Studying Finnish in the US

jrdioko · Post by **jrdioko** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 1:22 am

Moi everyone,

I just registered with this forum and read over the posts, and it seems like a great place to ask questions to plenty of very knowledgeable people. I am a senior in high school in California and I am interested in learning Finnish. I have a small dictionary and Fred Karlsson's grammar book (which seems to be very complete), but at this point I don't have the persistance to learn the language by immersing myself in a grammar book... I'd like to learn using a more structured course. I live near Los Angeles (and maybe there are classes available there), but I'm not close enough to commute there every day. I was wondering if any of you are aware of an online course offered by a school in the US or Finland that I could take from home, or, if that doesn't exist, a book or book series designed more like a Finnish course than a grammar textbook. I appreciate your help.

Kiitos,
Johnathan

**Sponsor:**

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 11:46 am

Hi, and welcome to the group!

Ok, in LA region there are Finns so there is a probablility of some courses, and a few of our members live there, I'd think if you try contacting 'Paul' he might give you pointers as he's been checking for the info. His computer acts funky tho, so PM me for his email if you don't get him otherwise.

Now if you are really-really-really interested, you might try to get here as an exchange student. There are colleges in the USA that teach Finnish, but then again education here costs a lot less...

Here's a little something:

pronunciation
http://virtual.finland.fi/speak/speak.html

grammar
http://www.uta.fi/%7Ekm56049/finnish/

courses:
http://donnerwetter.kielikeskus.helsink ... -index.htm

http://www.ddg.com/LIS/InfoDesignF97/pa ... temap.html

pliu · Post by **pliu** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:47 pm

Here are some that I use sometimes.

Good luck!!!!

Finnish is not a easy language, trust me.

http://www.kisa.ca/finnish-phrases.html

http://donnerwetter.kielikeskus.helsink ... oreigners/

http://eunuch.ddg.com/LIS/InfoDesignF97 ... temap.html

jwesthues · Post by **jwesthues** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 1:21 am

Check out the Finlandia Foundation. I know in Boston, they organized the weekly Uuden Englanin Suomi Koulu (New England Finnish School). It had classes for everything from toddlers to adults.

j o h a n n a · Post by **j o h a n n a** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 5:12 am

i like the book from start to finnish a lot. i'm using it in a class but i think in combination w/other books or a tape/cd to help w/pronunciation, it would be fairly workable as a self-study course.

actually, there are cds made to go w/the book too.

other than that, yeah, i'd second the suggestion to look up finlandia foundation stuff or other local finnish things.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 12:10 am

Howdy Jrdioko,
Welcome the group. You have found the place for any questions on Finland and doing the impossible, learning Finnish.

Yes, I am the "Paul" in Los Angeles with the funky computer that Hank made mention of.

So far I have taken classes at Loyola Marymount University as well as the Beverly Hills language Institute. Both places have discontinued for lack of people so you might contact them if they are close to you and request a Finnish class. I know 2 people who offer a Finnish class out of their homes so if LAX or Beverly Hills is close enough for you, drop me an email to PFeyeraben@aol.com and I will get you in contact with them.

Are you close to El Segundo? If so look into this:

Do you want to learn Finnish language!
Our classes will start in Jan 14 at 6-8PM in El
Segundo.
Location: 540 Main St, El Segundo, CA 90245
(Main/Mariposa). We'll meet at the United Methodist
Church premises on the second floor.
Time: every other tu night, starting in Jan 14 and
ending in May 20
Cost: registration fee $50 per family + tuition fee
$60 per student
Teacher: Tuula R. Stark, Ph.D.

There is a Finlandia group that holds monthly meeting in Pasadena and right now the name of the museum they hold them at escapes me. I will try to find it for you.

One CD you might consider is Euro Talk interactive "Learn Finnish." WWW. eurotalk.co.uk The games they have can really put you thru the paces.

If you have a cassette player "Conversational Finnish" from http://www.multilingualbooks.com has a set of 16 tapes and text book. But rather expensive.

And don't forget the Finnish lessons offered by this group.

I realize this would be for the future but if you can go to Finland for a one month language class the expreience will be well worth the cost. Where I went was Viittakivi International Center in Hauho, NE of Helsinki. This is an e-mail you can reach them at for more information. vic@ofw.fi

Again welcome to the group. I'm sure you will enjoy the exchanges here.

Now to see if the ol "funky" computer will post this

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:41 am

Jonathan,
I haven't been up to Pasadena to get info on the Finlandia group for you but this came in the mail today and thought you might find it of interest. It is from the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce on the West Coast (FACC) They are having their annual meeting/dinner Jan 29, 04 Beverly Hills Country Club. Meeting is at 5:30pm and dinner is 7pm. dinner is $45 and need a reservation. The speaker at the meeting is Matt Railo, Intellectual Property attorney. Contact Vesa @310-266-1841. Their mailing address is FACC Events, P.O. Box 3058, Tustin, Ca 92781-3058 or send e-mail to vtontti@FACCpacific.com

Might be a group for you to join and make connections with Finns in the area.

Paul

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 10:46 pm

Jonathan,
the Finlandia group meets in Pasadena at the Pasadena Museum of History. Their address is:

470 W. Walnut St.
Pasadena

626-577-1660

Next meeting is Feb 8. The lady I spoke with couldn't tell me the time since she doesn't work Sat. and nothing was noted on the calendar. She thought early afternoon.

jrdioko · Post by **jrdioko** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 5:31 am

Hello again everyone, I apologize for not coming back and responding here for such a long time. I've been very busy with school and college applications, and I did read all the posts here and look at many of the resources you all directed me to look at, but I didn't remember to come back and post until now. I just wanted to say Kiitos Paljon! to everyone for your information, many of those sites were very useful. I will be going off to college next year and I plan to do an exchange in Spain (Spanish is the language I've been learning during high school), but we'll see if I can't end up in Finland at one time or another.

Thanks again,
Johnathan

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:19 am

You know Finns fly over to Spain for charter holidays, so depending where in Spain you are, you can get a cheap-ish 'holiday in Finlandia' as Finnair dumps prices in foreign countries (and charges Finns double).

BTW compared to the Spanish you've learned, they'll speak 'funny' in Spain. Or actually you speak 'funny'

... or if you want to get a sample of real funny accents go to Benidorm and hear the lager-louts from Newcastle there.

Satiro · Post by **Satiro** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 3:20 pm

Hank W. wrote: BTW compared to the Spanish you've learned, they'll speak 'funny' in Spain. Or actually you speak 'funny' ... or if you want to get a sample of real funny accents go to Benidorm and hear the lager-louts from Newcastle there.

Benidorm should be rebaptized as Sunny Liverpool, and the pubs should accept pounds..
Anyway, I've read this thread and found the links very useful too, and I'm wondering if Finnish is easier for Romance language speakers than for English ones. What do you think Hank? I understand you speak a bit spanish and french too.

jrdioko · Post by **jrdioko** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 1:30 am

I've actually been to Spain for a week before so I know they speak "funny" Spanish

. I actually like the Spain Spanish pronunciations and words better than the "regular" ones. Anyway, that does sound like an idea trying to get up to Finland if I'm already over there, and I'll try to see if that works out.

-Johnathan

lairdkw · Post by **lairdkw** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 2:20 am

Hi,
I am also trying to learn some Finnish while living state-side. As an absolute, from the ground-up, beginner, I got the "Talk Now" Finnish computer CD-rom from Amazon.com. It is a fun starting point. I know there is much more to do, but try it a beginning. I also got the intermediate CD from the same (UK) company. It too is available from Amazon. I am now using the CD's along with on-line vocabulary builders. Good luck!

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:13 am

Satiro wrote:I'm wondering if Finnish is easier for Romance language speakers than for English ones. What do you think Hank?

Pronunciationwise, it is easier to Italian or Spanish speakers as all the letters 'go the same way' so they can read out loud and the Finns will understand almost immediately. For the French and Portugese who write a word 'eauoau' and pronounce it 'öö' life is very difficult. Though the Portugese are used to having a grammar that fills 15 volumes in the library, so for them the Finnish grammar is very easy. Also the fact that Finns use one verb for to put a glass on the table or to put clothes on whereas in Spanish the verb depends on if the sun shines or if the table is outside its a different verb every time. The only thing the Romance people feel confused about is they cannot think about sex all the time as words have no gender

¡Y niños! ¡No coma la nieve amarilla!

jrdioko · Post by **jrdioko** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:18 am

I'm now at UC Berkeley taking a Finnish class starting on Tuesday. Thanks all for the resources along the way, and I'll be sure to come back here from time to time to ask questions and discuss things that I'll eventually be able to understand.

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