The Local Sweden

Forty new entries in Sweden's 2014 word list

Mon, 29 Dec 2014 11:50:00 +0100

The word wizards at the Swedish Language Council have revealed 40 new words taken up by the Swedish language this year, explaining new phenomena from taking snaps with celebrities to giving away TV show plots.

The woman who wants Sweden's bureaucracy to clean up its language

Thu, 22 Aug 2013 17:21:00 +0200

The Local catches up with Helena Englund Hjalmarsson, a language consultant and champion of the "plain language" movement, who shamed a government agency over its "incomprehensible" Swedish, making her our pick for Swede of the Week.

Ten strangest Swedish insults and put-downs

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:49:00 +0200

When it comes to putting a fellow Swede down, the Swedish language provides a number of colourful opportunities. From banishments to the forest to boots full of excrement - we've gathered the strangest ten.

'Ungoogleable' added to Swedish encyclopaedia

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 18:00:00 +0100

Sweden's National Encyclopaedia (Nationalencyklopedin) has decided to add the term "ungoogleable" as an entry just a day after it emerged that search engine Google had pressured the Language Council to amend its definition of the new buzz word.

Google shot itself in the foot: Swedish Academy

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:02:00 +0100

Language heavyweight the Swedish Academy, known globally for awarding the Nobel Prize for Literature, has warned Google that it has the clout to fight back if the US search engine objects to the word "ungoogleable".

Swedish PR experts split on Google word battle

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:52:00 +0100

Marketing experts in Sweden say Google putting pressure on the Swedish Language Council to edit a word spells poor PR, but disagree on whether the move was acceptable or not.

Sweden axes new word after Google intervenes

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:21:00 +0100

US search engine giant Google has successfully put pressure on the Swedish Language Council to remove an entry from its recently released list of new Swedish words.

Top ten new Swedish words of 2012

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:09:00 +0100

Words inspired by Swedish footballer stars and cake-eating ministers are among the newest words taken up by the Swedish language this year, according to the much-anticipated annual list published on Thursday by the Swedish Language Council (Språkrådet).

'Opinion Taliban', 'tree murder' make 2011 new Swedish word list

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:59:00 +0100

Words inspired by flip-flopping politicians and mobile phone apps, as well as creative terms for opinionated people are among the newest Swedish words, according to an annual list of new and topical words released on Thursday.

Swedish government flouts English email ban

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:44:00 +0100

The Swedish government has failed to adhere to a decision by the country's Parliamentary Ombudsman banning the use of English in email addresses.

Universities quizzed over English requirement

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:22:00 +0100

The Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman (Justitieombudsman - JO) has launched an inquiry into demands by several Swedish universities for employment applications to be submitted in English.

'Vaginal corona' makes 2009 word list

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:49:00 +0100

The Swedish Language Council's (Språkrådet) has added slidkrans (vaginal corona) to its list of official Swedish words following successful lobbying by a sexual rights group. In total, the council added 30 new words to its linguistic roster.

Government reported for English email use

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:02:00 +0200

The Swedish government has been reported to the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman (Justitieombudsman - JO) for using English email addresses.

Stockholm reported for using too much English

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:37:00 +0200

Stockholm city council has been reported to the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman (Justitieombudsman - JO) for its widespread use of the English language.

Swedish becomes official 'main language'

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:26:00 +0200

Swedish is now officially considered the main language in Sweden, according to a new language law which, along with more than two dozen other laws, took effect on Wednesday.