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Survey on Swedish Language Among Foreign-Language Community in Finland

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Survey on Swedish Language Among Foreign-Language Community in Finland SURVEY ON SWEDISH LANGUAGE AMONG FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY IN FINLAND ● Helsinki Times newspaper and SixDegrees monthly conducted a survey among the foreign-language community in Finland about their perception, knowledge, skills and attitude towards the Swedish language. ● The survey form was published in SixDegrees issue 3/2009, Helsinki Times issue 13/2009 and on the Helsinki Times website. ● Only those whose mother tongue is other than Finnish or Swedish qualified for the study. RESPONDENTS ● A total of 510 people answered the survey. ● 61% of the respondents are men and 39% women. ● The respondents represent 79 nationalities and 71 languages as their mother tongue. ● 90% of the respondents speak at least one language fluently in addition to their own mother tongue. BIGGEST GROUPS ● The biggest nationality groups: Germany 7.8%, the UK 6.7%, the US 6.1%, China 6.1%, India 5.7%, Nepal 4.5% and Russia 4.5%. ● The biggest mother-tongue language groups: English 22.4%, German 8.8%, Chinese 5.9%, Spanish 5.1%, Russian 4.9%, Nepali 4.3% and French 4.1%. RESPONDENTS' NATIONALITIES ● Australia, Austria ● Kenya, Kuwait ● Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, ● Latvia, Lithuania Bulgaria ● Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, ● Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Morocco Congo, Czech Republic ● Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, ● Denmark ● Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, ● Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia Puerto Rico ● Finland, France, ● Romania, Russia, Rwanda ● Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, ● Serbia, Slovakia, Somalia, South Africa, Gambia South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland ● Hong Kong, Hungary ● Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkey ● India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy ● UK, Ukraine, USA ● Japan, Jordan ● Venezuela, Vietnam ● Zambia RESPONDENTS' MOTHER TONGUES ● Afrikaans, Amaharic, Arabic ● Labo, Latvian, Lithuanian, Luo ● Bakwerie, Bangla, Basque, Bayangi, ● Malayalam, Mandinka, Mari, Mongolian Belarussian, Bemba, Bengali, Bulgarian ● Nepali, Norwegian ● Cantonese, Catalan, Chinese, Czech ● Oriya ● Danish, Dutch ● Persian, Polish, Portuguese ● English, Estonian, Ewe ● Romanian, Russian ● Filipino, Flemish, French ● Serbian, Sinhala, Slovak, Somali, Spanish, ● German, Gikuyu, Greek, Gujarati Swahili ● Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian ● Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, Turkish ● Igbo, Ilonggo, Indonesian, Italian, Itangikom ● Uighur, Urdu ● Japanese ● Vietnamese ● Kannada, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Kurdish ● Yoruba RESPONDENTS ● 69% of the respondents live AGE GROUPS in the Helsinki 2,50% Metropolitan Area, 5% in 6,80% Turku and 5% in Tampere 11,20% ● The biggest age group is 20–29-year-olds by 47.8%. 47,50% 20–39-year-olds make up almost 80% of the 32,00% respondents. Under 20 20-29 30-39 40-49 0ver 40 RESPONDENTS ● Almost 62% of the MARITAL STATUS respondents are either married or cohabiting. 3,60% ● 18.4% are single. 43,50% 34,50% ● The 3.6% listed as other are in a relationship/engaged, but living apart, divorced or are widow/ers. 18,40% Married Cohabiting Single Other RESPONDENTS ● 64.5% of the respondents EDUCATION have an university degree. 10,80% 4,90% ● 84.3% have completed higher education in either a 19,80% university, college or polytechnic. 64,50% High School Polytechnic / College University degree Other REASON TO BE HERE ● 32.2% of the respondents say that they are in Finland WHY IN FINLAND? for personal reasons. 11,70% ● 31.4% came to work and 32,20% 24.7% to study. 24,70% ● 1.8% came for refuge (listed in other reasons). ● The other reasons that 31,40% Personal respondents listed were also reason Work personal e.g. spouses work, Study Other / to be with family. Various WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ● Almost 45% of the CURRENTLY respondents are working 5,60% full time. 10,40% ● 27.5% are students. 44,90% ● The 5.6% listed as other are 27,50% e.g. on maternity leave, stay-at-home mothers or 7,10% 4,50% retired pensioners. Full-time job Part-time job Self-employed Student Unemployed Other HOW LONG? ● Over 71% of the HOW LONG IN FINLAND? respondents have stayed in Finland less than five years. 9,80% 23,00% ● The amount of those who 18,90% have lived in Finland over five years is a bit under 29%. 21,70% 26,60% less than 1 yr 1-2 yrs 2-4 yrs 5-10 yrs more than 10 yrs PUHUTKO SUOMEA? ● 57.5% of the respondents LEVEL OF FINNISH say that their level of 9,40% Finnish language is poor or 6,10% 10,20% that they don't know any Finnish. ● Only 16.3% estimate their 26,20% level of Finnish to be good 48,10% or excellent. Don't know any Poor Medium Good Excellent WHAT DOES THE FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT SWEDISH IN FINLAND? ● The majority of respondents answered correctly to questions related to the history and status of the Swedish language in Finnish society. 81% knew that there was more than one official language before they moved to Finland. 79.5% knew or guessed that the amount of Swedish- speaking population is 6% (multiple choice: 2%, 6%, 15% or 40%). 74% knew or guessed that Finland was a part of Sweden until 1809 (multiple choice: 1500, 1809, 1880 or 1917). WHAT DOES THE FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT SWEDISH IN FINLAND? ● The majority of respondents answered correctly to questions related to the history and status of the Swedish language in Finnish society. 82% knew that one can complete comprehensive school and study in Swedish. 87% knew that there are Swedish-language newspapers and broadcasting in Finland. WHAT DOES THE FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT SWEDISH IN FINLAND? ● 47% of the respondents HAVE YOU SUFFICIENT don't think that they have KNOWLEDGE OF sufficient knowledge about THE SWEDISH LANGUAGE? the Swedish-language 24,60% culture in Finland. 47,20% ● 47% agree or strongly agree with the claim that the Swedish language is an 28,20% essential part of Finnish Yes Not sure society. 29% weren't sure. No FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY AND SWEDISH-LANGUAGE CULTURE IN FINLAND ● 76.5% of the respondents WHY GET INVOLVED? have some familiarity with the Swedish-speaking 9,00% community through their 12,70% studies, family and friends or through general 48,50% information. ● The main reasons to get 29,80% involved with the Swedish- Social con- tacts speaking community are Business Swedish social contacts and business. language Other THE SWEDISH-LANGUAGE AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY IN FINLAND ● 89.4% of the respondents LEVEL OF SWEDISH estimate that their level of Swedish to be poor or they 5,80% don't know any Swedish. 4,80% ● 4.3% say their level of Swedish is good and only 24,40% 1.5% estimate their level of Swedish to be excellent. 65,00% Don't know any Poor Medium Good / Excel- lent THE SWEDISH-LANGUAGE AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY IN FINLAND ● 55.4% would definitely or WOULD YOU LIKE probably like to learn TO LEARN SWEDISH? Swedish. 11,70% 6,90% ● 67% would be ready to learn Swedish if it helped them 22,00% with their career. 26,00% ● 16.3% say that they have already learnt some Swedish Definitely not Not sure Probably in Finland. 33,40% Definitely Already speaks it THE SWEDISH-LANGUAGE AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY IN FINLAND ● A profile of the respondent who is most likely to be definitely or probably interested in learning Swedish: Student (72%*) or self-employed (79%*) Young adult of 20–29 years old or under (64%*) Has lived in Finland 2–4 years (62%*) Has mediocre Finnish skills (58,5%*) (* percentage out of all belonging to the same respondent group) THE SWEDISH-LANGUAGE AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY IN FINLAND ● Out of the seven biggest nationality groups, the Chinese (62.5%*), Indian (68.9%*), Russian (74%*) and Nepalese (82.5%*) were most interested in learning Swedish. ● There was no significant difference in the answers between men and women; over 55%* of both female and respondents would definitely or probably like to learn Swedish. (* percentage out of all belonging to the same respondent group) THE SWEDISH-LANGUAGE AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY IN FINLAND ● Respondents' comments on why they would like to learn the Swedish language: “Because it is an essential part of society and Swedish is an official language here in Finland.” (male from Netherlands) “In order to move to a Swedish-speaking area or to Sweden.” (male from France) “Job opportunities.” (female from Nigeria) “Official language that is definitely easier than Finnish.” (female from Russia) “Part of good education.” (female from Czech Republic) THE SWEDISH-LANGUAGE AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY IN FINLAND ● 70% of the respondents WOULD YOU LIKE TO STUDY agree or strongly agree with IN SWEDISH? the claim that it would be easier for them to learn 16,50% Swedish than Finnish 38,90% ● 43.5% would consider doing their studies in Swedish, at 27,00% least if it helped them with No Not sure their career. 17,60% Yes, if it helps with business Yes THE SWEDISH-LANGUAGE AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE COMMUNITY IN FINLAND ● The foreign-language OPTION OF SWEDISH community were hesitant at LANGUAGE DAY CARE the thought of putting their children in a 18,20% Swedish-language 33,60% kindergarten, but still 66.5% would consider it. 48,20% No Maybe Absolutely.
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