“To that end, a group of five Swedish researchers are set to spend more than a week in Minnesota, a northerly mid-western state known to be a part of the heartland for Swedish-American communities, to conduct interview with anyone they can find who speaks Swedish.”
A week, compared to the years that Vilhelm Moberg lived in Chisago Lakes MN, Monterey CA and Laguna Beach CA, studying and writing?
And then went back to Sweden and killed himself.
One way the Swedish language changed on the North American continent was: Patronymic surnames were made more “American”
For example, “Andreasson” first became “Andersson” and then later “Anderson”
The earliest group from Sweden came in the 1600s.
The big emigration from Sweden to Minnesota began in the 1850s. Read Moberg.
My greatgrandmother came in 1861, age 8. To Chisago.
My great grandfather came in 1870, age 25.
To Pennsyvania (Philadephia area) and Delaware. Of course they changed their language within a couple of years because first they were conquered by the Dutch and then by the english. The English caused them all to change their names and naming system. That was a pretty big change.
That name thing is a killer for some children and grandchildren of immigrants.
After two trips to Sweden and 60 years of using the name “Johnson,” I still didn’t know whether my last name was really “Jonsson,” “Jönsson,” or “Johansson” until last year. My dad used to say, “we’re here now, our name is JOHNSON and that’s that.” That OLD immigrant attitude. You don’t hear that much anymore.
I got into a phone conversation with a first cousin from Seattle a few months ago and she said she knew the answer: “YOU are a Jonsson because you are on my mom’s side and Scanian but I am a Johansson with a dad from northern Sweden and a mom-—your dad’s sister-—from Scania.
Wow, the poor thing is a “Johnson” twice. Gets confusing. At least she knew the story. Every family needs a historian.
“For example, “Andreasson” first became “Andersson” and then later “Anderson””
- Are you sure? Andersson has since long been way more common than Andreasson over here.
On the other hand, some Swedish immigrants to America might well’ve been named Andreasson and then had their offspring ended up as good Andersons.
“My greatgrandmother came in 1861, age 8. To Chisago.
My great grandfather came in 1870, age 25.”
- Chisago? It truly is an honor talking to you over the Internet.
For many reasons.
I'm a 41 European. But that doesn't mean I'm unaware what a great nation Scandinavians and other Europeans took part in building across the partly promising, partly frightful and eternally dividing Atlantic Ocean a long time ago.
Let's speak “today”.
America should not be viewed as yet another colony of Europe.
Sooner and more rightfully, America ought to be considered as the most promising project of Humanity ever - however, it's a fragile one..
The Middle East peace processes have failed big time. China is all oppression and Russia is presently destroying itself by cheap alcohol.
The EU could compete with America.
But, even better, together we could rule over stupidity like that coming from Iran and North Korea etc.
However, I fear there exist far to little of common believes between Americans and European for this to happen.
But, perhaps, this could be altered?
Personally, as a European, I'll always lend an ear to how Americans view World matters.
- I don't love the US to 100%, but to 99% I find America very convincing!
A great deal of love from cold Scandinavia!
My grandfather grew up in Sweden as Karl Viktor Henriksson. When he came through Ellis Island, it was changed (by the immigration official?) to Charles Wiktor Henrickson.