Finnish

A language of Finland

ISO 639-3

Autonym

Suomi

Population

5,700,000 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 5,200,000 in Finland (European Commission 2012). 30,000 speakers of Tornedalen Finnish. L2 users: 500,000 (2018 Institute for the Languages of Finland). Total users in all countries: 6,305,020 (as L1: 5,529,020; as L2: 776,000).

Language Maps

Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden

Western Russian Federation

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2000, Constitution, Article 17(1,2)).

Classification

Uralic, Finnic

Dialects

Southwestern Finnish, Häme (Tavast), South Pohjanmaa, Central and North Pohjanmaa, Peräpohja, Savo (Savolax), Southeastern Finnish (Finnish Karelian, Finnish Karjala). Southeastern dialects called, Karelian, in colloquial Finnish are distinct from true Karelian [krl] (1988 T. Salminen). Finnish is closely related to Karelian [krl] and Livvi [olo]. In the Russian Federation eastern dialects merge gradually into Karelian.

Typology

SVO; mostly postpositions, some prepositions; noun head final; no articles; case-marking (11 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense; comparatives; 17 consonants, 16 vowels, 16 diphthongs; non-tonal; stress on first syllable; vowel harmony.

Language Use

Most also use English [eng] (European Commission 2006). Some also use Standard German [deu] (European Commission 2006), Swedish [swe] (European Commission 2006).

Language Development

Fully developed. Bible: 1642–1991.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Finnish

Writing

Braille script [Brai]. Latin script [Latn], primary usage.

Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Aland Islands

Language nameFinnish

Population Full

1,450 in Aland Islands (2013 census).

Location

Scattered.

Alternate Names

Suomi

Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of Aland Islands

Russian Federation

Language nameFinnish

Population Full

38,900 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 51,900 (2002 census).

Location

Leningrad province: Ingria region, Saint Petersburg area.

Alternate Names

Finskiy, Suomi

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Language Use

Also use Russian [rus]. Used as L2 by Karelian [krl].

Other Comments

Some living in the Russian Federation, originally from the area of Ingria, call themselves Ingrian Finns. They are distinct from the Ingrians (Izhor), who speak a Finnic language, Ingrian (Izhorian) [izh]. Christian.

View other languages of Russian Federation

Sweden

Language nameFinnish

Population Full

201,000 in Sweden (Parkvall 2009). All speakers, apart from 3,000 Ingrians originating in Russia, are either modern-day immigrants from Finland or their children. Swedish-speaking immigrants from Finland are not included in the figure.

Location

Dalarna county: Botkyrka; Jonkoping county: Habo; Kalmar county, Eskilstuna; Norrbotten county: Gallivare, Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala, and Overtonea; Stockholm county: Stockholm city, Haninge, Huddinge, Osteraker, Sigtuna, Sodertalje, Solna, Upplands-Bro, and Upplands-Vasby; Uppsala county: Uppsala city, Alvkarleby, Osthammar, and Tierp; Vastmanland county: Lake Malaren area, Hallstahammar and Koping; Vastra Gotaland county: Gothenburg.

Alternate Names

Finska, Suomi

Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in administrative area municipalities located in at least part of the following counties: Jämtland, Norrbotten, Stockholm, Uppsala, Västerbotten (2009, NMNML Act No. 724, Article 6).

Language Use

Used as L2 by Tornedalen Finnish [fit].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of Sweden

Ethnologue

Finnish

Primary tabs

A language of Finland

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