As always, I thoroughly enjoyed last night's episodes. Amazing how virtually everybody there spoke excellent English, the PM, the Chinese ambassador and even Bent - was that the first time we had seen Bent speaking in English there? Why, even the notice board in the comms room was even in English!
On another note, I was impressed with Magnus' performance. Think he'll have a great acting career later?
Fascinating mini biography EC. Especially the bit about meeting the rebel leader. Did you have armed guards with you?:D:D Or is that only in the movies.
Thanks BK! No guards! I was with a married couple of medical staff who I got on with well during their break in Nairobi. They'd got to know this second in command of one of the groups in the South through their work there.
These medics arranged to meet him in his hotel room and asked if they could bring someone. He was a large, well-educated, thoughtful, easy-going man with no sense of threat or ill-will. He'd been chosen to represent his group (and others? not sure) at talks at the UN base in Nairobi.
Sorry allie4 I wasn't with the BBC, I just heard the interview before meeting him.
I didn't find this weeks storyline too much of a stretch either. The only thing is they zip through the story at breakneck speed. As usual. The peace talks, along with Katrine and Hanne's investigation, could have been spread over a whole series on their own. Especially if a bit of skullduggery was thrown in.
Interesting that the Christian South Kharun President was portrayed as the blatant homophobe. His ''no homosexuals in Kharun'' was a play on what Ahmadinejad is supposed to have said? Assuming the real meaning wasn't lost in the translation of what the Iranian leader was actually saying.
BIB: Christianity has long been pretty anti-gay based on Old Testament verses though these days are changing and you'll find people on both side. Most African Christians are still very anti-gay. I think we can be pretty sure the Northern Muslim leader would feel the same but it wasn't mentioned.
I felt these last two episodes were a little too predictable, and had none of the dramatic twists of earlier episodes .It was always likely that the two African leaders would come to an agreement.
Very little of Sanne sadly just a shot of her sleeping on the couch. I'm finding the Laura story a bit hard going, not quite sure where they are going with this .
One good thing , Katrine and Kaspar are still together, and I hope it stays that way .
It does rather suggest that trying to push kids to do 'Modern Foreign Languages' may not be the best way to go if everyone is ultimately going to use English for the major issues anyway.
I disagree here. Even if that is the case I think it's important for kids to get to know other cultures and apart from living elsewhere for a significant amount of time there's no better way of doing that than to learn another language. I'm really glad I had to learn at least one foreign language at school (French) and as an extra option I did Spanish too. I actually think it's only in the past 10 years or so that kids haven't had to learn one; you certainly did when I was in secondary school in the 90s so it must be something Blair's government did.
This is a positive change IMO. Foreigners already think we're lazy enough with our languages without not making kids learn languages at all during school. We don't want to become as insular as America tends to be.
Have only watched the first episode of last night so far but hope those papers Katrine nicked out of Kasper's briefcase and stuffed into the rubbish bag are going into an incinerator.
Can see this relationship floundering on their different work commitments . Hanne was correct . You just don't do that kind of thing !
I can't imagine that he'd be allowed to take much stuff 'home' to the flat of whoever he's shacked up with at the moment. That's not very secure! And why would he need to, considering how much time he spends at work?
If he was allowed to take stuff home and felt he might need the papers, he's a pretty poor idea of the security especially as he's living currently with a journalist!
Svend Åge didn't have anything radical to say though, he just looked and behaved like a cartoon right wing nutter.
As a character, Svend Åge Saltum certainly is a horrendous reactionary racist who dresses like a tramp. He makes Sam the ugliest dog look beautiful in comparison. :eek:
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed last night's episodes. Amazing how virtually everybody there spoke excellent English, the PM, the Chinese ambassador and even Bent - was that the first time we had seen Bent speaking in English there? Why, even the notice board in the comms room was even in English!
On another note, I was impressed with Magnus' performance. Think he'll have a great acting career later?
Yes, it was the first time that Bent spoke English and English is the first foreign language taught in Danish schools which is why our Danish friends speak and write good English. As English is now also the world's foremost language of international communication, it's not surprising that it was used in all the major meetings. PM Birgitte certainly speaks English with a lovely accent!
I assumed it was Sudan too. Found it a bit unengaging - but that might have had something to do with the fact that I kept flicking between BBC4 and BBCHD to see if I could see any difference.
As a character, Svend Åge Saltum certainly is a horrendous reactionary racist who dresses like a tramp. He makes Sam the ugliest dog look beautiful in comparison. :eek:
Yes, it was the first time that Bent spoke English and English is the first foreign language taught in Danish schools which is why our Danish friends speak and write good English. As English is now also the world's foremost language of international communication, it's not surprising that it was used in all the major meetings. PM Birgitte certainly speaks English with a lovely accent!
There's no doubt the Danes are very good at speaking English. The actress playing Birgitte can clearly speak French very well too but does anyone here have any idea how good the Danes are at learning any other languages such as French, German, Spanish, Italian, other Scandinavian languages etc?
I was surprised the Chinese Ambassador didn't speak Danish. I'm sure British Ambassadors have to undergo intense language training before they are sent to a post.
It was interesting that they all used English because it was the only language they had in common. Even the Muslim leader had been to Cambridge, and was only insisting on Arabic for political reasons.
This always leaves me feeling a) what luck to be a native English-speaker and b) what other tongue would a British person ever decide to learn? I did French and German at school, but most Germans and a lot of French people I've met speak almost faultless English. Spanish? Useful for travelling in South America outside Brazil, but not a lot else. Chinese - but which version?
I really feel we're a bit deprived of an important challenge.
There's no doubt the Danes are very good at speaking English. The actress playing Birgitte can clearly speak French very well too but does anyone here have any idea how good the Danes are at learning any other languages such as French, German, Spanish, Italian, other Scandinavian languages etc?
I'm bi lingual, I speak welsh and english fluently, I find it makes learning foreign languages easier.
So assuming the Danes would be good at that too? And they seem to understand Swedish and Norwegian.
Oh, and the way they were following the BBC coverage of the Chinese boat? Was that just sucking up to their new UK fans, or would they really use the BBC as a primary political source?
I'm bi lingual, I speak welsh and english fluently, I find it makes learning foreign languages easier.
So assuming the Danes would be good at that too? And they seem to understand Swedish and Norwegian.
I assume that too but that's all I can do at the moment as the only foreign language I've heard many Danes speak is English. The actress playing Birgitte seems to speak beautiful, fluent French but I have no idea how typical that is of Danish people. I'm bi lingual too in Italian but so far I'm not as fluent in French or other languages though I intend to learn French eventually as well as other languages.
Has being bi lingual in English and Welsh helped you with other languages so far?
Does anyone know whether the english dialogue scenes are subtitled in the original danish broadcast or do most Danes knowledge of english make it unnecessary?
Anything that gets Birgitte speaking English works for me! Past few weeks have been a bit bleak so it's good to get some feel-good stories again (even if they are perhaps oversimplified) where Birgitte shows what she's capable of!
Oh, and the way they were following the BBC coverage of the Chinese boat? Was that just sucking up to their new UK fans, or would they really use the BBC as a primary political source?
Did they use an English actor for the BBC voiceover or was it a Danish actor who speaks English with no trace of a Danish accent
Birgitte going all Emma Peel to kick down the door
I assume that too but that's all I can do at the moment as the only foreign language I've heard many Danes speak is English. The actress playing Birgitte seems to speak beautiful, fluent French but I have no idea how typical that is of Danish people. I'm bi lingual too in Italian but so far I'm not as fluent in French or other languages though I intend to learn French eventually as well as other languages.
Has being bi lingual in English and Welsh helped you with other languages so far?
Yes, I find it very easy to learn a new language. Welsh has lots of latin based words so learning spanish, italian etc isn't hard
Oh, and the way they were following the BBC coverage of the Chinese boat? Was that just sucking up to their new UK fans, or would they really use the BBC as a primary political source?
As these were probably filmed around April - May 2011,I very much doubt they used BBC other than for the fact that they are a similar organisation to DR and both members of the EBU.
Oh, and the way they were following the BBC coverage of the Chinese boat? Was that just sucking up to their new UK fans, or would they really use the BBC as a primary political source?
I worked for a few years in Bush House and we saw the listening figures from each country. All over the world almost every country tunes into BBC news for 'impartial' coverage - hundreds of millions. Mind you, BBCWS used to be funded by the FO - not sure it gets the same service now the BBC are paying the bills!
Does anyone know whether the english dialogue scenes are subtitled in the original danish broadcast or do most Danes knowledge of english make it unnecessary?
Anything in English that is not broadcast live on any DR channel, TV2 or TV3 will be subtitled in Danish. English is not an official language of Denmark so as with any acquired material that is not broadcast live, subtitles roll always be on screen.
As these were probably filmed around April - May 2011,I very much doubt they used BBC other than for the fact that they are a similar organisation to DR and both members of the EBU.
The documents that Katrine stole from Kasper are dated March 2013. Birgitte is scheduled to go to Kharun on the 8th March 2013. Is this date consistent with the timeline in Borgen? Brigitte has been in power for over two years(three years when October time comes around?). They keep saying the next election is a year away, assuming she gets her full term in office - 4 years.
Comments
On another note, I was impressed with Magnus' performance. Think he'll have a great acting career later?
These medics arranged to meet him in his hotel room and asked if they could bring someone. He was a large, well-educated, thoughtful, easy-going man with no sense of threat or ill-will. He'd been chosen to represent his group (and others? not sure) at talks at the UN base in Nairobi.
Sorry allie4 I wasn't with the BBC, I just heard the interview before meeting him.
BIB: Christianity has long been pretty anti-gay based on Old Testament verses though these days are changing and you'll find people on both side. Most African Christians are still very anti-gay. I think we can be pretty sure the Northern Muslim leader would feel the same but it wasn't mentioned.
Very little of Sanne sadly just a shot of her sleeping on the couch. I'm finding the Laura story a bit hard going, not quite sure where they are going with this .
One good thing , Katrine and Kaspar are still together, and I hope it stays that way .
I disagree here. Even if that is the case I think it's important for kids to get to know other cultures and apart from living elsewhere for a significant amount of time there's no better way of doing that than to learn another language. I'm really glad I had to learn at least one foreign language at school (French) and as an extra option I did Spanish too. I actually think it's only in the past 10 years or so that kids haven't had to learn one; you certainly did when I was in secondary school in the 90s so it must be something Blair's government did.
This is a positive change IMO. Foreigners already think we're lazy enough with our languages without not making kids learn languages at all during school. We don't want to become as insular as America tends to be.
Can see this relationship floundering on their different work commitments . Hanne was correct . You just don't do that kind of thing !
I can't imagine that he'd be allowed to take much stuff 'home' to the flat of whoever he's shacked up with at the moment. That's not very secure! And why would he need to, considering how much time he spends at work?
If he was allowed to take stuff home and felt he might need the papers, he's a pretty poor idea of the security especially as he's living currently with a journalist!
As a character, Svend Åge Saltum certainly is a horrendous reactionary racist who dresses like a tramp. He makes Sam the ugliest dog look beautiful in comparison. :eek:
Yes, it was the first time that Bent spoke English and English is the first foreign language taught in Danish schools which is why our Danish friends speak and write good English. As English is now also the world's foremost language of international communication, it's not surprising that it was used in all the major meetings. PM Birgitte certainly speaks English with a lovely accent!
This always leaves me feeling a) what luck to be a native English-speaker and b) what other tongue would a British person ever decide to learn? I did French and German at school, but most Germans and a lot of French people I've met speak almost faultless English. Spanish? Useful for travelling in South America outside Brazil, but not a lot else. Chinese - but which version?
I really feel we're a bit deprived of an important challenge.
I'm bi lingual, I speak welsh and english fluently, I find it makes learning foreign languages easier.
So assuming the Danes would be good at that too? And they seem to understand Swedish and Norwegian.
2100 Ep7 653k 2.9%
2200 Ep8 550k 3.0%
K
Has being bi lingual in English and Welsh helped you with other languages so far?
Did they use an English actor for the BBC voiceover or was it a Danish actor who speaks English with no trace of a Danish accent
Birgitte going all Emma Peel to kick down the door
Yes, I find it very easy to learn a new language. Welsh has lots of latin based words so learning spanish, italian etc isn't hard
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01qdjpg/?t=52m27s
As these were probably filmed around April - May 2011,I very much doubt they used BBC other than for the fact that they are a similar organisation to DR and both members of the EBU.
I worked for a few years in Bush House and we saw the listening figures from each country. All over the world almost every country tunes into BBC news for 'impartial' coverage - hundreds of millions. Mind you, BBCWS used to be funded by the FO - not sure it gets the same service now the BBC are paying the bills!
Anything in English that is not broadcast live on any DR channel, TV2 or TV3 will be subtitled in Danish. English is not an official language of Denmark so as with any acquired material that is not broadcast live, subtitles roll always be on screen.
The documents that Katrine stole from Kasper are dated March 2013. Birgitte is scheduled to go to Kharun on the 8th March 2013. Is this date consistent with the timeline in Borgen? Brigitte has been in power for over two years(three years when October time comes around?). They keep saying the next election is a year away, assuming she gets her full term in office - 4 years.