~snickergrin!~

[home_and_away]

MARK: And we have new gunpowder...
JESS: Hello, gunpowder.
MARK: wiggles one canister of powder; in high pitch says Hello!

(A beat. JESS looks at other canister expectantly.)

MARK: What?
JESS: So's the lavender-capped one antisocial?
MARK: No, I just don't know how to say 'hello' in Finnish, see?

(MARK shows JESS the label, which reads "Manufactured in Finland".)

JESS: opens browser window and begins typing I'm willing to bet it sounds something vaguely like 'hej'.
MARK: from inside closet, where he is stowing powder canisters Hey?
JESS: 'Hej'. Swedish, if I remember aright. Not particularly informal. Just 'hello'.
MARK: Hm!

(JESS nods at screen and clicks mouse. A computer generated voice says 'Hei'.)

JESS: HAH! I was right!
MARK: eyes screen... Give it 'Vihtavouri', see what it says?

(JESS types. Computer generated voice speaks again. It isn't far removed from MARK's pronunciation. He smiles.)

MARK: Huh! Guess this thick tongue is good for something after all!
JESS: I could've told you that long ago.
MARK: Linguistically.
JESS: Oh.

<3

Comments

[morfeusz.livejournal.com]

It's a bit surprising it sounds like "Hej" though. Finnish is not in any way related to a Scandinavian, European or even Indo-European language!

[ladywind.livejournal.com]

~headtilt~ Truly? Now I don't feel so odd for having trouble learning Korpiklaani lyrics--there's nothing else for them to attach to in my head.

Possibly 'hei' is a remnant of Swedish rule?