This "Bud's" for You

I am an American by birth...and an American by choice.  I love this country; in my mind there is no better game in town; this is my homeland.  I'm fairly sure this how most people around the world feel about their own countries also, as they should.  I am also very inexperienced when it comes to world travels.  A few years ago I spent three "tours" of 27 days in Equatorial Guinea, on the island of Bioko, as part of an environmental assessment for the World Bank.  As the plane touched down I immediately understood why I've never seen it mentioned in any tourist magazines...but I digress...

No, this is NOT Norway

Jeg kan være en amerikansk, men jeg er gift med en norsk...I may be an American, but I am married to a Norwegian.  A norsk that loves what both countries have to offer.  She maintains a blog where I am commonly, and lovingly, referred to as the NVO (norsk via osmosis).  It only took one trip to Norway with her to see why she still carries that love and wants to share it with me.  Although most Norwegians speak very good English (thank gawd), I went away with a desire to learn the language of my wife's heritage (she speaks very good norsk).  I have been amazed at some of the similarities between norsk og engelsk (since both are Germanic languages)...but I digress (I should have majored in "digression" in college)...


There are many subtle sounds in the Norwegian language that I cannot yet detect.  To me they sound so similar, but can make a huge difference in meaning...west (øst), cheese (ost), autumn (høst).  They may be spelled and readable as different words, but trying to hear the differences or pronounce them...huff a huff.  This is just one of many examples.

Molde

One true life example that did not involve me, but I was a close observer, involved my wife while we were shopping in Molde.  Astri was looking for a pewter plate to add to a collection she has, made by a Norwegian artist.  Within a small shop she located one she "thought" she was missing (only to find out when we got back that it was one she already had).   Wow...this story is taking a long time...come on NVO, get to the point!  Even though Astri is and looks Norwegian, my guess is my American decent was apparent as I stepped through the door.  Astri and the lady chatted in and out of Norwegian and English.  Near the end of the chat it came up that Astri's mother lived in Norway.  When asked where, she replied, "Bud."  Now "Bud" is just over a couple of hills and fjord's, maybe 45 minutes, surely she had heard of it, but apparently not.  Now, for all you silly Americans, "Bud" is NOT pronounced exactly like the American beer (now owned by a Dutch company if my memory serves me right).  You have to take the "u" part and drop your jaw downward as you say it...and the "d" is silent.


The next two minutes was like Keystone Cops in a talking picture.  The exchange between Astri and the sales lady put me in a chuckle.  How many ways can you pronounce a three letter word?  They began a back and forth conversation of that one word, each with a subtle difference.  It was like watching the volley in a tennis match with "Bud" being thrown back and forth for what seemed like two minutes!   Finally the sales lady says, "Oh....Bud!"  I've looked in the dictionary and I cannot find any word that could get confused with Bud.  They laughed for a bit about the exchange.  Then, isn what I would like to think was a typical Norwegian response, asked us, complete strangers, if we'd like to go out with her family that evening crabbing along the rocks.

Molde

Astri and I still get a lot of mileage out of that story.  Anytime we say something to each other and it isn't understood, you'll more often than not hear us in the volley of "Bud? Boo-d, Bood? Buud  Boo?....."


This Bud's for you!