Language and Politics in Finland
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Germanic Origins from the Perspective of the Y-Chromosome
Germanic Origins from the Perspective of the Y-Chromosome By Michael Robert St. Clair A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy in German in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Irmengard Rauch, Chair Thomas F. Shannon Montgomery Slatkin Spring 2012 Abstract Germanic Origins from the Perspective of the Y-Chromosome by Michael Robert St. Clair Doctor of Philosophy in German University of California, Berkeley Irmengard Rauch, Chair This dissertation holds that genetic data are a useful tool for evaluating contemporary models of Germanic origins. The Germanic languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and include among their major contemporary representatives English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Icelandic. Historically, the search for Germanic origins has sought to determine where the Germanic languages evolved, and why the Germanic languages are similar to and different from other European languages. Both archaeological and linguist approaches have been employed in this research direction. The linguistic approach to Germanic origins is split among those who favor the Stammbaum theory and those favoring language contact theory. Stammbaum theory posits that Proto-Germanic separated from an ancestral Indo-European parent language. This theoretical approach accounts for similarities between Germanic and other Indo- European languages by posting a period of mutual development. Germanic innovations, on the other hand, occurred in isolation after separation from the parent language. Language contact theory posits that Proto-Germanic was the product of language convergence and this convergence explains features that Germanic shares with other Indo-European languages. -
Finnish University Intelligentsia and Its German Idealism Tradition
1 INTELLECTUALS AND THE STATE: FINNISH UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENTSIA AND ITS GERMAN IDEALISM TRADITION Jukka Kortti, Adjunct Professor (Docent) University of Helsinki, Department of Political and Economic Studies, Section of Social Science History [email protected] Article (Accepted version) Post-print (ie final draft post-refereeing) Original citation: JUKKA KORTTI (2014). INTELLECTUALS AND THE STATE: THE FINNISH UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENTSIA AND THE GERMAN IDEALIST TRADITION Modern Intellectual History, 11, pp 359-384 doi:10.1017/S1479244314000055 2 Abstract INTELLECTUALS AND THE STATE: FINNISH UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENTSIA AND ITS GERMAN IDEALISM TRADITION The article examines the making of the Finnish intelligentsia and its relation to the state and the nation. The problem is analysed primarily from the perspective of student activism in the twentieth century. The development is viewed in the context of nationalism, (cultural) modernism, and radicalism in the development of the public sphere. The main source consists of the research findings of the student magazine Ylioppilaslehti (Student Magazine), which is not just “any student paper,” but a Finnish institution that has seen most of Finland’s cultural and political elite pass through its editorial staff in the twentieth century. The article demonstrates the importance of German idealism, as theorised by the Finnish statesman and philosopher J.W. Snellman, and its vital role in the activities of the Finnish university intelligentsia well into the 21st century. 3 INTELLECTUALS AND THE STATE: FINNISH UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENTSIA AND ITS GERMAN IDEALISM TRADITION INTRODUCTION In 2013, there has been quite a fuss around Finnish philosopher Pekka Himanen in the Finnish public sphere. Himanen is internationally known as the researcher of the information age – together with Spanish sociologist Manuel Castells, for instance. -
Struggle for Diversity of Languages in a Harmonising European Context: New Tasks for Teacher Education
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 442 773 SP 039 301 AUTHOR Buchberger, Irina TITLE Struggle for Diversity of Languages in a Harmonising European Context: New Tasks for Teacher Education. PUB DATE 2000-04-00 NOTE 15p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (New Orleans, LA, April 24-28, 2000) . PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Speeches/Meeting Papers (150) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Bilingual Education; Educational Policy; Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Immersion Programs; *Multilingualism; Preservice Teacher Education; *Second Language Learning IDENTIFIERS Europe; European Union; Finland; *Language Diversity; Nordic Countries; Sweden ABSTRACT Education policies of the European Commission and the Council of Europe stress the importance of cultural and language diversity. A white book by the European Commission on education and training recommends that every European citizen be able to communicate in at least 3 of the 12 officially recognized languages of the European Union by the end of high school. Simultaneously, there has been a major move toward using English within the 15 member states of the European Union. Against this backdrop, mother tongue teaching and learning as well as foreign language teaching/studying/learning are confronted with many new situations. Teacher education must provide the ability for prospective teachers to acquire the professional competence necessary to deal proactively with this phenomenon. This paper uses Finland and Sweden as examples of developments within the European Union, presenting various solutions in teacher education which have been adopted in these Nordic countries. Solutions include teaching more foreign languages and teaching them earlier; providing immersion programs; providing bilingual education; and teaching old minority languages as new school subjects. -
Language Legislation and Identity in Finland Fennoswedes, the Saami and Signers in Finland’S Society
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Helsingin yliopiston digitaalinen arkisto UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI Language Legislation and Identity in Finland Fennoswedes, the Saami and Signers in Finland’s Society Anna Hirvonen 24.4.2017 University of Helsinki Faculty of Law Public International Law Master’s Thesis Advisor: Sahib Singh April 2017 Tiedekunta/Osasto Fakultet/Sektion – Faculty Laitos/Institution– Department Oikeustieteellinen Helsingin yliopisto Tekijä/Författare – Author Anna Inkeri Hirvonen Työn nimi / Arbetets titel – Title Language Legislation and Identity in Finland: Fennoswedes, the Saami and Signers in Finland’s Society Oppiaine /Läroämne – Subject Public International Law Työn laji/Arbetets art – Level Aika/Datum – Month and year Sivumäärä/ Sidoantal – Number of pages Pro-Gradu Huhtikuu 2017 74 Tiivistelmä/Referat – Abstract Finland is known for its language legislation which deals with the right to use one’s own language in courts and with public officials. In order to examine just how well the right to use one’s own language actually manifests in Finnish society, I examined the developments of language related rights internationally and in Europe and how those developments manifested in Finland. I also went over Finland’s linguistic history, seeing the developments that have lead us to today when Finland has three separate language act to deal with three different language situations. I analyzed the relevant legislations and by examining the latest language barometer studies, I wanted to find out what the real situation of these language and their identities are. I was also interested in the overall linguistic situation in Finland, which is affected by rising xenophobia and the issues surrounding the ILO 169. -
Eastern Finno-Ugrian Cooperation and Foreign Relations
UC Irvine UC Irvine Previously Published Works Title Eastern Finno-Ugrian cooperation and foreign relations Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4gc7x938 Journal Nationalities Papers, 29(1) ISSN 0090-5992 Author Taagepera, R Publication Date 2001-04-24 DOI 10.1080/00905990120036457 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Nationalities Papers, Vol. 29, No. 1, 2001 EASTERN FINNO-UGRIAN COOPERATION AND FOREIGN RELATIONS Rein Taagepera Britons and Iranians do not wax poetic when they discover that “one, two, three” sound vaguely similar in English and Persian. Finns and Hungarians at times do. When I speak of “Finno-Ugrian cooperation,” I am referring to a linguistic label that joins peoples whose languages are so distantly related that in most world contexts it would evoke no feelings of kinship.1 Similarities in folk culture may largely boil down to worldwide commonalities in peasant cultures at comparable technological stages. The racial features of Estonians and Mari may be quite disparate. Limited mutual intelligibility occurs only within the Finnic group in the narrow sense (Finns, Karelians, Vepsians, Estonians), the Permic group (Udmurts and Komi), and the Mordvin group (Moksha and Erzia). Yet, despite this almost abstract foundation, the existence of a feeling of kinship is very real. Myths may have no basis in fact, but belief in myths does occur. Before denigrating the beliefs of indigenous and recently modernized peoples as nineteenth-century relics, the observer might ask whether the maintenance of these beliefs might serve some functional twenty-first-century purpose. The underlying rationale for the Finno-Ugrian kinship beliefs has been a shared feeling of isolation among Indo-European and Turkic populations. -
Finnish Society Course
Finnish society course Finnish society Finland is located in Europe on the northern hemisphere of the globe. Finland is one of the Nordic countries. The others are Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Finland shares a border with three neighbouring countries: Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east. Finland’s population is about 5.5 million and the surface area is around 338,500 square km. The population density in Fin- land is one of lowest in Europe. Finland has many forests and lakes: up to 75% of the surface area is forest and 10% water. Suomi Venäjä The official languages of Finland are Finnish, Swedish and Sámi. 4.8 million Finnish people speak Finnish as their mother tongue, 280,000 speak Swedish, and 1,900 speak Sámi. Oth- Norja er large language groups are Russian (79,000) and Estonian Ruotsi speakers (49,000). Everyone in Finland has the right to speak Viro their own language and enjoy their culture. About 69% of Finnish people belong to the Evangelic-Lu- theran church and 1,1% to the Orthodox Church. 1.7% have other religions. About 29% of the population do not belong to any religion. Freedom of religion is respected in Finland, and everyone can follow whichever religion they choose, or none. The right to follow a religion is safeguarded under the Constitution of Finland. Finnish society course - Finnish society - 2/2021 - englanti 2 History The state People have lived in Finland for more than 9,000 years. Dur- Finland is a republic headed by the President. -
Liminal Periods in the Udmurt Ritual Year
AADO LINTROP Estonian Folklore Archives, Tartu Liminal Periods in the Udmurt Ritual Year In our cultural space we usually imagine our lifetime as a journey. Wayfarer or pilgrim is common metaphor for us as travellers on the road of life. We have several stages or parts on our way and many mental milestones and turns for marking and separating them. Actually we can say that linear time of human life is also structured by the cyclic rhythms of year and day. These contain for us periods of different significance. Holy periods There are interim periods during a person’s lifetime as well as during the calendar year, which are characterised by a state of indefiniteness or being without borders due to lack of everyday boundaries. The times are open to both good and evil and are close to the supernatural. Mental boundaries and landmarks are part of our system of orientation. Without them, space would be homogeneous; there would be no difference between familiar and unfamiliar, good and evil, sacred and profane places. It is the same with time. The expressions good times, hard times, crazy times, fast times, holiday time, everyday time, childhood, youth, manhood etc. contain obvious judgements and defining of limits. Transitions from one time, one period of life, one status to another are kind of crossroads or fork in the road in time. As we well know from the mythologies of different peoples, crossroads are liminal places in space where homeless or restless spirits gather and miscellaneous magic will be done (Puhvel 1989). If liminality causes ordinary orientation to be unable to function, then usual behaviour will also turn out to be ineffective or unsuitable. -
Family Language Policy in Bilingual Finnish and Swedish Families in Finland
FAMILY LANGUAGE POLICY IN BILINGUAL FINNISH AND SWEDISH FAMILIES IN FINLAND Austin Huhta Master’s Thesis Applied Linguistics Department of Language and Communication Studies University of Jyväskylä Fall 2020 UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ Faculty Department Humanities and Social Sciences Department of Language and Communication Studies Author Austin Huhta Title Family Language Policy in Bilingual Finnish and Swedish Families in Finland Subject Level Applied Language Studies Master’s Thesis Month and year Number of pages December 2020 30 Abstract In Finland families are only allowed to choose one language for their child to be the child’s L1 even if the family is bilingual. With both Finnish and Swedish being national languages of Finland this thesis looked into which language a family chose, why they chose it, and how they helped their child maintain it. Looking at their perspective on this can allow us to get further insight into family language policy in Finland. The research method used here is a case study, with semi-structured interviews for the data collection and interpretive phenomenological analysis for the data analysis. This thesis interviewed a bilingual family with a Finn and a Swedish Swede and their one child. It found that while their initial language choice was Swedish, that their family language policy was dynamic. Over time the child was switched from Swedish medium education to Finnish medium education; however, at home multiple family language policies worked together to help maintain his Swedish language skills. The findings demonstrated that the right combination of family language policies and more formal educational settings can work together to help children grow up to be bilingual even if the minority language is mainly used at home. -
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Journal of Balkan and Black Sea Studies Year 4, Issue 6, June 2021, pp. 155-212. Bulgaria’s Secret Empire: An Ultimatum to North Macedonia Tomasz Kamusella Abstract: In the summer of 2019, 30 years after the end of communism in Europe, Bulgaria began to forward the way of Skopje numerous onerous demands as a salient precondition for opening European Union (EU) accession negotiation talks with North Macedonia. All of these demands are dictated by ethnolinguistic nationalism that underlies the Bulgarian national master narrative. On 9 October 2019, the Bulgarian government officially adopted these demands in the form of an ultimatum, bar the term. Sofia did not have to deploy this ultimatum to stop the talks, since earlier Paris temporarily blocked the pending accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. It appears that in the face of economic and political problems at home, Bulgarian politicians tend to use nationalism (and populism) to divert citizens’ attention. The Bulgarian government seems to emulate the Kremlin’s policy of the “Russian World,” which on the basis of ethnolinguistic nationalism claims for Russia all the territories inhabited by Russian-speakers. After the fall of communism, a similar policy of “Bulgarian World” (Bılgarski sviat) has been pursued by Sofia from Moldova to North Macedonia and Albania, clamouring for recognizing all the Slavic-speakers in this wide area as members of Ph.D., Reader in Modern History, University of St Andrews, Scotland, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3484-8352; e-mail: [email protected] Submitted: 21.12.2020, Accepted: 16.06.2021 TOMASZ KAMUSELLA the Bulgarian nation. -
Language Perceptions and Practices in Multilingual Universities
Language Perceptions and Practices in Multilingual Universities Edited by Maria Kuteeva Kathrin Kaufhold Niina Hynninen Language Perceptions and Practices in Multilingual Universities Maria Kuteeva Kathrin Kaufhold • Niina Hynninen Editors Language Perceptions and Practices in Multilingual Universities Editors Maria Kuteeva Kathrin Kaufhold Department of English Department of English Stockholm University Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm, Sweden Niina Hynninen Department of Languages University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland ISBN 978-3-030-38754-9 ISBN 978-3-030-38755-6 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38755-6 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. -
THE SWEDISH LANGUAGE Sharingsweden.Se PHOTO: CECILIA LARSSON LANTZ/IMAGEBANK.SWEDEN.SE
FACTS ABOUT SWEDEN / THE SWEDISH LANGUAGE sharingsweden.se PHOTO: CECILIA LARSSON LANTZ/IMAGEBANK.SWEDEN.SE PHOTO: THE SWEDISH LANGUAGE Sweden is a multilingual country. However, Swedish is and has always been the majority language and the country’s main language. Here, Catharina Grünbaum paints a picture of the language from Viking times to the present day: its development, its peculiarities and its status. The national language of Sweden is Despite the dominant status of Swedish, Swedish and related languages Swedish. It is the mother tongue of Sweden is not a monolingual country. Swedish is a Nordic language, a Ger- approximately 8 million of the country’s The Sami in the north have always been manic branch of the Indo-European total population of almost 10 million. a domestic minority, and the country language tree. Danish and Norwegian Swedish is also spoken by around has had a Finnish-speaking population are its siblings, while the other Nordic 300,000 Finland Swedes, 25,000 of ever since the Middle Ages. Finnish languages, Icelandic and Faroese, are whom live on the Swedish-speaking and Meänkieli (a Finnish dialect spoken more like half-siblings that have pre- Åland islands. in the Torne river valley in northern served more of their original features. Swedish is one of the two national Sweden), spoken by a total of approxi- Using this approach, English and languages of Finland, along with Finnish, mately 250,000 people in Sweden, German are almost cousins. for historical reasons. Finland was part and Sami all have legal status as The relationship with other Indo- of Sweden until 1809. -
Finland's Context and Configuration
CHAPTER 2 The Backdrop for Success: Finland’s Context and Configuration 1 Introduction Finland’s context plays a strong role in its outcomes in PISA. Following Phillips and Schweisfurth (2006) and Halls’ (1970) approaches to comparative educa- tion, this chapter explores Finland’s historical and social context in order to better understand the country’s educational achievements. An education sys- tem, as a “living thing,” according to Sadler (in Higginson, 1979, p. 49), merits investigation within its context. The Finns need and deserve more than a brief description to explain and clarify their unique qualities. The question, “Who are the Finns?” necessitates a long answer: But where does Finland belong? Is it a Baltic state, like Estonia? Is it part of Scandinavia, like Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, with which it is linked and with which it has such close ties? Is it really a part of Russia? Or is it something different from all these? A great part of Finnish history has been devoted to trying to solve this problem. (Bacon, 1970, p. 16) This chapter strives to clarify the Finnish context, and therefore how this even- tually influenced high PISA outcomes in all administrations of the survey. It also explains the Finnish education system after exploration of “things out- side the school system” (Sadler, in Higginson, 1979, p. 49). This approach will enlighten the context in which the education system lies. 2 History of Finland to Independence The Finnish people kept to themselves throughout their early history. “Due partly to the size of the country and their own small numbers, the Finns have striven throughout their history to live their own lives, avoid assimilation with their neighbours and remain aside from the quarrels of the rest of the world” (Juva, 1968, p.