Finnish Culture
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- Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 11:58 pm
- Location: Tampere
Finnish Culture
Is there any forum or chat group in which Finnish and foreign people talk about culture and societies. Any place in Tampere where people get together and meet with foreigners.
Re: Finnish Culture
You have come to the right place.draurbilla wrote:Is there any forum or chat group in which Finnish and foreign people talk about culture and societies.
znark
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- Location: Tampere
Re: Finnish Culture
So, tell me about why Finns are not talkative as other nationals, secondly the facial expression is missing that make confusion with person like to talk or not. How to enjoy summer time in Finland...
Re: Finnish Culture
They like the silencedraurbilla wrote:So, tell me about why Finns are not talkative as other nationals,
Studies have shown that 88% of the information in a Finnish conversation is non verbal. One of the highest in the world. You just have to learn to read the signs.secondly the facial expression is missing that make confusion with person like to talk or not.
Sitting quietly outdoors and ignoring the mosquito's.How to enjoy summer time in Finland...
- Pursuivant
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- Pursuivant
- Posts: 15089
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:51 am
- Location: Bath & Wells
Re: Finnish Culture
Probably the economizing happened already during right after the Ice Age when the Proto-Finns moved over and found it feasible to keep their mouth shut and use the energy for keeping warm. The babblemouths then froze on the lake ice when they were ice-fishing (its quite windy on a lake). The silent men then slid the ones frozen stiff with their mouths gaping under the ice. And their hearts felt warm, and nobody said nothing, because everyone was thinking the same thing, peace at last. 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. If the babbling came a nuisance the next step to cure verbal diarrea was to dip the foreigner then into a hole in the ice, or in the summer throw them into a bog, really persistent ones the tradition says if you put them in headfirst that usually starts to take effect.draurbilla wrote:So, tell me about why Finns are not talkative as other nationals
These days of course sticky toffee is offered. Now if the babbling comes a nuisance...
Then again this silence does not apply to the female of the species in domestic environments, for they have a wonderful and frightening ability of speaking inhaling and exhaling... hence the archeologists excavating can tell Proto-Finnic female jawbones for their extensive wear. This also explains the early prevalence of ice-fishing and a long hunting treks.
Jorge de Burgos: Laughter is a devilish wind which deforms the lineaments of the face and makes men look like monkeys.secondly the facial expression is missing that make confusion with person like to talk or not
"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes."
Something wicked this way comes."
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- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 11:58 pm
- Location: Tampere
Re: Finnish Culture
Pursuivant wrote:Probably the economizing happened already during right after the Ice Age when the Proto-Finns moved over and found it feasible to keep their mouth shut and use the energy for keeping warm. The babblemouths then froze on the lake ice when they were ice-fishing (its quite windy on a lake). The silent men then slid the ones frozen stiff with their mouths gaping under the ice. And their hearts felt warm, and nobody said nothing, because everyone was thinking the same thing, peace at last. 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. If the babbling came a nuisance the next step to cure verbal diarrea was to dip the foreigner then into a hole in the ice, or in the summer throw them into a bog, really persistent ones the tradition says if you put them in headfirst that usually starts to take effect.draurbilla wrote:So, tell me about why Finns are not talkative as other nationals
These days of course sticky toffee is offered. Now if the babbling comes a nuisance...
Then again this silence does not apply to the female of the species in domestic environments, for they have a wonderful and frightening ability of speaking inhaling and exhaling... hence the archeologists excavating can tell Proto-Finnic female jawbones for their extensive wear. This also explains the early prevalence of ice-fishing and a long hunting treks.
Jorge de Burgos: Laughter is a devilish wind which deforms the lineaments of the face and makes men look like monkeys.secondly the facial expression is missing that make confusion with person like to talk or not

Re: Finnish Culture
Ah, the sound of the Finnish "nag". Get used to it.draurbilla wrote:Nice information, so it means that I have to search some finnish girlfriend to break the silence in this cold country!!!
Paul
Re: Finnish Culture
You just have to learn what rinso said:
It would also help if you spoke Finnish. You would probably hear more talk than you even want to.Studies have shown that 88% of the information in a Finnish conversation is non verbal. One of the highest in the world. You just have to learn to read the signs.
- faithslayer
- Posts: 75
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- Location: Turku Finland
Re: Finnish Culture
lol funny thread i'm from th UK my fiance is Finnish & warned me that he was a quiet person who didnt talk much, in fact it was a male Finnish trait. Actually he talks more than me! turns out i'm the quiet non nagging type of woman he said he just couldn't find in Finland lol
If probably slept longer than you've lived!
Re: Finnish Culture
That's because men are from Siberia (Haplogroup N1c), woman from Central Europe (Haplogroup H)...faithslayer wrote:lol funny thread i'm from th UK my fiance is Finnish & warned me that he was a quiet person who didnt talk much, in fact it was a male Finnish trait.
Re: Finnish Culture
its not that finns arent social they just expect that you make the first move and go ask something from them (that way also raises passively their status; if they are the ones who get asked everybody around them might think the person is bit smarter than others). it's the nature of group; if you shut up so do they because they want to live normally and not gather attention at the streets. and yeah usually talking is top of the mountain, before that they think about what could happen and how it could affect their social status. maybe bit complex but that's how it is.draurbilla wrote:So, tell me about why Finns are not talkative as other nationals, secondly the facial expression is missing that make confusion with person like to talk or not. How to enjoy summer time in Finland...
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Re: Finnish Culture
I think it's because of tthe history. Finland has been ruled by Sweden and Russia, so they dont trust so mutch to other peoples. It's wise to shut up they think, because enemy can be anywhere.draurbilla wrote:So, tell me about why Finns are not talkative as other nationals, secondly the facial expression is missing that make confusion with person like to talk or not. How to enjoy summer time in Finland...
Re: Finnish Culture
im also very talkative and i was thinking finns are weird, but i found out that this is not true! I have met many really nice finnish people which were very talkative and was no problem to communicate with, you just need to start chatting and giving them chance and not forcing them to speak.
I have found many finnish friends just from very "usual" life routine: strawberry seller, worker in shop, person in kirpputori, girl on bus stop,...

I have found many finnish friends just from very "usual" life routine: strawberry seller, worker in shop, person in kirpputori, girl on bus stop,...
Re: Finnish Culture
Um, no. There is no "enemy can be anywhere" here, and if there was during historical times I don't think that would have been a reason. There may be enemies on the other side of the border in some people's opinion, and that they better stay there, but not inside the borders. And Finns in general are very trusting, way too trusting really, even to strangers.Mintumiini wrote:I think it's because of tthe history. Finland has been ruled by Sweden and Russia, so they dont trust so mutch to other peoples. It's wise to shut up they think, because enemy can be anywhere.
The silent people is a stereotype, that isn't really true. Put two older ladies who haven't seen each other in a while together and you will hear the town gossip, what new ailments they have, how the weather has been, etc etc, as good as anywhere else! We just don't need to have motor mouths that go running 24/7 at 80 km/h all the time.