Santa ... I really wish that you wouldent promote our country the way you do. Denmark is a well kept secret and thats the way it should remain forever
and btw.. Klaus Rifbjerg sucks!
"No-one seems to mind that the term roligan is influenced by Swedish."Thats simply not true, and Klaus Rifbjerg clearly dont know a toejam about Danish soccer. I remember clearly when the term was inventet in 1982 (by a danish TV reporter), - I looked it up right now and got it confirmed in "Nudansk ordbog" (Dictionary of modern Danish).
There is a lot of European soccer history in the word "Roligan". In the early 80´ties the Danish national soccer team was finally beginning to win, since profesional soccer were permitted in Denmark in the 70´ties. When a huge fan-population emerged around the national team, we needed to get some distance to the image that the British soccer fans had at that time. They were called "hooligans" and were extremely violent and agressive, and got a lot of headlines at that time. The name "Roligan" was inventet by putting the word "rolig" which means "calm or easygoing" together with the last part of the word Hooligan. That way a nice danish famelyman could say he was a soccer fan without risking to be mixed up with the violent british fans.
Klaus Rifbjerg gets it wrong because the swedish meaning of the word "rolig" is "fun". Maybe the swedes has taken over the word, and they are very welcome
but the word is inventet in Denmark.
Another important Danish invention from that period is the Klaphat. 
I think it is used in all countries now, and is produced in every possible national colours. But in the early 80´ties it was only made in Danish coulours, and produced in a very high quality. - when you pull a string in the hat, the hands will clap.
Sorry I took your time folks just thought you should know that these fantasic and usefull inventions come from Denmark.
------------------
GrinBird
[This message has been edited by GrinBird (edited 03-01-2001).]
