Let's try to find out what language is spoken in Finland. Among the many languages that sound in this country, the leaders are Finnish, Swedish, as well as Russian. At different historical stages, the official languages of Finland changed. 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 options, Finnish is considered the main language; 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 way of communication.
Pages of history
Finding out what language is spoken in Finland, we turn to the history of the country. Until 1809, Swedish was the only official language in Finland. 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 was used for office work, Finnish was at a development stage, and Swedish was losing ground. In Vyborg, German was also used.
Alexander 1 signed a decree in 1908 on record keeping in Finland in Swedish. The emperor ordered the introduction of Russian into schools. All officials entering the state and military service in this country should have owned it.
In the mid-nineteenth century, mandatory knowledge of the Russian language for officials was abolished.
What language is spoken in Finland since 1858? During this period, the first high school is created, in which instruction in the Finnish language is carried out .
Since 1863, the University of Helsingfour has been lecturing in Finnish. It was at this time that Finnish and Swedish were considered official in the country. An increase in the number of Finnish newspapers is observed, and a Finnish-language culture is developing.
In 1892, the country proclaimed Finnish as the state language, and in 1922, Swedish was added to it. At the end of the twentieth century, a special status appears in the Sami language. For example, all important decisions and government decisions that are directly related to Sami issues are necessarily translated into this language.
Modernity
What language is spoken in Finland today? For the vast majority of the inhabitants of this country, Finnish is the mother tongue. About five percent of the population speaks the Swedish dialect, less than one percent consider Russian their mother tongue.
Tatar, Karelian languages are used by approximately 1.8% of the population. About four thousand citizens of this northern country communicate in sign Finnish.
Distinctive characteristics of languages
Finding out what language is spoken in Finland, we note that it is Finnish that is recognized as the official language in the country. Having appeared in the nineteenth century, it is formally the main thing in the country.
Swedish is taught from the third grade in six municipalities: Imatra, Tohmajärvi, Savonlinna, Puumala, Lappeenranta, Mikkeli. Russian language is offered to students from the seventh grade, training is carried out at the request of children and their parents.
In modern Finland, three varieties of the Sami languages are widespread : Northern Sami, Inarisamian, Northern Sami, Colt-Sami. In many kindergartens and educational institutions of the Sami region, the educational and educational process is carried out in the Sami language. Special state programs have also been developed aimed at preserving linguistic traditions and passing them on to the younger generation. The country's Constitution has a special section in which the rights of the Sami population are officially fixed.
Conclusion
Although several languages are currently spoken in Finland, there is a real risk of losing some of them. For example, only five and a half thousand Finns speak Finnish kalo. 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 upward trend in their number, which is associated with the mass migration of Karelians to the country.
The Russian-speaking minority in Finnish territory is growing rapidly. The Russian language has become the third most prevalent language in Finland in recent years. Currently, it does not have an official status of the state language, but about 65 thousand people in 2012 (according to the results of statistical studies) communicated in this Scandinavian country in Russian.