Slang

selflove · Post by **selflove** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:34 am

Terve!
I've been trying to learn Finnish for.. about a year now, and out of the languages I have checked out so far, Finnish, by far, sounds the most enchanting.

As in all languages, I'm sure there is "slang" for more text-book words such as "yes" (yeah, yep, etc.). I was just wondering how you would write/say some of the more common, non-formal words friends and youngin's (like me!) might use in everyday conversation.

Kiitos!
--Cass

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Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 8:24 pm

Errr... depends. Each generation has it own. I mean I can't understand the current 13-16 year olds... I can understand mine, my late BIL's 1960, but my dad's 1930's is really alien.

http://www.slangi.net

selflove · Post by **selflove** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:31 am

I guess today's generation. People in their late teens and twenties. I am 20, and in America slang changes daily, and there's a big difference between 15 year old slang, and 20 year old slang. Also depends on how sophisticated the slang is and what scene the person is in. For example, 15 year olds that are more rap orientated may say "Fo' suah" (for sure; yes), where as a 17 year old punk may say "Word" (I agree). But that's getting very detailed. I guess my question is what are some shorter ways of saying things. To start of, do the Finnish say "Kyllä" for yes, or do they use something like "Ja" or "Joo" (I've seen both used) when talking informally?

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:53 am

Well, like depends...

you can never go wrong hanging out with anyone anytime just saying a few well-placed "joo joo" and a few "nii nii" if you're really steched.

I mean - the epitome Finn won't say a word, so you are quite safe in a sense...

selflove · Post by **selflove** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:25 am

Well, yeah... I suppose I am safe in that area. I have a couple of Finnish friends that I talk to unline informally, and I feel silly using "Kyllä" when they're saying "Joo". There are other words, too, I'm sure. Thankfully a regular old "Ei" is formal and informal, where in America there's a laundry list of ways to say "No".

kuippana · Post by **kuippana** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:29 am

An example:

I don't know.

En minä tiedä or en tiedä.
Emmä tiiä or en tiiä.

En minä tiedä -> Em mä tiiä.

If you change order of the words equivalent to english - I don't know -> Minä en tiedä - the meaning of the sentence differs a bit.

Emmä tiiä - I don't know.
Mä en tiiä - I don't know.

Slang in finnish is not always shortening the words. Sometimes it makes pronunciation faster but written version may be even longer.

In same cases it depends on words used and how those words are reflecting each other.

In previous example Emmä tiiä. En = Em. 'Em' is not "official" slang word but combined with mä it changes from 'en' to 'em' (faster pronunciation).

En minä tiedä -> en mä tiiä -> Emmä tiiä.

Word conversions in the example:
Minä -> Mä
En -> Em
Tiedä (nom. tietää) -> Tiiä (tie -> tii and dä -> ä)

Of course you could use 'en tiedä' or 'en tiiä' but then you'll loose emphasis. I think you migth say "don't know" in english but in finnish it's permitted in formal (written) text too. I guess "don't know" is not...

sinikettu · Post by **sinikettu** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:52 am

One word response indicating agreement..
"selvä"....."thats clearly correct..I agree"
"aivan"...."quite so you are corrrect"..

"non niin"..resigned agreementt.."I suppose so!"

"voi voi"...surprised agreement.."for heavens sake is that really so!"

I am sure there are others...but many would fall foul of this bb auto censor..

for instance..."voi v@£tu ei" is a very common expresion meaning.."no way jose"

otyikondo · Post by **otyikondo** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:19 pm

Vaikka...

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:29 pm

sinikettu wrote: for instance..."voi v@£tu ei" is a very common expresion meaning.."no way jose"

or a "no v!%# joo" which is more or less a putdown...

Finns do sprinkle the v-word approximately in the same places an English-speaker drops the f-word.

selflove · Post by **selflove** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 4:19 am

I was watching an interview with a band from Finland, and the lead singer said something that sounded like "Tanne" (I'm not sure of the spelling, but based on Finnish pronunciation, 'Tanne' (Tahn-nay) is as close as I can get

) Could someone translate? Or do you need a better example?

sinikettu · Post by **sinikettu** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:06 am

selflove wrote:I was watching an interview with a band from Finland, and the lead singer said something that sounded like "Tanne" (I'm not sure of the spelling, but based on Finnish pronunciation, 'Tanne' (Tahn-nay) is as close as I can get ) Could someone translate? Or do you need a better example?

Tule tänne...= come here." ...Tahnay...?? perhaps he had a cold...

sinikettu · Post by **sinikettu** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:15 am

otyikondo wrote:Vaikka...

Jo...
Here is a little ditty that puts a few more slang words with vaikka = "vaik"
Which in this context means " However, there is the fact that.."

Minun kultani kaunis on
:,: Minun kultani kaunis on,
vaik'on kaitaluinen :,:
:,: Hei luulia illalla,
vaik' on kaitaluinen :,:

My darling is beautiful .. however there is the the fact that she is shaped like a match stick.

:,: Silmät sill' on siniset
vaik' on kieronlaiset :,:
Hei luulia illalla,
vaik' on kieronlaiset :,:

She has nice blue eyes despite the fact that thëy are crossed.

Suu on sillä supukka
vaik' on toista syltä :,:
:,: Hei luulia illalla,
vaik' on toista syltä :,:

Her mouth is nice despite the fact that it is wider than two bridges.

:,: Kun minä vien sen markkinoille
niin hevosetkin nauraa :,:
Hei luulia illalla,
hevosetkin nauraa.
Hei luulia hahhahhaaa....
hevosetkin nauraa!

When I take her to the market even the horses laugh at her..

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:56 am

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 1:02 pm

selflove wrote:Well, yeah... I suppose I am safe in that area. I have a couple of Finnish friends that I talk to unline informally, and I feel silly using "Kyllä" when they're saying "Joo". There are other words, too, I'm sure. Thankfully a regular old "Ei" is formal and informal, where in America there's a laundry list of ways to say "No".

One of the coolest ways of saying "yes" in Finnish is the one they use in Tampere:

eisevväliä.

edit... You can't use it in all situations, though. A good example of proper usage:

-Tuuksää meiräm pileisiin? (You wanna come to our party?)
-Eisevväliä. (Hooray! Yes, yes! I'd be ever so delighted to come!)

otyikondo · Post by **otyikondo** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 1:20 pm

"Vaikka" (as a stand-alone, or perhaps as "No... vaikka") is a standard sulky slangy response to questions such as:

Would you like to swap seats so you can be with your friend?
Do you fancy going out to the cinema?

In the song, however, it merely comes across in its normal form as "despite (the fact that)", or "although".

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