Speak your language day (Puhu kieltäsi -päivä)Part 1 of 2 (read part 2 here)This happ

Speak your language day (Puhu kieltäsi -päivä)

Part 1 of 2 (read part 2 here)

This happens in Swemland, a country somewhere north of the nameless country where my story Something about us mostly takes place. Magnus (wearing the red beanie) is the reluctant crown prince of Swemland; he’d rather be a commoner or even a spare instead of the heir. Jonas (who we’ve seen in Alex’s flashbacks) is his friend and fourth cousin and one of the few who understand Magnus (and thus is not the best influence). Magnus is ~12 years older but not too mature so they come along well.

Jonas spends a lot time sailing on his trusty old ship (somehow he has managed to not get tan) and he has asked Magnus to come along. Usually Jonas sails with his partner Adrian but their relationship is quite open and they come and go as they please. They may spend weeks without even seeing to each other and now Adrian is… somewhere.

Swemland has two official languages: Swemlish (Swedish) and Fimmish (Finnish), and most citizens speak both fluently. Though Swemlish would be more natural to these guys, they speak Fimmish today :>

Transcript and translation under the cut

MAGNUS Hei oliko toi delfiini?
JONAS Ehkä joku pyöriäinen. Niitä on pyöriny täällä tänä kesänä.
MAGNUS Pyöriny… Hehe.

MAGNUS Kiitti että pyysit mut mukaan.
JONAS Sä näytit siltä että tarvitsit irtiottoa.
MAGNUS Hyvin huomattu.

Translation
Note that the Finnish I used is spoken language so the translation isn’t 100% literal

Jotakin meistä = Something about us

MAGNUS Hey was that a dolphin?
JONAS Maybe a porpoise of some kind. Quite many have turnep up this summer.
MAGNUS Turn… Hehe.*

(*this was difficult/impossible to translate. As you can see, the Finnish word for porpoise, ‘pyöriäinen’ has the verb ‘pyöriä‘, to spinorto turn, in it. The verb also means, like in this case, to hang around. So there have been porpoises hanging around. Pyöriäisiä on pyörinyt.)

MAGNUS Thanks for inviting me.
JONAS You looked like you needed a break.
MAGNUS Well spotted.