> Where do you, and do people in general, seem to find the boundary between their native language and English in their daily interactions?
* If I speak to other Norwegians, I will speak Norwegian. Always. I make a conscious effort to keep the language free of any [recent] loan words.
* If I speak to Swedes or Danes, I will speak Norwegian. If I see they're having trouble following, I will speak slower and tone down my dialect. I will not switch to Swedish or to English. I understand them – they better do the effort of understanding me. (That's the 500 years as a colony kicking in. :)
* If I speak to a non-Scandinavian foreigner who doesn't understand or speak Norwegian, I instantly switch to English.
* If I speak to ten Scandinavians and one non-Scandinavian, I will instantly switch to English.
* If I speak to someone who has been in Norway long enough to understand the language but not long enough to be comfortable speaking it, I will speak Norwegian. I don't mind if he speaks English, but I'll stick to Norwegian if he actually understands it.
* If I speak to someone who doesn't really speak much Norwegian but tries hard to, I'll answer in Norwegian first – but usually switch to English when I see they're struggling.
All of the above apply within my own country. Abroad, I will try to speak the local language if I can. If not, I will ask, in the local language, if they speak English and then switch. If I'm spoken to in English, I will respond in English.
>If I speak to someone who doesn't really speak much Norwegian but tries hard to, I'll answer in Norwegian first – but usually switch to English when I see they're struggling.
I'm Norwegian, and had a neighbor from England. He said that it is hard to learn Norwegian because we tend to switch to English when talking to him. We often started the conversations in Norwegian, but (too) quickly moved to English.
In my experience as a foreigner in Scandinavia, Swedes are way way faster to switch to English, many do it almost as soon as I make a small mistake, whereas Norwegians are much more tolerant and will keep up unless I switch myself.
* If I speak to other Norwegians, I will speak Norwegian. Always. I make a conscious effort to keep the language free of any [recent] loan words.
* If I speak to Swedes or Danes, I will speak Norwegian. If I see they're having trouble following, I will speak slower and tone down my dialect. I will not switch to Swedish or to English. I understand them – they better do the effort of understanding me. (That's the 500 years as a colony kicking in. :)
* If I speak to a non-Scandinavian foreigner who doesn't understand or speak Norwegian, I instantly switch to English.
* If I speak to ten Scandinavians and one non-Scandinavian, I will instantly switch to English.
* If I speak to someone who has been in Norway long enough to understand the language but not long enough to be comfortable speaking it, I will speak Norwegian. I don't mind if he speaks English, but I'll stick to Norwegian if he actually understands it.
* If I speak to someone who doesn't really speak much Norwegian but tries hard to, I'll answer in Norwegian first – but usually switch to English when I see they're struggling.
All of the above apply within my own country. Abroad, I will try to speak the local language if I can. If not, I will ask, in the local language, if they speak English and then switch. If I'm spoken to in English, I will respond in English.