Department of Slavic and Baltic Studies, Finnish, Dutch and German
Research by a recent PhD in German is mentioned in a language column in Dagens Nyheter
Anna Mammitzsch doctoral thesis is mentioned in Språkkrönikan in Dagens Nyheter on December 8th, 2024.
In his language column, Språkkrönikan, Anders Svensson discusses the recurring criticism faced by Queen Silvia, a native German speaker, regarding her Swedish pronunciation and language use, despite her many years in Sweden. Queen Silvia is often used as a benchmark for Germans learning Swedish, which can be both an advantage and a burden. Svensson highlights the difficulty of learning a new language as an adult.
Svensson references the research of our recent PhD, Anna Mammitzsch, who has studied the experiences of German migrants in Sweden and their experiences of learning Swedish. Mammitzsch emphasizes that while German migration to Sweden has a century-long history and relevance , Germans are a relatively invisible group in the migration debate. She demonstrates that although Germans often receive praise for their Swedish, their language skills are frequently compared to an idealized, accent-free standard. This creates pressure and sets an unattainable standard for migrants.
Anna Mammitzsch. Photo: Maria Moreno Rivas.
Mammitzsch's thesis points to the problematic nature of linguistic and cultural expectations placed on German immigrants, where language proficiency is used as a measure of integration. It reveals an invisible normativity that can create inequality, even among migrants with high social status such as Germans in Sweden.
