Are Finns Predisposed toSlowness.

brengun · Post by **brengun** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:11 am

No, its not meant to be a provocative or offensive question,But has anyone felt that there might be some cultural/genetic predisposition to circumlocution/indirectness in Finnish culture. This translates into a general slowness of manner in both speech and action. This is meant to be a snapshot survey and not anything approaching a scientific analysis.

**Sponsor:**

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:02 am

brengun wrote:No, its not meant to be a provocative or offensive question,But has anyone felt that there might be some cultural/genetic predisposition to circumlocution/indirectness in Finnish culture. This translates into a general slowness of manner in both speech and action. This is meant to be a snapshot survey and not anything approaching a scientific analysis.

Indirectness? I think you should look in mirror first. In my dealings with foreigners, it's the FOREIGNERS who can't say anything straight without beating around every bush in the country for half an hour each.

It is cultural concept.

Finnish culture traditionally has put great emphasis on careful consideration in doing something and placing plenty of weight on your words. This can be seen in proverbs of Finnish.

"Sanasta miestä, sarvesta härkää". Roughly translating into "Take man by his word, take bull by it's horns". I'm sure someone will be able to present better translation. Essentially, since in Finnish culture you are held to your word it is worth the time to consider what you say. And likewise, it is considered polite to let person have the time to formulate response he is prepared to support. Meaning when person is quiet for a moment you permit this silence instead of trying to fill it with random noise.

Same way, the cultural tradition of thinking and planning before doing causes some people to see it as slowness. It is common motto in Finland that "If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well" and "When you do something, do it right the first time."

This along with proverb "Hyvin suunniteltu on puoliksi tehty", translated to "Well planned is half done".

So no, it is not genetic. Finns have their fair share of people who blabber and those who do things shoddily. But culture is firmly against this way of doing things.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:57 am

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.

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.

Bubba Elvis XIV · Post by **Bubba Elvis XIV** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 11:55 am

It's like a scene from Dawn of the Dead in my local supermarket...

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:49 pm

Suattaapi hyvinnii olla jotta pittee paekkansa... tai suattaahan tuo olla ettei pijäkkään.

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:56 pm

brengun wrote:This translates into a general slowness of manner in both speech and action.

You mean it takes a while to express anything in Finnish? Depends.

Try putting this into English:

Juoksentelisinkohan?

If you wish to include all the meanings, you can't help but end up with something like

I wonder if I should run around a bit without any particular destination

That's sloooow

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:07 pm

sammy wrote:
brengun wrote:This translates into a general slowness of manner in both speech and action.
You mean it takes a while to express anything in Finnish? Depends.

Or do you mean slowness in both speech and action when Finns use something else than their mother language?

I'm much much slower when not using Finnish, as I tend to think more what I say/said and what was said to me.

Bubba Elvis XIV · Post by **Bubba Elvis XIV** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:16 pm

sammy wrote:
I wonder if I should run around a bit without any particular destination

I think you could say that a lot easier though...

(Curse you and your bullying ways!!!)

catfish78 · Post by **catfish78** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:33 pm

Dude!? Who the hell do you hang out with brengun?! Do these Finns that you are referring to ride the same short bus as you?
The Finns I know are unabashedly direct. They do not mince words. They don't have to ramble on for 5 minutes to get across a thought that can be summed up in 20 seconds. And physically slow? Must be on the short bus.

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:36 pm

Bubba Elvis XIV wrote:I think you could say that a lot easier though...

Well, please do suggest some alternative translation then - instead of beating about the bush

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:00 pm

catfish78 wrote:They don't have to ramble on for 5 minutes to get across a thought that can be summed up in 20 seconds. And physically slow?

Yeah in the Vantaa buses its like that

Bubba Elvis XIV · Post by **Bubba Elvis XIV** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:29 pm

catfish78 wrote: The Finns I know are unabashedly direct. They do not mince words. They don't have to ramble on for 5 minutes to get across a thought that can be summed up in 20 seconds.

Have you read Tiwaz's post?....I don't know what is short, direct and to the point about that! (I'm not critisising the post, Tiwaz...so calm done....).

sammy wrote: Well, please do suggest some alternative translation then - instead of beating about the bush

fvckinaround...How's that?

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:56 pm

Pursuivant wrote:
And physically slow?
Yeah in the Vantaa buses its like that

Or at the DYI shop...

catfish78 · Post by **catfish78** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:04 pm

Bubba Elvis XIV wrote:
catfish78 wrote: The Finns I know are unabashedly direct. They do not mince words. They don't have to ramble on for 5 minutes to get across a thought that can be summed up in 20 seconds.
Have you read Tiwaz's post?....I don't know what is short, direct and to the point about that! (I'm not critisising the post, Tiwaz...so calm done....).

I don't know Tiwaz or read many of his posts. I can't be bothered to read too many rants on the FF.

raskarhu · Post by **raskarhu** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:23 pm

Finns in the south speak slowly, in Lappi they speak faster.
But when it comes to being direct or not, it's not the Finns that are indirect or slowly in drawing up conclusions or anything of the kind.
Compare the Finns to the Frenchies and you know what I'm talking about. A meeting with my french speaking compatriotes (I'm Belgian) lasts twice as long as a meeting with my Dutch speaking compatriotes ...

Grtz
Raskarhu

Finland Forum

Find information about moving to, living in and life in Finland