What makes it difficult to learn Finnish language?

[Sunil-123]

The conversation:

- Ai?
- Joo.
- No hö.
- Joo-o.
- Joo joo.

The same in foreign language

- Well, my learned colleague Tuulen, I really appreciate your input, but let me present my sincere query whether your opinion is based on irrifutible facts?
- Oh certainly colleague Pursuivant, we have achieved this through indiscriminate double-blinding hypothesis on the planary level of guesstimation!
- I say this methodology sounds like its merits would not quite reach the standards required to for this kind of hypothesis.
- Oh by all standardisation boards it has its merits colleague Pursuivant.
- Whatever you say, colleague Tuulen.

These are not really standard abbreivated forms of speech and these kind of examples can be found in every language,where one word says a full statement under certain circumstances.

What I see is not really fitting in energy saving theory. For example excessive use of meaningless words like "tota". I know 5 languages and can't find so excessive use of a meaningless word in any of them.

[AldenG]

Usually foreigners not accustomed to the economy of words were traditionally given a mouthful of sticky pine sap before they enter public places so their teeth get stuck together so that decent people could have some peace and quiet.

There were other, similar approaches available as well...


Tän kylän ämmille pittää panna tervaksia suuhun,
että nuo muuttus oraviksi ja kiipeisivät puuhun.

Tän kylän ämmät pittää panna umpinaisee tuppaa,
tervapuilla lämmittää ja savvuu tukehuttaa.

Tän kylän ämmät pitäs panna suureen reslarekkee,
mustalainen kuskiksi ja iso musta ettee.

Tän kylän ämmien kieli kieppuu ku tervaskannon liekki:
illalla halasin nättiä likkaa ja aamulla se tiettii.

[tuulen]

That kind of conversation can be had without use of words/sounds too (energy conservation ) ! Anyway, this oh? certainly! aren't certainly abbreviated forms of conversation. When you say abbreviated or contracted forms, it's something like "mä tuun kuuelta" for minä tulen kuudelta. This is how I understannd.

Apparently you have yet to be convinced that Finnish "conversation" can be reduced to an absolute minimum.

But Finns are expert at doing just that, an economy of words.

Tervetuloa Suomeen!

[Kutittaa]

'Niin' 'Joo' 'Mmm' 'Jahas' etc.

Is all you need to know when some clown starts speaking to you and doesn't know that you have no idea what they are saying. It will also give you enough time to get the hell out of there before the 1-sided conversation starts to get too tricky.

[Sunil-123]

And if you push the word "tota" everywhere in your 10-word vocabulary and say it as many times as you can, they would think you are a native speaker

Tota(Niin+Joo+Mmm+Jahas+niin niin+ tuota+ elika...)= native speaker

[mrjimsfc]

And if you push the word "tota" everywhere in your 10-word vocabulary and say it as many times as you can, they would think you are a native speaker

Tota(Niin+Joo+Mmm+Jahas+niin niin+ tuota+ elika...)= native speaker

If you're a woman, you have to be able to say those words while breathing in.

[007]

Apparently you have yet to be convinced that Finnish "conversation" can be reduced to an absolute minimum.

Any language can be. Perhaps Finns use it more frequently. I (every one of us) don't always use the same words or sentences to convey the same message each time. Depending upon the mood, situation, and time, we communicate differently. Sometimes, we use more words and sometimes we use fewer words and at times we let our body talk, consiciously that is.

It's just that I have difficulty believing you that there exist those abbreviated forms in Finnish language that can exclusively be used with a sentence/paragraph in that it conveys the same message contained in the sentence/paragraph.

/What I think, tuulen, is that you are misusing a term here.

But Finns are expert at doing just that, an economy of words.

Yes. I can buy that! Male Finns think they can get away with that but alas ämmät ei tykkää siitä tietsä.

[007]

off-topic, I live in Oulu and Oulun murre uses more letters for a word
e.g.
kahvi -> kahavi
osaatko sä? -> ossaakko nää?
ootko oulusta? -> Ookkonää Oulusta, pelekääkkönää polliisia?

[Kutittaa]

And if you push the word "tota" everywhere in your 10-word vocabulary and say it as many times as you can, they would think you are a native speaker

Tota(Niin+Joo+Mmm+Jahas+niin niin+ tuota+ elika...)= native speaker

I think you mean "tuota" the Finnish equivalent for "Umm" and "Well.."

Yes saying that is a must.

We also forgot "Niinku" and "Niinkö"

Older women also say "Aijaa"

Older men say "Täh?" And just about every expletive in existence.

[tuulen]

It's just that I have difficulty believing you that there exist those abbreviated forms in Finnish language that can exclusively be used with a sentence/paragraph in that it conveys the same message contained in the sentence/paragraph.

Communication in Finnish has many options, but apparently there is a tendency toward abbreviation. Personally, I like the "formal" language, but there also is a fun challenge in "abbreviating" the language, although as Pursuivant demonstrated that indeed could be taken to an extreme. Yet sometimes I wonder if the stereotypical "silence" of Finns could be more a matter of a Finn taking the time to figure out what another Finn said to them! :-D

[007]

Economizing!? Let's first tone the äänenvoimakkuus down, shall we?

[Sami-Is-Boss]

Tonality aside, Finnish has pretty much every aspect that makes a language difficult.

There's the labyrinthine grammar and stem mutations; the rapid speed Finns speak at and the fact that, as has already been mentioned, they rarely an allowance for people learning the language and drop the pace a bit; the two-tiered language (formal and informal, both of which need learning); it's difficult to pronounce properly; people often don't like talking so there's little chance to practise; and there's no previous exposure to it that would help you if you learnt, say, French or Spanish.

Add in the fact that Finns, by virtue of their undoubtedly impressive skills in English (a language they have been watching TV in since they could walk) and Swedish (which is on every roadsign, official document, food packet, and a lot of TV programmes itself) are less than sympathetic when you fail to master their language in three years to the same extent they have mastered yours in 23. That last point may be slightly harsh, but this is why I think Finnish is a difficult language and why foreigners get so disheartened trying to learn it.

[007]

Tonality aside, Finnish has pretty much every aspect that makes a language difficult.

There's the labyrinthine grammar and stem mutations; the rapid speed Finns speak at and the fact that, as has already been mentioned, they rarely an allowance for people learning the language and drop the pace a bit; the two-tiered language (formal and informal, both of which need learning); it's difficult to pronounce properly; people often don't like talking so there's little chance to practise; and there's no previous exposure to it that would help you if you learnt, say, French or Spanish.

Add in the fact that Finns, by virtue of their undoubtedly impressive skills in English (a language they have been watching TV in since they could walk) and Swedish (which is on every roadsign, official document, food packet, and a lot of TV programmes itself) are less than sympathetic when you fail to master their language in three years to the same extent they have mastered yours in 23. That last point may be slightly harsh, but this is why I think Finnish is a difficult language and why foreigners get so disheartened trying to learn it.

How good is your Finnish skill? Can you understand selkosuomea? Written text? I don't think you need to speak with Finns to understand written text, do you? How about listening? You listen finnish radio? watch finnish TV? Read finnish dictionary? basic finnish grammar? Trust me you dont need a goddamn finn in front of you talking to you to do all of that!

I don't think Finnish language is difficult because Finns don't talk with you or not let you talk Finnish with them. I rather go for crazy grammar rules and to a lesser degree a learner's attitude towards Finnish people.

ps. you can share your experience how your finnish language has progressed so far... if you aren't a finn that is

[Y77]

what makes it so difficult is the lack of motivation,being probably the most useless language on the planet,and also the fact that everyone under 40 speaks english fluently

[tuulen]

what makes it so difficult is the lack of motivation,being probably the most useless language on the planet,and also the fact that everyone under 40 speaks english fluently

Finns do learn English, but that does not reduce the value of the Finnish language.

The Finnish language is well worth learning!