Finnish language beginer advice

[Cadwgan]

Hey, I'm new here, and I would like to learn some Finnish but I have no bloody idea where to start. I've got a few pages from a phrase book memorized, but that's pretty much useless. I speak Welsh, English, and a few years of Swedish; which language should I use as a study medium?
Thanks.

[Rosamunda]

Most Finnish language books use Finnish as the "learning medium" but there is "Finnish for Foreigners" which is in English. I am sure there are some Swedish books too since Swedish mother tongue kids have to learn Finnish at school up here but I don't think there is a linguistic advantage by learning Finnish in Swedish.

To get started you will need to learn lots of vocabulary, but as I said to Phil, I prefer learning chunks of language (ie several words that go together) rather than lists of words. One reason for this is that Finnish nouns are inflected (table: pöytä, on the table: pöydällä) so you will rarely see or use the word pöytä in its virgin form.

I would recommend Fred Karlsson's : FInnish an Essential Grammar ISBN 0-415-20705-3 for a good overview of the theory.

You will also need to HEAR Finnish in order to get the pronunciation right, I believe there are websites where you can do this (try doing a SEARCH on this forum, I'm sure there have been posts in the past with links to FInnish on-line)

Good Luck

[kalmisto]

cadwgan

An article for you : http://www.6d.fi/cover_story/finnish_for_foreigners

[soda]

Realitistically, learning Finnish from books is never going to help ery much.

The language is simply so intensely difficult, that any environment other than that of intense study in a serious learning environment will only allow you to scratch the surface.

Using English as a medium makes sense because most learning centres use English as a medium, although most books are in Finnish only.

However, I have to say that if you can't study Finnish intensively here or elsewhere, I do question whether it is worth pursuing.

It's a bit like studying brain surgery!

[Hank W.]

I think Welsh helps to acommodate the brain to the concept of different approach to pronunciation and grammar. You know how to deprogram English. Helps to understand the concept... like when something is written lllwpwgynogogoch and said 'huilu' the Finns write huilu and expect you to say 'huilu'. Nothing else in Welsh helps...

[Cadwgan]

Thanks y'all for the advice, it's the grammer and cases I'm finding intimidating, but I imagine it won't be to hard if I get some professional training.

So where did you learn Welsh, Hank? heh heh

[soda]

Cadwgan -

Well...I wish someone had told me this when I arrived!!

I learned Danish from zero to hero in about 18 months, and was fluent within 2 years. After that, I learned Norwegian off the streets in a few weeks, and had also studied Spanish from 0 to conversational in 6 weeks of immersion training.

I have now taken 11 Finnish courses over 4 years, and done most of the Uni courses twice! I have completed the Uni 6 level program - and still would not describe my finnish as conversational.

My Finnish after 4 years is worse than my Danish was after 18 months, no question.

It IS that hard!

[Cadwgan]

I've heard Finnish is listed as the hardest language to learn in the world, but I can't imagine it being more of a pain-in-the-bollocks than English is.
I learned Swedish to near fluency in about year, and English took forever but has the advantage of being used everywhere in the bloody world making it hard NOT to learn.

So what's the best way to expose myself to Finnish while I'm stuck in the U.S.?

[Hank W.]

So what's the best way to expose myself

I think that'd be a misdemeanor

Theres Nokia staff in Houston?.

[Cadwgan]

So what's the best way to expose myself

I think that'd be a misdemeanor

Theres Nokia staff in Houston?.

I knew the Finnish sense of humour wouldn't let me get away with that one!

There is Nokia staff here, along with the Finland Trade Commission (whaterver that is) but I don't think it would be proper to just call random buisness professionals and ask them to teach me a language. There are lots of Halonens in the phone book, maybe I'll start with them...

[karen]

You should call the Nokia office and ask. I have a friend who doesn't work at Nokia, but attended Finnish lessons at the office in Dallas.

[Cadwgan]

That's a good idea. I'll give it a try. I studied Swedish at Ikea, so why not?

[Hank W.]

There is Nokia staff here, along with the Finland Trade Commission

Well, you're far much better off than someone living in Bumfuk, AZ or Noplace, ND trying to find a Finnish teacher

[Cadwgan]

heh heh

I think there's a Finnish class in Burnt Skrotum, NM. Bumfuk, AZ is where all the English expats first arive. They have the best foot and mouth disease vaccination facilities.