[Peakcrew]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Not sure about the usage in Europe but in Canada, you can find almost any foods served buffet style described as a smörgåsbord (though without the diacriticals ).

I think that's a reasonable comment. I don't think it is quite as common here in Europe as perhaps in the US, and I suspect it is one of those words you would only ever see written, not heard spoken (perhaps because no-one except a Nordic speaker knows how to pronounce it!)

As one quote about the English language goes:

"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."

I love that quote! It always seems to me that countries that try to control their language (such as the French) have a very odd world-view. Language is for communication, and, no matter how irritating some of its uses are, it does, and indeed should, evolve. If there is a better word in a different language, why not use it? As an aside, does the French Academy have a problem with "wiki"? - if I recall, it is an Hawaiian word. (Just in case this comes across as anti-French, it isn't - I'd happily move there tomorrow. However, the desire of some of their elite to keep the language "pure" just seems very odd.)[/QUOTE]

Oddly, a couple of online translators translated roggebrood to rye bread. Is that a light rye, dark rye, Russian rye or Winnipeg rye?

I'm not sure of the differences there, but what I know as rye bread from my wife's preferences (being from the European mainland herself) is something the colour of the Space Shuttle's ablative tiles, the texture and smell of lino, and the taste of the mash left over from brewing. It takes about a month to chew a mouthful, and you really ought to be able to blow bubbles with it.

I'm not a fan.