(edit title) What does Lagom really mean? Has anyone in this Swede bashing forum cracked it? Options

[Paddytheswede]

I have cruised around this forum for a while and it seems to consist of proper threads and Swede bashing threads. The Swede bashing threads all seem to attract the same wise guys.

You seem to know a lot about Sweden and the Swedes but I doubt you have cracked it yet. Try this one; what does lagom really mean?

[trumanshow]

I think its quite a simple word to define but as difficult to standardize as morality.

Lagom, as far as I understand having had it well explained to me means nothing more than 'not too good, not too bad, just right'. I think if you are Swedish and have grown up with this then you would have a better understanding of how to gauge the level that is lagom but I am sure it has changed over time and I am sure that one man's lagom is not another man's lagom. Lagom can be applied to many things - sugar in coffee, behavior, having a job, the size of your house, drinking ...'Lagom är bäst' - so they say. I quite like it as a concept although undoubtedly it is the cause of some of the spleen venting that occurs on these forums. Its pretty much 'everything in moderation, don't get too big for your boots, pull your socks up' all rolled into one word.

Lagom är pest.

[Svensksmith]

mediocrity

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

And then...there is Norrland lagom...where everything is described in superlatives!

'Love those regional differences

[Paddytheswede]

Trueman has got it, good.

Its hard to define beacuse its personal. The americans never seem to get it as they think it means average. It is very very far from average.

This is important, you can actually understand something without buying into it. If you don't like lagom, fine.

[Seamus Sean]

And the point of this thread is???

[JohanOutThere]

Aye, it's a tricky one.
A similar concept is "everything in moderation".

I think it stems from from the old ways when everyone would share a single beaker of mead/milk/whatnot.
You would then have to drink in moderation so that everyone would get a taste.

Lagom is is simply the amount that isn't too much and not too little.

[AW1]

http://www.lexiophiles.com/svenska/vad-lag...ntligen-betyder

[Paddytheswede]

The point is to see if any of these soo experienced Swede basher actually know what they are talking about.

Let me give a hint.

You can choose between three bolied eggs, boiled to your liking. One egg comes with no salt, the second egg comes with a cup of salt on it and the third egg comes with a pinch of salt according to your liking. If you are a normal sane person, which egg would you pick?

[byke]

Direct translation, and questioning how a word may be used in colourful and descriptive manner doesn't require such pedantry.

Words can be used in a subject of creative manners to paint a picture, very different from its absolute definition.

[CathySky]

Lagom = just right.

[Migga]

It`s said that the word Lagom comes from the time of the Vikings. When a group of Vikings sat down to eat they had a horn of mead that was passed around between them. For the mead to be enough for everyone one had to drink with moderation. The horn should last around the whole table, or as it`s said in swedish "räcka laget om". Laget om becomes lagom. So Lagom means moderation. It`s a good word to live by, one should have balance in life and never live in extreme.

[Seamus Sean]

The point is to see if any of these soo experienced Swede basher actually know what they are talking about.Let me give a hint.You can choose between three bolied eggs, boiled ... (show full quote)

The point is to see if any of these soo experienced Swede basher actually know what they are talking about.

Let me give a hint.

You can choose between three bolied eggs, boiled to your liking. One egg comes with no salt, the second egg comes with a cup of salt on it and the third egg comes with a pinch of salt according to your liking. If you are a normal sane person, which egg would you pick? ... (hide full quote)

So if you don´t know the meaning of "Lagom" lay of bashing the Swedes?

On the other hand if you have managed to understand and have had it explained to you around 10000 times by Swedes who are so proud they have a word that has no direct English translation then you can slag them off???

Or is it really to do with what eggs you should pick??

For the record I´d pick the one without salt...health reasons.

May I ask have you been at the Guinness over there on the emeralde isle by any chance??

[Hisingen]

[quote name='Seamus Sean' date='5.Jan.2013, 09:47 PM' post='784088'
- - -
May I ask have you been at the Guinness over there on the Emerald Isle by any chance??
[/quote]

Ah to be sure, 'tis the Liffy water that has got to him, which he should only be drinking in lagom quantities ! ! !

[jamesblish]

Balance, just enough to be tasteful.