“A language is not just words. It’s a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. It’s all embodied in a language.” Noam Chomsky.
It's always fascinating to hear elaborate accounts about navigating these kinds of language issues in Finland. Thanks!
Some small quibbles:
“Finnish children start to learn the second official language of the country (Finnish or Swedish depending on their mother language) in grades 1 and 2 of comprehensive school, and the first foreign language (usually English) is introduced from grade 3.”
While one understands this by reading the part in parentheses closely, speaking of the “second official language” is maybe a bit confusing here. That is, it's usually “second” only in the sense that it's the “second domestic” one (toinen kotimainen, andra inhemska), i.e., either Finnish or Swedish, depending basically on your family (language), right? As a school subject, it's called “äidinkieli” (lit. mother tongue) and it's historically been the *first* language you study in school, although nowadays, you can start learning your first foreign language already in the 1st grade (such as English or any other “long one” where available at the school). This used to be possible only from the 3rd grade on, but considering how easily young kids learn languages, I think earlier is better — and this way, you can now start your *next* foreign language already on grade 3 (instead of 5 like in the past). Or this is the way it's now in Helsinki at least.
As for the perennial “pakkoruotsi” (and why not “pakkosuomi”...): Of course, in many schools, you can start your “non-native” Swedish straight from the first grade, but AFAIK you now have to start the mandatory minimum from grade 6 (historically, grade 7, but I think this has changed, too, or at least made possible).
By the way, one confusing topic is the so-called S2 Finnish (“Finnish as a ‘secondary’ [or ’another’] language”, I think) — or more pertinently, the way it's chosen and/or determined for the pupils whether they get to study full-fledged Finnish as their “äidinkieli” (or if not, then what, why, how, and so on...). I guess the idea of S2 is to have an eased and smoothed-out way to teach Finnish to pupils with varied language backgrounds and starting levels — I might be talking out of my ass here, but it might be that its origins go to teaching Finnish to kids from Swedish-speaking families in particular. The Finnish National Agency for Education has this 'splainer on it at least, but to be honest I really am unable to make sense much of it, although it's clearly in Finnish (formally): https://www.oph.fi/fi/koulutus-ja-tutkinnot/suomi-toisena-kielena-ja-kirjallisuus-s2
Anyhow, with the arrival of some larger, youthful language communities like speakers of Somali and Arabic, and without paying any particular attention to the topic, I've heard grumbling every now and then, increasingly it feels, about the ways in which this system fails the students. Now, I must admit that I'm not that knowledgeable about the details and actual practices or policies in schools or otherwise, but I've read about e.g. Somali-speakers born and living here complaining about the significant disservice (karhunpalvelus) being done to their further study prospects by placing them into an S2 group. Apparently, students in those groups tend to have way more variance in their skill levels than what'd be optimal, resulting in suboptimal learning.
Actually, there's the question whether many kids with an immigrant background belong in S2 in the first place, given they may effectively be *bilingual* or even more fluent in Finnish than in their family language. I recall but sadly can't seem to find this interview with a Somali youngster/teenager who said he felt pretty screwed in high school (lukio, gymnasium) because he had fallen badly behind in many general studying skills and routines due to missing proper Finnish classes. Those classes and a good grasp of written Finnish and its uses actually prepare you in so many ways to manage and graduate high school in general, irrespective of subject or all! A telling example was that he had to *ask* from his school buddy what an “essay” meant exactly, as a standard form of assignment or more generally, how to write one, etc.
I mean, how do kids like him even end up in S2 or similarly disadvantageous places? Didn't their parents and/or teachers understand or care enough? Is the decision or recommendation made based on the family/parents' language by default? Do officials overprioritize the learning of the family language? How common is this, anyway? *I don't know*, but I think we really should make sure we don't screw up things like these on a big scale, especially when it's about people who already face quite an uphill struggle to reach their full potential and flourish up here as respected, proud, reciprocal contributors, beneficiaries and members of the Finnish society!
What a lovely article, Rob! That’s a great point regarding cultural competence being as important, if sometimes not more, than the language itself.
That discussion of first language or mother language makes me always think of how my mother would be a bit vexed when I say French is my mother tongue, to which she replies: « No! It’s your father tongue, your mother tongue will always be English » 😂 Suffice to say that in a French speaking environment her language represented a drop in the ocean, French being used in 99,99% of the time, at least I got exposed to it sooner than others with some cultural insights too!
Your poor English-speaking mum struggling up that French-speaking hill 🤭 Multilingualism and the multiculturalism that comes with it always seems to be a bit of a double-edged sword. You can never fully be in one camp or the other, it seems.
My ignorance of Finnish history & languages is more appalling to me now!! Very interesting information & discussion here! Thank you for your insightful details - much appreciated!
Thank you for your comment, Trystan, and thank you for subscribing!
I understand the "pull" that some cultures and languages have. In my experience, the best response to that pull is to run towards it - the reason for the pull often becomes apparent once we cease to resist.
It's great to have you as part of the Figuring Out Finland community :-)
It's always fascinating to hear elaborate accounts about navigating these kinds of language issues in Finland. Thanks!
Some small quibbles:
“Finnish children start to learn the second official language of the country (Finnish or Swedish depending on their mother language) in grades 1 and 2 of comprehensive school, and the first foreign language (usually English) is introduced from grade 3.”
While one understands this by reading the part in parentheses closely, speaking of the “second official language” is maybe a bit confusing here. That is, it's usually “second” only in the sense that it's the “second domestic” one (toinen kotimainen, andra inhemska), i.e., either Finnish or Swedish, depending basically on your family (language), right? As a school subject, it's called “äidinkieli” (lit. mother tongue) and it's historically been the *first* language you study in school, although nowadays, you can start learning your first foreign language already in the 1st grade (such as English or any other “long one” where available at the school). This used to be possible only from the 3rd grade on, but considering how easily young kids learn languages, I think earlier is better — and this way, you can now start your *next* foreign language already on grade 3 (instead of 5 like in the past). Or this is the way it's now in Helsinki at least.
As for the perennial “pakkoruotsi” (and why not “pakkosuomi”...): Of course, in many schools, you can start your “non-native” Swedish straight from the first grade, but AFAIK you now have to start the mandatory minimum from grade 6 (historically, grade 7, but I think this has changed, too, or at least made possible).
By the way, one confusing topic is the so-called S2 Finnish (“Finnish as a ‘secondary’ [or ’another’] language”, I think) — or more pertinently, the way it's chosen and/or determined for the pupils whether they get to study full-fledged Finnish as their “äidinkieli” (or if not, then what, why, how, and so on...). I guess the idea of S2 is to have an eased and smoothed-out way to teach Finnish to pupils with varied language backgrounds and starting levels — I might be talking out of my ass here, but it might be that its origins go to teaching Finnish to kids from Swedish-speaking families in particular. The Finnish National Agency for Education has this 'splainer on it at least, but to be honest I really am unable to make sense much of it, although it's clearly in Finnish (formally): https://www.oph.fi/fi/koulutus-ja-tutkinnot/suomi-toisena-kielena-ja-kirjallisuus-s2
Anyhow, with the arrival of some larger, youthful language communities like speakers of Somali and Arabic, and without paying any particular attention to the topic, I've heard grumbling every now and then, increasingly it feels, about the ways in which this system fails the students. Now, I must admit that I'm not that knowledgeable about the details and actual practices or policies in schools or otherwise, but I've read about e.g. Somali-speakers born and living here complaining about the significant disservice (karhunpalvelus) being done to their further study prospects by placing them into an S2 group. Apparently, students in those groups tend to have way more variance in their skill levels than what'd be optimal, resulting in suboptimal learning.
Actually, there's the question whether many kids with an immigrant background belong in S2 in the first place, given they may effectively be *bilingual* or even more fluent in Finnish than in their family language. I recall but sadly can't seem to find this interview with a Somali youngster/teenager who said he felt pretty screwed in high school (lukio, gymnasium) because he had fallen badly behind in many general studying skills and routines due to missing proper Finnish classes. Those classes and a good grasp of written Finnish and its uses actually prepare you in so many ways to manage and graduate high school in general, irrespective of subject or all! A telling example was that he had to *ask* from his school buddy what an “essay” meant exactly, as a standard form of assignment or more generally, how to write one, etc.
I mean, how do kids like him even end up in S2 or similarly disadvantageous places? Didn't their parents and/or teachers understand or care enough? Is the decision or recommendation made based on the family/parents' language by default? Do officials overprioritize the learning of the family language? How common is this, anyway? *I don't know*, but I think we really should make sure we don't screw up things like these on a big scale, especially when it's about people who already face quite an uphill struggle to reach their full potential and flourish up here as respected, proud, reciprocal contributors, beneficiaries and members of the Finnish society!
What a lovely article, Rob! That’s a great point regarding cultural competence being as important, if sometimes not more, than the language itself.
That discussion of first language or mother language makes me always think of how my mother would be a bit vexed when I say French is my mother tongue, to which she replies: « No! It’s your father tongue, your mother tongue will always be English » 😂 Suffice to say that in a French speaking environment her language represented a drop in the ocean, French being used in 99,99% of the time, at least I got exposed to it sooner than others with some cultural insights too!
Thanks for the comment, Cam.
Your poor English-speaking mum struggling up that French-speaking hill 🤭 Multilingualism and the multiculturalism that comes with it always seems to be a bit of a double-edged sword. You can never fully be in one camp or the other, it seems.
My ignorance of Finnish history & languages is more appalling to me now!! Very interesting information & discussion here! Thank you for your insightful details - much appreciated!
Thanks for your comment, Celia.
I'm happy you found this edition useful and insightful. I've lived in Finland for over half my life and I'm still learning 😬
Thank you for your comment, Trystan, and thank you for subscribing!
I understand the "pull" that some cultures and languages have. In my experience, the best response to that pull is to run towards it - the reason for the pull often becomes apparent once we cease to resist.
It's great to have you as part of the Figuring Out Finland community :-)