Thursday, April 5, 2012

E ~ Egen = one of my very own


Hejsan!
Today's lesson is about ownership. When I was a little girl, two and a half according to my mother's notes, I had a Swedish outfit. I absolutely loved it, and I had a doll who had the exact same outfit. So I, in turn, wanted my doll to have her own doll, just like I did. I wanted her to have her “egen” doll.

Egen isn't easy to translate, which brings up a topic that will become more and more common as these lessons continue. Swedish is a much more precise language than English. They have many single words where to translate the whole meaning effectively, you need a lot more than one English word. Today's word egen is like that. Let's tackle the pronunciation first: e(gg) + (a)gain. The accent is on the first syllable. The best way I know how to translate the full meaning is, “one of my very own”. So what I was saying to my mom was that my doll needed her very own doll in this outfit, just like I had my doll who matched my outfit. So check this out:  


That's me at 2 and a half, holding the doll that's in the next picture...who got her egen docka.  Bonus word.  Bet you can guess its meaning!  

Now to a few housekeeping items.  I've been overwhelmed with the wonderful comments you've left for me.  I usually write an email to everyone who comments on my blog.  Then I visit them.  I'm thinking that's perhaps a bit unrealistic considering the volume of lovely comments, and my co-hosting duties on top of that.  I will respond when I have time, I will visit you back, I'm just realizing that some of that will happen once the challenge is done...Just know how much I appreciate you, and your kind comments, and your encouragement.  I especially like it that so many of you are starting to write Swedish sentences in your comments!  That, my friends, totally ROCKS.



42 comments:

Sally said...

I wish I'd had a doll who had her own doll - wonderful.

Lynn said...

Adorable! Thank for the insight into the Swedish language with that wonderful E word - egan. And I'll bet your mother loved doing that with you.

Unknown said...

How cute!!!!

I think Swedish is similar to German in a way - we say "eigen(en)" or rather, in this case, "eigene" (the female version).

Happy A-Zing!!

Tessa.x

Unknown said...

Hejsan! Your doll had her very own APRON!!! Maybe... Right. I'm going to my egen stuga in my egan bil! he he

Unknown said...

Super adorable!! I want one! I saw that you mentioned emailing everyone that stopped by and commented. You could try mailchimp, or maybe set up a newsletter type thing and mail it to everyone that stopped by? Might help you some, yes I agree emailing everyone, repaying a visit to those that stopped by and co-hosting is a lot of work.

You're doing an awesome job and thanks!

Stopping by via the A - Z Challenge, I've added you via GFC.
http://www.scatteredmusings.net/2012/04/buying-car/

Jaime said...

I'm enjoying your posts. It is a bit overwhelming following up with comments and checking out other blogs. This is my first Challenge & didn't expect this part. I just do the best that I can without spending too much time on the computer. You'r doing a great job.

Dani said...

Another great Swedish word. It's suprising who one worh contains so many English ones.

Lynn Proctor said...

adorable--i so enjoy your blog!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

You're not the only one who is overwhelmed!

J.C. Martin said...

This is a cool A to Z theme! I get to learn a foreign language! Great post!

J.C. Martin
A to Z Blogger

Raymond Alexander Kukkee said...

Cute post! Teaching your readers to speak another language is a great idea, now if you only had a sidebar search specially for words you have already used, complete with translation....":))

Brian Miller said...

smiles...very cool that your doll had a doll and all of you in the same outfit tina...you do realize that could go on forever too if you carried it out...ha

Jeremy [Retro] said...

awwwww, how cute. I snapped a few days ago...

Excellent! ... to the challenge "E" is for Efficient!
Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]
A to Z Co-Host
IZOMBIE: Visit the Madness

Tracy said...

What a fantastic word! I love it and what a cute cute photo!

Mimi said...

your docka is very cute. and her docka too.

But I hope you come visit my blog

Mimi Torchia Boothby Watercolors

Kelly Stilwell said...

So creative! The photos are adorable. I love learning while I'm having fun!

Kelly Stilwell
www.kellystilwell.com

Anonymous said...

I'm in the same boat. So many comments. We do the best we can visiting other blogs and that's all we can do.

Susan Oloier said...

I think it's wonderful when foreign words require more than a on-word translation. You did a wonderful job of conveying the word.
What precious pictures.

Timothy S. Brannan said...

Very cool. I love hearing about languages especially ones unfamiliar to me.

I am trying to read all the A to Z blogs, but coming back to the ones I really like.
Looking forward to seeing what you do all month!

Tim
The Other Side
The Freedom of Nonbelief

Paula Martin said...

Love your costume, and how great to have a docka who has the same costume and a docka of her own too!

Dazediva said...

I want egen docka :)
Docka = doll

The picture of you and your doll is just too adorable ! and I can't believe your docka had an egen docka too ! (didn't even know they make that)

Jody said...

This has to be one of my favorite to visit. Thank you for the lessons!!!

Anne said...

Dear Tina,
I just found out about the A-Z Challenge...is it too late? I see the Linky lists are closed, but is it absolutely too late? :(
(Now following you!)
Best,
Anne

Maxine Aux-Arc said...

Hi Tina. I'm an unofficial A to Z Challenger, but I still want to support the challenge. You're doing a wonderful job, and these Swedish lessons are awesome. I'm Danish, but my parents were forbidden to speak the language when they were growing up because the family wanted to be real Americans. Of course we feel that's we've missed a lot of our heritage.

Thanks for everything you do for so many.

Max

Grammy said...

Hi, You were "a" adorable, with your little doll that had a doll. thank you for the super job you are doing. I know it must be overwhelming.
Best regards to you. Ruby

Jennifer said...

That's so cute that your doll had it's own doll.

Sarah Tokeley said...

I absolutely love that you loved your doll so much you wanted her to be as happy as you :-)

klahanie said...

Hey Tina,
Have you any idea how many hours I've spent interacting and leaving my highly sought after comments on various blogs that are bringing further awareness of the alphabet? As of now, almost two in the morning in lil' ol' England, I have spent nearly five hours thrilling with my delightful comments. I reckon I should get an award for being such a nice guy :)
What a couple of little dolls and I think those are just the cutest pictures.
Good to see you have been overwhelmed with so many wonderful comments. Thoroughly deserved :) And what the 'F' is next?
Seriously, may you and all those participating in the alphabet challenge have much fun and make lots of new friends.
With respect and happy writing, your way, Gary :)

ETowns said...

Hejsan! I love it! I love dolls, and congrats on the volume of comments! Great post

Andrea said...

So glad I landed here when I hopped! Love the Swedish insights and love your precious dolls!

Beth Stilborn said...

I'm enjoying your posts so much! I love the picture of you with your docka and your docka with her egen docka. That is so lovely!

As for the comments, I've long used this as my motto in all things:

"Do what you can, and let go of the rest."

Heather Murphy said...

Ahhh, so cute!

jerichas said...

Oh, this was just way too adorable -- and reminded me very much of my own childhood. Although I always thought the American Girl dolls were hideous, I coveted their clothes and accessories with the kind of obsessive, covetous longing that I think almost all kids feel for some special thing at one time or another (a desire-to-have that I'm pretty sure leaves even the most fervent crushes later on in the shade in terms of their intensity -- man, there was a time when I wanted a Polly Pocket more than ANYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE) -- and I remember looking enviously at the pictures in the catalogs of the kids playing with their dolls in matching outfits. Grr, snarl. You, however, with your adorable little matching docka and her adorable matching docka...well, let's just say I'm having a flashback to how badly Iwanted something that lovely as a child. What a great post. Tack så mycket!

Unknown said...

I never played with dolls, mostly toy soldiers and Star Wars. I think that would have been cool to have a doll with her own doll, though. I know my sisters would have loved that.

Anonymous said...

Hi~
Visiting from the A to Z challenge. It's my first time doing the challenge so still figuring out this whole blog hopping thing. Like your post - loved the picture. The only sentence I can leave you in Swedish is this: I love the meatballs at Ikea. Hmmm, I'm pretty sure that doesn't count....
Happy Blogging!
Warmly,
Laura

M said...

Cute post...I have taught several Sedish children in my kindergarten classes.
Thanks for co-hosting A-Z April!

ediFanoB said...

Hejsan!

I think there are some similarities between Swedish and German.
I understood immediately the meaning of egen. We have thw word 'eigen' for that.

Eigenes Auto = egen bil
Eigene Puppe ) egen docka

To be honest I really enjoy your posts and do not expect that you visit my blog immediately.
I struggle to visit more than 20 blogs in my limited spare time.

Tack

Liz Powley said...

I hope that picture of the doll is recent and you still have her. If so, what a wonderful heirloom to pass to your kids.

Beautiful work.

Thanks so much for sharing.

Best wishes,
Liz

Crazeebee747 said...

Loving the energy of your blog. Look forward to reading more. Yay!

Kittie Howard said...

The idea of an even docka warms the heart. Gorgeous photos.

Unknown said...

Egen docka! Utmärkt ordval!
Underbart inlägg!
Du behöver inte skriva ett e-brev. Jag förstår att du har mycket att göra. Skriv nu i sommar i stället, eller när du har tid.

Jag tycker så mycket om vad Du skriver här. Visst är svenska språket underbart!

Kram,
Anna

g-girl said...

how cute are you with your matching doll!!! I love it. :)