Why Swedish in Finland?

Transcription

1 Why Swedish in Finland?

2 Why do we speak Swedish in Finland? Finland belonged to Sweden until 1809 when it became an autonomous part of the Russian empire after being a part of Sweden for 650 years Swedish remained the language of administration throughout the first half of 19th century 1863 Finnish was recognised as an official language according to the Constitution of 1919 both Finnish and Swedish are the national languages 2

3 Who speaks Swedish in Finland? Swedish is spoken by a small minority: approximately Finland-Swedes = Swedish-speaking Finns, i.e. 5,6 % of the population the proportion has been diminishing since the early 19th century, when Swedish was the mother tongue of 15 % of the population a sizeable portion of the Finnish population is bilingual 3

4 The Swedish-speaking population of Finland Year Finland Swedes % , % , % , % , % , % , % , % % % % % % 4

5 Where can you use Swedish? Most Finland-Swedes live in the coastal areas (closest to Sweden) because of a great amount of Swedish settlers to these areas during the 12 th and 13 th centuries: a) Ostrobothnia/Pohjanmaa (52 % of the population speak Swedish as their mother tongue) b) Åland Islands/Ahvenanmaa (entirely Swedish-speaking, approximately inhabitants, self-governance) c) South-West Finland d) Nyland/Uusimaa in southern Finland 5

6 Ostrobothnia/Pohjanmaa Åland/Ahvenanmaa South-West Finland Nyland/Uusimaa 6

7 The Swedish Language in Finland The majority of Finland Swedes speak a regional variety of the standard Swedish language, about % of the Finland Swedish population uses nonstandard Swedish (dialects) in the everyday life. Finland Swedes follow the same norms for spelling and writing as in Sweden. 7

8 Differences between Finland- Swedish and Swedish in Sweden Pronunciation In written language some differences in vocabulary (0,5-1 %) finnicisms Semla Fralla 8

9 AS A FINLAND-SWEDE IN A BILINGUAL MUNICIPALITY ONE CAN attend a Swedish kindergarten and pre-school with a teacher who speaks Swedish continue onto a school where Swedish is the medium of instruction over 300 Swedish comprehensive schools for children between 7 and 15 also secondary schools, vocational institutes etc. Study in Swedish at a university 9

10 In a bilingual town/municipality the minority has the right to expect services (education, information, medical/legal help etc.) in its own language. All the documents, signs, forms, brochures etc. have to be available and on display in both languages. Language skills in both Finnish and Swedish are required in public sector jobs. 10

11 The press, radio and television The number of daily newspapers for the Swedish minority in Finland is probably higher than for any other language minority in the world. 11

12 Vaasa/Vasa inhabitants; 72 % speak Finnish, 24 % Swedish and 4 % other languages. People from more than 100 different countries. Every third person you meet in the street is a student or school pupil, every fifth person studies at one of the universities. Nordic leader in energy technology, 120 companies in the energy industry. Unique Kvarken Unesco World Heritage area. 12

13 Units of higher education in Vaasa University of Vaasa Åbo Akademi University Hanken School of Economics Novia University of Applied Sciences Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu, University of Applied Sciences University of Helsinki, Vaasa Unit of Legal Studies More than students. 13

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17 Finland-Swedish traditions and customs The crayfish party (In August and September) Saint Lucy s day/ Lucia (December 13) Finnish-Swedish drinking songs 17

18 Korsnäsbor lyckligast i Finland Vasabladet Så här placerar sig de österbottniska kommunerna Talko - a group of people gathering to work together unpaid 1. Korsnäs 3. Vörå 5. Närpes 7.Larsmo 9. Malax 13. Korsholm 16. Kristinestad 17. Kronoby 22. Pedersöre 31. Nykarleby 44. Kaskö 127. Vasa 237. Jakobstad 18

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20 Tove Jansson author Moomintrolls 20

21 SVENSKA DAGEN SWEDISH DAY is celebrated on 6th of November every year symbolizes the right for Swedish-speaking Finns to use their mother tongue freely an occasion for celebrating Finland as a bilingual nation a grand party is arranged (often in one of the biggest cities) along with numerous local parties was first celebrated in

22 Do you want to learn Swedish at Hanken? Swedish as a Foreign Language I, 3 sp Beginner s course in Swedish Each one teach one, 2 sp Two native speakers of different languages, one of them Swedish, meet informally to learn each other's language 22