicing with a second c…?)
Another being the fact that I have a fairly large network of friends and professional contacts that just don’t read Swedish. And… well, ye olde Google Translate just isn’t there yet.
Anyway. I am starting this today, making andreasekstrom.com the sister site of andreasekstrom.se (link will work shortly). I have three personal goals doing this.
One: I want to establish an even closer contact with friends and professional contacts elsewhere – and I am depending on your blog comments for that to go two ways!
Two: I want to publish something every second day. So be it if it’s just a YouTube link sometimes.
Three: I want to score one, I say one single international gig this way – a keynote, a seminar, a feature for an international publisher – that will make this professionally worth my while.
Off we go!
This is exciting! My wife sometimes translates your writing for me (much better than Google!), but that is still slower and she often tells me how much better it sounds in Swedish. I can’t compare to your Swedish, but I think you’re a great writer in English and look forward to reading your blog.
Andreas – or Andy as we English speakers might say. Welcome to the third part of a triple! We know you understand us – since you eat KFC. We know you speak it. I can attest to long nights over philosophical dinners. But to craft letters into words – and words into meaning – that is a welcome addition to the year 2010. I will certainly check back. And I look forward to the banter – hopefully over much more than a YouTube link. English on! – From California
P.S. What is a e-post and a hemsida that I was required to fill out? And I hope that I “skicka’s correctly.
(the bad Google translation: Andreas – eller Andy som vi engelsktalande kan säga. Välkommen till den tredje delen av en trippel! Vi vet att du förstår oss – eftersom du äta KFC. Vi vet att du talar det. Jag kan intyga att långa nätter över filosofiska middagar. Men att farkosten bokstäverna till ord – och ord till mening – det är ett välkommet tillskott till år 2010. Jag kommer säkert in igen. Och jag ser fram emot skämt – förhoppningsvis över mycket mer än en YouTube-länk. Engelska på! – Från Kalifornien)
Rick: “e-post” means e-mail, “hemsida” means home page. So you got it right! The Google translate works as always: a great way to get the general understanding, but way away from accuracy…
Nice job, Andreas! It is a bit intimidating for Americans to find native speakers of languages other than English who write and speak our language so fluently while we struggle so with our own.
And, international communication is surely the key to international understanding and cooperation. Keep up the good work.
By the way, when does the “father book” come out in English (for us provincials)?
Ah, need to talk to the international publishers about that one. An agent tried to sell it to a few places when it was all new, but I am not sure how hard he tried… We were apparently close in Germany, but they said they wanted the book to be written by a German man. And I can do much, but to be a German man is beyond my reach…
i could do it in swedish, but it always makes my head spin (which living in LA, we know there is ENOUGH head spinning happening here on a daily basis), so thank you for putting it in english….you never skip a beat!
Well, I know you still know enough to follow me in Swedish too!
Dear Andreas:
I’m looking forward to follow your blog in English. I’m positive your audience will have no problem at understanding your written skills in this language. And I’m also sure that you’ll lead us into a pretty interesting journey.
As a non Enlgish speaker blog writer, I can attest the task is not always easy. But it certainly gives you the chance to think twice on what you are writing. And that can never be a bad thing.
Congratulations on this accomplishment! And Happy New Year, too!
Eduardo
No doubt this is a blog worth following – I will do my best to check in whenever possible – its funny how I can almost hear your voice talking through the screen!
Eduardo: I have your blog in my feed, and always admired your eloquence!
Danielle: That is a great compliment. Thank you!
hey Andreas – I’m looking forward to reading your musings without having to run them through Babel Fish first!
all the best to you and yours.
Hi Andy – I just know found some time to check out your new blog in English, congratulations! It will definitely go on my bookmarks of worthwhile sites to check frequently. Thanks for sharing and taking the time to let others enjoy your gift of writing.
Christine.