Character Development: Mikkel

[Fimbulvarg]

Do they? I don't recall we have actually seen them talk together.

They speak Danish and Norwegian respectively. If this comic is representing Scandinavian language relationships accurately they would have few problems understanding the other's mother tongue. Danish is less intelligible to Norwegians than Swedish, but still perfectly understandable (in fact we have several Danish lecturers at my University).

It will be more clear when the language info sheet is released.

[Hrollo]

Oh, my assumption was Norwegian speakers had as many difficulty understanding Dannish as Swedish speaker do (and are indeed shown to in the comic, since Tuuri apparen't can't understand even a simple greating in Dannish).

But I guess that, yeah, Norwegian and Dannish are closer?

In that case, let's revise this:

Tuuri can understand and be understood by everyone.
Lalli can only understand and be understood by Tuuri.
Emil can understand Sigrun and Tuuri and be understood by by Sigrun, Mikkel and Tuuri.
Sigrun can understand and be understood by Emil, Mikkel and Tuuri.
Mikkel can understand Emil, Sigrun and Tuuri, but only be understood by Sigrun and Tuuri.

[ThisCat]

Okay, to be honest it just depends a lot on the people in question when it comes to danish. Some danes are better at making themselves understood and some norwegians (and probably swedes) find it easier to understand danish. It's hard to generalise.

[Fimbulvarg]

Oh, my assumption was Norwegian speakers had as many difficulty understanding Dannish as Swedish speaker do (and are indeed shown to in the comic, since Tuuri apparen't can't understand even a simple greating in Dannish).

But I guess that, yeah, Norwegian and Dannish are closer?

In that case, let's revise this:

Tuuri can understand and be understood by everyone.
Lalli can only understand and be understood by Tuuri.
Emil can understand Sigrun and Tuuri and be understood by by Sigrun, Mikkel and Tuuri.
Sigrun can understand and be understood by Emil, Mikkel and Tuuri.
Mikkel can understand Emil, Sigrun and Tuuri, but only be understood by Sigrun and Tuuri.

If you are referring to Emil's assertion about the incomprehensibility of Danish then keep in mind that Emil is defined by being arrogant and uncooperative. A little goodwill and cooperativeness helps a lot.

Tuuri speaks Swedish as a second language. I've heard that people who learn a Scandinavian second language have a much harder time dealing with the other two languages than people who've grown up speaking a Scandinavian language.

[BrainBlow]

Norwegian speakers are generally given pause by a Dane speaking freely, but it mostly is a case of "getting used to" there. I remember Norwegian Cartoon Network airing Danish-dubbed commercials for kids products and such.
I was generally able to understand it even as a kid, but a thick accent(like the Bornholm accent apparently is) would basically be incomprehensible to the untrained ear.

There's also the possibility of Norwegians not being quite so good at understanding other languages in year 90 because Norwegian itself has basically lost 90% of its linguistic diversity.
Current-day Norwegians are generally used to being exposed to a wide variety of thick accents, but year 90 Norwegians may not be.

[Solovei]

Because I have no discipline, I spent an hour making this instead of doing productive things like working and stuff.
But, it might be useful? Info taken from Rollo's post and then revised after the other replies...

[Sunflower]

Because I have no discipline, I spent an hour making this instead of doing productive things like working and stuff.
But, it might be useful? Info taken from Rollo's post and then revised after the other replies...

This is terrific!  Pictures really do help clarify!  But would it be possible for you to shrink the graphic a little?  I'm having to scroll nearly 1/3 its width on my antique little Mac screen.

[Solovei]

This is terrific!  Pictures really do help clarify!  But would it be possible for you to shrink the graphic a little?  I'm having to scroll nearly 1/3 its width on my antique little Mac screen.

I edited my post, it should be smaller now!

[FrogEater]

A good sketch is word a thousand words, right ? This one is VERY good !

[Fimbulvarg]

Sigrun and Mikkel can be seen conversing in today's page so I suppose that settles the question.

Because I have no discipline, I spent an hour making this instead of doing productive things like working and stuff.
But, it might be useful? Info taken from Rollo's post and then revised after the other replies...

Great work. It really puts things into perspective. So what we have is a quartet of understanding in the middle (Emil, Sigrun, Tuuri and Mikkel) with Lalli and possibly Braidy as outliers. So much for Icelandic being the next world language of communication. This only concerns ability to communicate though; Tuuri won't be able to listen in on Mikkel if he converses with the other two Scandinavians.

[JoB]

...Because I think we can now give up any hopes of Sigrun filling the parental role.

Dunno, she sure got the RPM for a helicopter mom.

[Richard Weir]

A further thought about Mikkel: He's the guy who apparently has read up on the rest of the team - and Sigrun hasn't!

SO: he exhibits care, forethought and attention to detail. I like that in a medic!

[Fimbulvarg]

A further thought about Mikkel: He's the guy who apparently has read up on the rest of the team - and Sigrun hasn't!

SO: he exhibits care, forethought and attention to detail. I like that in a medic!

Well ... She clearly knew Lalli was the mage, so she must have some sort of overview. It's the attention to detail that is lacking.

[Nimphy]

A further thought about Mikkel: He's the guy who apparently has read up on the rest of the team - and Sigrun hasn't!

SO: he exhibits care, forethought and attention to detail. I like that in a medic!

He reminds me of a bear (if talking about appearance). He's analyzing the prey!

Or he's a care bear.

On a serious side, yes, I noticed that too. Mikkel seems to have read the others' profiles and paid attention, enough to remember Lalli's language abilities. I wonder if Sigrun read them at all (she knew Lalli was a mage, but she might have been told by Trond, or just glanced at the file to know each member's abilities.

[Richard Weir]

Or, indeed, Sigrun might have recognised Lalli's uniform?