What language is spoken in Finland in our time

Let's try to find out what language they speak in Finland. Among the many languages that sound in this country, the leaders are Finnish, Swedish, and also Russian. At different historical stages the state languages of Finland changed. In what language do modern Finns speak? Together we will seek an answer to this question.

Features of municipalities

In monolingual municipalities only Finnish or only Swedish is used. For bilingual variants the main language is Finnish, a minority of the municipality speaks Swedish. A variant with an inverse relationship is also possible, that is, the Finnish language acts as a secondary mode of communication.

Pages of History

Finding out what language they speak in Finland, we turn to the history of the country. Until 1809, the only official language of Finland was Swedish. Until 1917, the Grand Duchy of Finland was part of the Russian Empire, so during this period three languages were used in the country: Finnish, Swedish, Russian. What was the main language in Finland at that time?

Russian used for office work, Finnish was at the development stage, and the Swedish language was losing ground. In Vyborg, the German language was also used.

Alexander 1 signed a decree in 1908 on the conduct of office work in Finland in Swedish. The emperor ordered the introduction of Russian into the schools. It must have been owned by all officials who enter the state, military service in this country.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, compulsory knowledge of the Russian language for officials was abolished.

What language is spoken in Finland since 1858? During this period, the first secondary school is created, in which the training is conducted in Finnish.

Since 1863 Helsingfors University has been giving lectures in Finnish. It was at this time that Finnish and Swedish were considered official in the country. There is an increase in the number of Finnish newspapers, Finnish-speaking culture is developing.

In 1892, the Finnish language was proclaimed as a state language in the country, and in 1922 Swedish was added to it. At the end of the twentieth century a special status arose in the Sami language. For example, all important decisions and decisions of the government, which are directly related to Saami issues, are necessarily translated into this language.

Modernity

What language is spoken in Finland these days? The overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of this country speak Finnish as their mother tongue. Approximately five percent of the population communicates in Swedish dialect, less than one percent consider the native language Russian.

Tatar, Karelian languages are used by approximately 1.8% of the population. About four thousand citizens of this northern country communicate in sign language Finnish.

Distinguishing characteristics of languages

Finding out what language they speak in Finland, we note that it is the Finnish language in the country recognized as official. Appearing in the nineteenth century, he formally is the main in the country.

Swedish is taught from the third class in six municipalities: Imatra, Tohmajärvi, Savonlinna, Puumala, Lappeenranta, Mikkeli. The Russian language is offered to students from the seventh grade, the instruction is conducted at the request of the children and their parents.

In modern Finland, three varieties of the Saami languages are common: Northern Sami, Inariasam, North Sami, and Kollt-Saami. In many kindergartens and educational institutions of the Saami district, the educational and educational process is conducted in the Sami language. Developed and special state programs aimed at preserving linguistic traditions, transferring them to the younger generation. The Constitution of the country has a special section, in which the rights of the Saami population are officially enshrined.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that currently spoken in several languages in Finland, there is a real threat of losing some of them. For example, only five and a half thousand Finns speak Finnish kalos. This language is used by Finnish gypsies (kale), who came to the country from Scotland.

About thirty thousand inhabitants of modern Finland communicate in the Karelian language. Researchers note a gradual tendency to increase their number, which is connected with the mass migration of Karelians to the territory of the country.

Rapidly growing and Russian-speaking minority in Finnish territory. The Russian language has become the third most common in Finland in the last few years. Currently, he does not have the official status of the state language, but about 65 thousand people in 2012 (based on statistical research) communicated in this Scandinavian country in Russian.