Swedish parts of Finland

[Peck]

I see that Svenska is also the official language of Finland. For someone who can speak English fluently and a lot of Standard Swedish, could he live/work in Finland with out a problem? Not just in Åland, but in the Southern and Western coast of Finland where Swedish is spoken.

I would take Finnish, but only like 3 or so universities teach it here in the United States... so here at the University of Illinois at Urbana, I take Swedish because that's all they have .

I wouldn't mind living in Sweden, but it seems like their taxes are way to high and they have too many non-Swedes/Europeans .

[enk]

Heh, I took Swedish at UIUC for the same reason. If you really want
to learn Finnish though, look up Professor Hock as he has a number
of books on it and is interested in the language (although he doesn't
speak it as far as I know).

If they still have the Scandinavian Table, go and see if there are
any Finns there. We used to have inane conversations there since
the Swedish teacher understood spoken Finnish, but couldn't say anything in it, so she would talk to us in Swedish and we would answer in
Finnish

As for learning Swedish, it's handy, but you're not going to get by
with it except for along the western coast and in the islands out that way.
The Swedish spoken here is quite different from what is spoken in
Sweden and many dialects of Finnish Swedish aren't even intelligible
to other Finnish Swedish speakers.

-enk

[Peck]

Thanks for the information!

I wish they offered Finnish courses at UIUC though . I've been looking at Pimsleur language lessons and they don't have Finnish either.

[enk]

Thanks for the information!

I wish they offered Finnish courses at UIUC though .

Well, I bitterly complained about the same thing from 1990 to 1994 .
Looks like it hasn't changed. I was also trying to get them to start an
exchange program with one of the technical universities here, but I
doubt that's possible either.

-enk

[Hank W.]

and they have too many non-Swedes/Europeans

See now where the wisdom in the Finnish lessons lies, all the Americans move to Sweden and let us be in peace

[Idefix]

A lot of companies in the Swedish speaking regions require you to know both languages, but some do not. And since there are people living and working in Finland only speaking Swedish (although most have learned some in school as kids), it is possible. But if you want to live in finland, I would suggest to learn Finnish. It is not really that hard (as some may say) if you have an interest, and a chance to actually use the language.

[enk]

One benefit I found of knowing Swedish when I came here was that
I could at least read one of the two languages on cans, etc. in stores.
It made life a lot easier in a time when English couldn't be found on
anything in the store.

And I lived in Tampere when I first came here, so you can imagine
how worthwhile it was for me to know Swedish otherwise

-enk

[Hank W.]

+ the fact all government documents are in Swedish - must be - though the bureaucratic language/terminology might be different that what is used currently in Sweden. Also one can demand being serviced in Swedish in the offices; but they'd rather be relieved if there was an option of English after all ... especially in the non-Swedish areas.

[toukokuu]

Hank, the demand of being served in Swedish in public offices does not work even in Helsinki. When I needed a certificate from the Magistrate to Sweden, the officer asked ME for some Swedish words in order to be able to fill it for me. Also, problems in expensive private sector services.When I needed a medical certificate in Swedish which was promised for me when booking the appointment, but still the formula was only in Finnish. As I was disappointed, they gave a reduced fee but not the service I needed.

From other side of the desk: when have been working in public service in Swedish in Sipoo, close to Helsinki, the client complained that I speak so poor Swedish. This complain did not happen while working in Sweden or in Mariehamn, Åland. Only here. It was because my Swedish accent is more Swedish Swedish than Finnish Swedish. This kind of complaint you will get only from bättre talande ..those go move around in furs and so on....

[enk]

This kind of complaint you will get only from bättre talande ..those go move around in furs and so on....

Heh, those people said to me: "Vi talar inte danska." No duh, neither
do I, I just happened to learn the Skåne dialect of Swedish ;D

-enk

[Nuthead]

I see that Svenska is also the official language of Finland. For someone who can speak English fluently and a lot of Standard Swedish, could he live/work in Finland with out a problem? Not just in Åland, but in the Southern and Western coast of Finland where Swedish is spoken.

Along the western coast most of the people speaks swedish, perhaps not fluently, but OK at least.

I live along the western coast, and I know many peeps who ONLY speak swedish. So sure, ye can manage with swedish only in Finland, thats what I do.

"The Swedish spoken here is quite different from what is spoken in
Sweden and many dialects of Finnish Swedish aren't even intelligible
to other Finnish Swedish speakers.

Wouldnt agree on that one


[/quote]

[Richard]

So sure, ye can manage with swedish only in Finland, thats what I do.

With a little bit of English as well I guess?

[luoto]

Mostly it is the older 'uns who can "bara svenska" but it is quite alarming that many young people are quite proud that they can only speak Swedish (and english) at the detriment of Finnish. OK you live in a Swedish majority area but there there's a 50% Finnish plus population 20km to the south and a bigger Finnish world right on your doorstep to thenorth and east.

It would be nice if they spoke English rather than American though when they do practice their English.

However most seem quite pragmatic and mix the two domestic languages as required and their foreign English/German languages to a lesser degree.

[Emi]

oh, long time no see
well, it's different with Finns who are Finns after all and they speak only Swedish and it's different with a foreigner who comes and speaks Swedish - all you can hear then probably is "we're not @#$% swedes"
so better bottom up and to Finnish classes if you want to move to Finland

[enk]

"The Swedish spoken here is quite different from what is spoken in
Sweden and many dialects of Finnish Swedish aren't even intelligible
to other Finnish Swedish speakers.

Wouldnt agree on that one

You probably haven't visited the right places then

-enk