Meänkieli: Difference between revisions
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Updated amount of speakers and corresponding source to refer to ISOF, the government agency responsible for Meänkieli in Sweden. |
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{{Short description| |
{{Short description|Finnic language or Finnish dialect spoken in northern Sweden}} |
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{{Infobox language |
{{Infobox language |
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| name = Meänkieli |
| name = Meänkieli |
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| mapcaption = Map of the area where Meänkieli has an official status. |
| mapcaption = Map of the area where Meänkieli has an official status. |
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| states = [[Sweden]] |
| states = [[Sweden]] |
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| |
| ethnicity = [[Tornedalians]] |
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| region = [[Meänmaa]], [[Kalix Municipality|Kalix]], [[Luleå]], [[Umeå Municipality|Umeå]], [[Stockholm]] |
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| speakers = 70,000 |
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| speakers = Native: 40,000 |
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Total: 75,000 |
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| ref = e18 |
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| date = |
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| ref = [https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/lar-dig-mer-om-meankieli/meankieli-nu-och-da] |
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| familycolor = Uralic |
| familycolor = Uralic |
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| fam2 = [[Finnic languages|Finnic]] |
| fam2 = [[Finnic languages|Finnic]] |
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| glotto = torn1244 |
| glotto = torn1244 |
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| glottorefname = Tornedalen Finnish |
| glottorefname = Tornedalen Finnish |
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| map2 = Lang Status 20-CR.svg |
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| mapcaption2 = {{center|{{small|Meänkieli is classified as Critically Endangered by the [[UNESCO]] ''[[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]''}}}} |
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| altname = Tornedalian |
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| dia1 = [[Torne Valley dialects]] |
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| dia2 = [[Gällivare dialects]] |
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| dia3 = [[Lannankieli]] |
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| refname = |
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}} |
}} |
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'''{{lang|fit|Meänkieli}}''' (literally 'our language') is a [[Finnic languages|Finnic language]] or a group of distinct [[Finnish language|Finnish]] dialects spoken in the northernmost part of Sweden along the valley of the [[Torne (Finnish and Swedish river)|Torne River]]. |
'''{{lang|fit|Meänkieli}}''' (literally 'our language'), or '''Tornedalian'''<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Abondolo |first1=Daniel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0WFqEAAAQBAJ |title=The Uralic Languages |last2=Valijärvi |first2=Riitta-Liisa |date=2023-03-31 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-317-23097-7 |pages=94 |language=}}</ref> is a [[Finnic languages|Finnic language]] or a group of distinct [[Finnish language|Finnish]] dialects spoken in the northernmost part of Sweden along the valley of the [[Torne (Finnish and Swedish river)|Torne River]]. Meänkieli is recognized in Sweden as one of the [[Official minority languages of Sweden|country's five minority languages]] and is treated as a distinct language from Finnish, however its status as an independent Finnic language is sometimes disputed due to its mutual intelligibility with Finnish.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä – Kielikello |url=https://www.kielikello.fi/-/meankieli-yksi-ruotsin-vahemmistokielista |access-date=2020-01-26 |website=www.kielikello.fi |date=31 December 1999 |language=fi-FI}}</ref> According to the National Association of Swedish Tornedalians, 70,000 individuals are able to understand Meänkieli, at least to some level.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ett språk under ständig utveckling |url=https://www.minoritet.se/Meankieli-ett-sprak-under-standig-utveckling |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=Minoritet.se |language=sv}}</ref> |
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Meänkieli is especially similar to the [[Kven language]] and the Finnish dialects spoken on the Finnish side of the border and is strongly mutually intelligible with them, although Meänkieli contains strong influences from Swedish and has conserved some archaic features which even the Northern Finnish dialects have lost.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Språket meänkieli |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/lar-dig-mer-om-meankieli/spraket-meankieli |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=www.isof.se |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-12-31 |title=Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä |url=https://kielikello.fi/meankieli-yksi-ruotsin-vahemmistokielista/ |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=Kielikello |language=fi}}</ref> |
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Linguistically, Meänkieli consists of two dialect subgroups, the [[Torne Valley dialect]]s (also spoken on the Finnish side of the [[Torne (Finnish and Swedish river)|Torne River]]) and the [[Gällivare dialects]], which both belong to the larger [[Peräpohjola dialects|Peräpohjola dialect]] group.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.internetix.ofw.fi/opinnot/opintojaksot/8kieletkirjallisuus/aidinkieli/murteet/perapohj.html |title=Peräpohjalaismurteiden alue |access-date=2009-10-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927010544/http://www.internetix.ofw.fi/opinnot/opintojaksot/8kieletkirjallisuus/aidinkieli/murteet/perapohj.html |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It has the status of a [[minority language]] in [[Sweden]]. In modern [[Swedish language|Swedish]] the language is normally referred to officially as {{lang|se|meänkieli}}, although colloquially an older name, {{lang|se|tornedalsfinska}} ("[[Torne Valley]] Finnish"), is still commonly used. [[Sveriges Radio]] tends to use {{Lang|sv|tornedalsfinska}} for the culture generally and ''{{lang|se|meänkieli}}'' specifically for the language.<ref>[http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2938&artikel=6636199 Sveriges Radio press release] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101181848/https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/6636199 |date=2022-11-01 }} 22.02.2017 (in Swedish)</ref> |
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Meänkieli is distinguished from Standard Finnish by the absence of 19th- and 20th-century developments in Finnish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kielikello.fi/-/meankieli-yksi-ruotsin-vahemmistokielista|title=Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä – Kielikello|website=www.kielikello.fi|language=fi-FI|access-date=2020-01-26}}</ref> |
Meänkieli is distinguished from Standard Finnish by the absence of 19th- and 20th-century developments in Finnish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kielikello.fi/-/meankieli-yksi-ruotsin-vahemmistokielista|title=Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä – Kielikello|website=www.kielikello.fi|date=31 December 1999 |language=fi-FI|access-date=2020-01-26}}</ref> |
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== History == |
== History == |
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In the 1880s, the Swedish state decided that all citizens of the country should speak Swedish. Part of the reason was military; people close to the border speaking the language of the neighbouring country rather than the major language in their own country might not be trusted in case of war. Another reason was that Finns (primarily eastern Finns) were sometimes regarded as being of another "race." An opinion of that period, as reflected in contemporary fiction, was that the Sami and the Finnish populations belonged "more closely to Russia than to Scandinavia".<ref>L.W.A Douglas, ''Hur vi förlorade Norrland'' – How We Lost Norrland, Stockholm 1889, p.17</ref> Beginning around this time, the schools in the area only taught in Swedish, and children were forbidden under penalty of physical punishment from speaking their own language at school even during class breaks. Native Finnish speakers were prevented by the authorities from learning Standard Finnish as a school subject for decades, which resulted in the survival of the language only in oral form. |
In the 1880s, the Swedish state decided that all citizens of the country should speak Swedish. Part of the reason was military; people close to the border speaking the language of the neighbouring country rather than the major language in their own country might not be trusted in case of war. Another reason was that Finns (primarily eastern Finns) were sometimes regarded as being of another "race." An opinion of that period, as reflected in contemporary fiction, was that the Sami and the Finnish populations belonged "more closely to Russia than to Scandinavia".<ref>L.W.A Douglas, ''Hur vi förlorade Norrland'' – How We Lost Norrland, Stockholm 1889, p.17</ref> Beginning around this time, the schools in the area only taught in Swedish, and children were forbidden under penalty of physical punishment from speaking their own language at school even during class breaks. Native Finnish speakers were prevented by the authorities from learning Standard Finnish as a school subject for decades, which resulted in the survival of the language only in oral form. |
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When minority languages first became taught in Swedish schools, Meänkieli was still classified as a form of Finnish and children who spoke |
When minority languages first became taught in Swedish schools, Meänkieli was still classified by Sweden as a form of Finnish and children who spoke it natively were taught the standard Finnish literary language in school instead of their more native Tornedalian variant, causing the students to become demotivated. However, in 1977 some schools began to make materials specifically designed for speakers of Meänkieli which did not use standard Finnish. This was also the first time the term "Meänkieli" was applied to the form of speech, which was called "Tornedalian Finnish" before.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Aasa |first1=Ahti |last2=ahti.aasa@sverigesradio.se |date=2022-11-30 |title=Meänkielen tie koulhuun aukesi 45 vuotta sitten |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/meankielen-tie-koulhuun-aukesi-45-vuotta-sitten |access-date=2024-03-10 |work=Sveriges Radio}}</ref> |
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=== Meänkieli today === |
=== Meänkieli today === |
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Few people today speak Meänkieli as their only language, with speakers usually knowing Swedish and often standard Finnish as well. Estimates of how many people speak Meänkieli vary from 30,000 to 70,000, of whom most live in [[Norrbotten County|Norrbotten]]. Many people in the northern parts of Sweden understand some Meänkieli, but fewer people speak it regularly. People with Meänkieli roots are often referred to as [[Tornedalians]] although the Finnish-speaking part of Norrbotten is a far larger area than the [[Torne River Valley]]; judging by the names of towns and places, the Finnish-speaking part of Norrbotten stretches as far west as the town of [[Gällivare]]. |
Few people today speak Meänkieli as their only language, with speakers usually knowing Swedish and often standard Finnish as well. Estimates of how many people speak Meänkieli vary from 30,000 to 70,000, of whom most live in [[Norrbotten County|Norrbotten]]. Many people in the northern parts of Sweden understand some Meänkieli, but fewer people speak it regularly. People with Meänkieli roots are often referred to as [[Tornedalians]] although the Finnish-speaking part of Norrbotten is a far larger area than the [[Torne River Valley]]; judging by the names of towns and places, the Finnish-speaking part of Norrbotten stretches as far west as the town of [[Gällivare]]. |
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Today Meänkieli is declining. Few young people speak Meänkieli as part of daily life though many have passive knowledge of the language from family use, and it is not uncommon for younger people from Meänkieli-speaking families to be more familiar with standard Finnish, for which literature and courses are much more readily available. The language is taught at [[Stockholm University]], [[Luleå University of Technology]], and [[ |
Today Meänkieli is declining. Few young people speak Meänkieli as part of daily life though many have passive knowledge of the language from family use, and it is not uncommon for younger people from Meänkieli-speaking families to be more familiar with standard Finnish, for which literature and courses are much more readily available. The language is taught at [[Stockholm University]], [[Luleå University of Technology]], [[Umeå University]], and [[Babeș-Bolyai University|Babeș-Boylai University]] in Romania.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-03-19 |title=Meänkieltä Rymäniässä / Meänkieli i Rumänien |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/5814006 |access-date=2024-11-21 |work=Sveriges Radio |language=Meänkieli and Swedish}}</ref> In 2020, [[University of Oulu|Oulu University]] began teaching translators in Meänkieli and Kven.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oulun yliopisto perustaa kääntäjäkoulutuksen meänkielen ja kveenin säilyttämiseksi {{!}} Oulun yliopisto |url=https://www.sttinfo.fi/tiedote/69882304/oulun-yliopisto-perustaa-kaantajakoulutuksen-meankielen-ja-kveenin-sailyttamiseksi?publisherId=57858920 |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=www.sttinfo.fi |language=fi}}</ref> [[Bengt Pohjanen]] is a trilingual author from the Torne Valley. In 1985 he wrote the first Meänkieli novel, {{Lang|fit|Lyykeri}}. He has also written several novels, dramas, grammar books, songs and films in Meänkieli. |
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The author [[Mikael Niemi]]'s novels and a film based on one of his books in Swedish have improved awareness of this minority among Swedes. Since the 1980s, people who speak Meänkieli have become more aware of the importance of the language as a marker of identity.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} Today there are grammar books, a Bible translation, drama performances, and there are some TV programmes in Meänkieli. |
The author [[Mikael Niemi]]'s novels and a film based on one of his books in Swedish have improved awareness of this minority among Swedes. Since the 1980s, people who speak Meänkieli have become more aware of the importance of the language as a marker of identity.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} Today there are grammar books, a Bible translation, drama performances, and there are some TV programmes in Meänkieli. |
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On radio, programmes in Meänkieli are broadcast regularly from regional station [[Sveriges Radio P4|P4 Norrbotten]] (as well as local station P6 in Stockholm) on Mondays to Thursdays between 17:10 and 18:00, while on Sundays further programmes are carried by P6 between 8:34 and 10:00 (also on [[Sveriges Radio P2|P2]] nationwide from 8:34 to 9:00). All of these programmes are also available via the Internet. |
On radio, programmes in Meänkieli are broadcast regularly from regional station [[Sveriges Radio P4|P4 Norrbotten]] (as well as local station P6 in Stockholm) on Mondays to Thursdays between 17:10 and 18:00, while on Sundays further programmes are carried by P6 between 8:34 and 10:00 (also on [[Sveriges Radio P2|P2]] nationwide from 8:34 to 9:00). All of these programmes are also available via the Internet. |
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==Status as a language== |
== Status as a language == |
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Individuals who agree with the classification of Meänkieli as a separate language generally do so for historical, political and sociological reasons, usually pointing to its separate standardised written language that is distinct from standard Finnish. However, on pure linguistic grounds, Meänkieli may be classified as a Northern |
Individuals who agree with the classification of Meänkieli as a separate language generally do so for historical, political and sociological reasons, usually pointing to its separate history, cultural meaning, official status, and its standardised written language that is distinct from standard Finnish. However, on pure linguistic grounds, Meänkieli may be classified as a group of Northern [[Peräpohjola dialects]] of Finnish. Although the creation of the 1809 border has moved Meänkieli into its own direction by increasing Swedish influences and keeping some archaic features, Meänkieli is still very comprehensible for speakers of Finnish, especially due to the fact that [[Mandatory Swedish|Swedish is taught as a mandatory subject]] in Finland, causing the heavy Swedish influence in Meänkieli to not cause as many problems for comprehension. However, according to Harri Mantila (a professor at the [[University of Oulu]]), the independent status of Meänkieli is important to many of its speakers as it has increased its linguistic prestige which has been historically very low due to the process of [[Swedification]], thus helping to create a stronger cultural identity for the [[Tornedalians]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 December 1999 |title=Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä – Kielikello |url=https://www.kielikello.fi/-/meankieli-yksi-ruotsin-vahemmistokielista |access-date=2019-12-10 |website=www.kielikello.fi |language=fi-FI}}</ref> |
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== Dialects == |
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[[File:Meänkieli varieteettikartta.png|thumb|Traditional spread of the Meänkieli variants]]In Sweden, Meänkieli consists of three dialect subgroups, the [[Torne Valley dialects]] (spoken in [[Pajala]], [[Övertorneå]], [[Haparanda]] and parts of [[Kiruna]]), [[Lannankieli]] (spoken in Kiruna and [[Jukkasjärvi]]) and the [[Gällivare dialects]] (spoken around [[Gällivare]]), which all descend from the larger [[Peräpohjola dialects|Peräpohjola dialect]] group.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-15 |title=Vi uppmärksammar tornedalingarnas dag |url=https://www.sigtuna.se/nyheter/nyheter/2022-07-15-vi-uppmarksammar-tornedalingarnas-dag.html |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=www.sigtuna.se |language=sv}}</ref> The Torne Valley dialects are the most major variant group of Meänkieli, and the written standard language of Meänkieli is primarily derived from the Torne Valley dialects spoken in Pajala and Övertorneå.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-11-28 |title=Meän kieltä hoon päältä |url=https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2006/11/28/mean-kielta-hoon-paalta |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=yle.fi |language=fi-FI}}</ref> However, the Lannankieli and Gällivare variants are more severely endangered.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-13 |title=Meänkielen kielisentteri vihitty – STR-T |url=https://str-t.com/meki/meankielen-kielisentteri-vihitty/ |access-date=2024-09-27 |language=fi}}</ref> All three dialectgroups are mutually intelligible with each other, however they contain some lexical differences.<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Kielipuoli |date=2016-11-27 |title=#Kielipuoli: Yksikielisyyspolitiikan rautakourasta puristui uusi kieli |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/6572348 |access-date=2024-09-27 |work=Sveriges Radio |language=fi}}</ref>{{div col|colwidth=25em}} |
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{{tree list}} |
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* '''Meänkieli dialects''' |
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** [[Torne Valley dialects]] |
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*** Haparanda dialect |
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*** Pajala dialect |
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*** Övertorneå dialect |
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**[[Gällivare dialects]] |
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*** Southwestern Gällivare dialect |
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*** Middle Gällivare dialect |
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*** Northwestern Gällivare dialect |
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*** Eastern Gällivare dialect |
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**[[Lannankieli]]{{tree list/end}} |
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{{div col end}} |
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== Geographical distribution == |
== Geographical distribution == |
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Meänkieli has an official status in: [[Pajala Municipality|Pajala]], [[Övertorneå]], [[Haparanda]], [[Gällivare]], [[Luleå]], [[Kalix Municipality|Kalix]], [[Kiruna Municipality|Kiruna]], |
Meänkieli has an official status in: [[Pajala Municipality|Pajala]], [[Övertorneå]], [[Haparanda]], [[Gällivare]], [[Luleå]], [[Kalix Municipality|Kalix]], [[Kiruna Municipality|Kiruna]], [[Umeå Municipality|Umeå]] and [[Stockholm]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Meänkieli|url=https://www.isof.se/lar-dig-mer/kunskapsbanker/lar-dig-mer-om-nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli|access-date=2021-10-15|website=www.isof.se|language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommuner i förvaltningsområdet för meänkieli |url=https://www.minoritet.se/kommuner-i-forvaltningsomradet-for-meankieli |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Minoritet.se |language=sv}}</ref> Meänkieli has also been historically spoken in [[Piteå Municipality|Piteå]], [[Boden Municipality|Boden]], [[Älvsbyn Municipality|Älvsbyn]] and northeastern [[Jokkmokk Municipality|Jokkmokk municipality]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ortnamn på meänkieli |url=https://www.isof.se/lar-dig-mer/kunskapsbanker/lar-dig-mer-om-ortnamn-i-sverige/ortnamn-pa-finska-meankieli-och-samiska/ortnamn-pa-meankieli |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.isof.se |language=sv}}</ref> |
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== Grammar == |
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{{main|Meänkieli grammar}} |
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The grammar of Meänkieli is very similar to Finnish, with some variations such as the aspiration of consonants before long vowels. Meänkieli is an agglutinative language with fifteen noun cases. It contains consonant gradation and vowel harmony, just like Finnish. It contains four verb tenses, which are the present, imperfect, perfect and the pluperfect. It does not have a separate tense for future events.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/for-dig-i-skolan/pedagogiska-material/meankieli---grammatik-larobok-historia-texter |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.isof.se |page= |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kenttä |first1=Matti |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=roLTNAAACAAJ |title=Meänkielen kramatiikki |last2=Pohjanen |first2=Bengt |date=1996 |publisher=Kaamos |isbn=978-91-87410-19-2 |language=fit}}</ref> |
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== Alphabet == |
== Alphabet == |
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* Ö – öö – {{IPA|[ø]}} |
* Ö – öö – {{IPA|[ø]}} |
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B, C, D, G, W, X, Z, and Å are only used in foreign words and names.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meankieli language |url=https://www.omniglot.com/writing/meankieli.htm |
B, C, D, G, W, X, Z, and Å are only used in foreign words and names.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meankieli language |url=https://www.omniglot.com/writing/meankieli.htm |access-date=15 February 2021 |website=Omniglot}}</ref> |
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in 2016 a letter š {{IPA|/ʃ/}} was added into Meänkieli, instead of the [[Swedish language|Swedish]] letters sj.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Radio|first=Sveriges|title=Meänkieli saa uuden kirjaimen – Sveriges Radio Finska|url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/6415551|access-date=2021-06-14|newspaper=Sveriges Radio |
in 2016 a letter š {{IPA|/ʃ/}} was added into Meänkieli, instead of the [[Swedish language|Swedish]] letters sj.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Radio |first=Sveriges |date=20 April 2016 |title=Meänkieli saa uuden kirjaimen – Sveriges Radio Finska |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/6415551 |access-date=2021-06-14 |newspaper=Sveriges Radio |language=fi}}</ref> |
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== Differences between standard Finnish and Meänkieli == |
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== Grammar == |
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'''1) There exists often either the omission of the ''d'' sound (in native words) or its replacement with ''t'' (in loanwords):<ref name=":06">{{Cite web |title=Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/for-dig-i-skolan/pedagogiska-material/meankieli---grammatik-larobok-historia-texter |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.isof.se |page= |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-09-13 |title=Tulokset tälle avv {{!}} Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/?search=avv&la=me |work=meankielensanakirja.com}}<!-- auto-translated from Finnish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>''' |
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{{main|Meänkieli grammar}} |
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The grammar of Meänkieli is very similar to Finnish, with some variations such as the aspiration of consonants before long vowels. Meänkieli is an agglunatitive language with fifteen noun cases. It contains consonant gradiation and vowel harmony, just like Finnish. It contains four verb tenses, which are the present, imperfect, perfect and the pluperfect. It does not have a separate tense for future events.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/for-dig-i-skolan/pedagogiska-material/meankieli---grammatik-larobok-historia-texter |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.isof.se |page= |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kenttä |first1=Matti |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=roLTNAAACAAJ |title=Meänkielen kramatiikki |last2=Pohjanen |first2=Bengt |date=1996 |publisher=Kaamos |isbn=978-91-87410-19-2 |language=fit}}</ref> |
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* ''tehä'' 'to do' (Finnish: tehdä) |
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* ''tynamiitti'' 'dynamite' (Finnish: dynamiitti) |
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* ''syyä'' 'to eat' (Finnish: syödä) |
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* ''meän'' 'our' (Finnish: meidän) |
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* ''heän'' 'their' (Finnish: heidän) |
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* ''teän'' 'your' (Finnish: teidän) |
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* ''soan'' 'of the war (Finnish: sodan) |
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'''2) In certain environments, gemination (doubling of consonants) occurs, which differs from standard Finnish:<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-09-13 |title=Tulokset tälle avv {{!}} Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/?search=avv&la=me |work=meankielensanakirja.com}}<!-- auto-translated from Finnish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>''' |
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Instead of ''ts'' clusters, there is ''tt'' (similar to western Finnish dialects): |
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* ''mettä'' 'forest' (Finnish: metsä) |
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* ''kattoa'' 'to look' (Finnish: katsoa) |
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Some consonant clusters have assimilated into geminates: |
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''jokka'' 'who' (Finnish: jotka) |
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Meänkieli often has the geminate ''vv'': |
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* ''savvu'' 'smoke' (Finnish: savu) |
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* ''avvain'' 'key' (Finnish: avain) |
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'''3) Verb conjugation endings: -mma ~ -mmä, -tta ~ -ttä, -pi<ref name=":05">{{Cite web |title=Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/for-dig-i-skolan/pedagogiska-material/meankieli---grammatik-larobok-historia-texter |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.isof.se |page= |language=sv}}</ref>''' |
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* ''menemmä'' 'we go' ('menemme' in Finnish) |
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* ''tuletta'' 'you come' ('tulette' in Finnish) |
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* ''ostaapi'' 'buys' ('ostaa' in Finnish) |
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* ''syövä'' 'they eat' ('syövät' in Finnish) |
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'''4) Past participle:<ref name=":04">{{Cite web |title=Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/for-dig-i-skolan/pedagogiska-material/meankieli---grammatik-larobok-historia-texter |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.isof.se |page= |language=sv}}</ref>''' |
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The Finnish ''syönyt'' form corresponds to ''syönny'' in Meänkieli (not present in all dialects). |
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'''5) In certain loanwords, Meänkieli has the sound ''y'' under the influence of Swedish, while Finnish uses the sound ''u'':<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-09-13 |title=Tulokset tälle avv {{!}} Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/?search=avv&la=me |work=meankielensanakirja.com}}<!-- auto-translated from Finnish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>''' |
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* ''kyltyyri'' = 'culture' (Finnish: kulttuuri) |
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* ''mysiikki'' = 'music' (Finnish: musiikki) |
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* ''resyrssi'' = 'resource' (Finnish: resurssi) |
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'''6) In loanwords, Meänkieli has preserved the ''f'' sound, whereas in Finnish it has often become ''v'':<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-09-13 |title=Tulokset tälle avv {{!}} Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/?search=avv&la=me |work=meankielensanakirja.com}}<!-- auto-translated from Finnish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>''' |
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* ''färi'' 'color' (Finnish: väri) |
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* ''fankila'' 'prison' (Finnish: vankila) |
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* ''fati'' 'bowl' (Finnish: vati) |
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* ''fiuletti'' 'violet' (Finnish: violetti) |
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'''7) In loanwords, Meänkieli often uses the sound ''u'' under the influence of Swedish, while Finnish uses the sound ''o'':<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-09-13 |title=Tulokset tälle avv {{!}} Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/?search=avv&la=me |work=meankielensanakirja.com}}<!-- auto-translated from Finnish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>''' |
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* ''puliisi'' 'police' (Finnish: poliisi) |
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* ''muterni'' 'modern' (Finnish: moderni) |
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* ''pulitikki'' 'politics' (Finnish: politiikka) |
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* ''pulitiikkeri'' 'politician' (Finnish: politiikko) |
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* ''vukaali'' 'vowel' (Finnish: vokaali) |
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* ''pusitiivinen'' 'positive' (Finnish: positiivinen) |
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'''8) The verb ''olla'' (to be) is sometimes combined with personal pronouns in the spoken form of Meänkieli:<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-09-13 |title=Tulokset tälle avv {{!}} Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/?search=avv&la=me |work=meankielensanakirja.com}}<!-- auto-translated from Finnish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>''' |
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* ''Molen'' = I am (Finnish: minä olen) |
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* ''Solet'' = you are (Finnish: sinä olet) |
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* ''Son'' = it is, he/she is (Finnish: hän on/se on) |
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* ''Sole'' = it is not (Finnish: se ei ole) |
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* ''Molema'' = we are (Finnish: me olemme) |
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* ''Toletta'' = you (plural) are (Finnish: te olette) |
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* ''Non/Noova/Hoova'' = they are (Finnish: he ovat) |
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'''9) Meänkieli often uses the ending ''-tten'' in plural genitives:<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |title=Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/for-dig-i-skolan/pedagogiska-material/meankieli---grammatik-larobok-historia-texter |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.isof.se |page= |language=sv}}</ref>''' |
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* ''kaloitten'' 'of the fish' (Finnish: kalojen) |
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* ''miehitten'' 'of the men' (Finnish: miesten) |
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* ''taloitten'' 'of the houses' (Finnish: talojen) |
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* ''asunnoitten'' 'of the apartments' (Finnish: asuntojen) |
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'''10) Personal pronouns.<ref name=":03" />''' |
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Personal pronouns in Meänkieli somewhat differ from those used in standard Finnish: |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|+ |
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! |
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!Meänkieli |
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!Finnish |
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|- |
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|1st person singular |
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|mie |
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|minä |
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|- |
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|2nd person singular |
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|sie |
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|sinä |
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|- |
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|3rd person singular |
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|hään/se |
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|hän |
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|- |
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|1st person plural |
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|met |
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|me |
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|- |
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|2nd person plural |
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|tet |
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|te |
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|- |
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|3rd person plural |
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|het |
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|he |
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|} |
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'''11) Meänkieli often uses the "š" sound in loanwords due to Swedish influence.<ref name=":03" />''' |
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* šinkka = ham |
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* informašuuni = information |
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* lekitimašuuni = personal identification |
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== Some Meänkieli words not used in standard Finnish == |
=== Some Meänkieli words not used in standard Finnish === |
||
The [[Swedish language]] words are in parentheses in case of borrowed cognates. With Swedish being the dominant everyday language in the region, the language has impacted modern Meänkieli in some ways. |
The [[Swedish language]] words are in parentheses in case of borrowed cognates. With Swedish being the dominant everyday language in the region, the language has impacted modern Meänkieli in some ways. Meänkieli also contains many words which have different meanings in Finnish and Meänkieli, yet sound similar. An example is the word "pyörtyä", which means 'to get lost' in Meänkieli, but it refers to fainting in Finnish.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Språket meänkieli |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/lar-dig-mer-om-meankieli/spraket-meankieli |access-date=2024-09-19 |website=www.isof.se |language=sv}}</ref> |
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* {{Lang|fit|äpyli}} 'apple' (''äpple'') |
* {{Lang|fit|äpyli}} 'apple' (''äpple'') |
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Line 111: | Line 252: | ||
* {{Lang|fit|knakata}} 'to knock' (''knacka'') |
* {{Lang|fit|knakata}} 'to knock' (''knacka'') |
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* {{Lang|fit|öölata}} 'to drink beer' (''öla'') |
* {{Lang|fit|öölata}} 'to drink beer' (''öla'') |
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* {{Lang|fit|miilu}} ' |
* {{Lang|fit|miilu}} '[[merrills]]' |
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* {{Lang|fit|knapsu}} 'feminine man' |
* {{Lang|fit|knapsu}} 'feminine man' |
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* {{Lang|fit|fruukosti}} 'breakfast' (''frukost'') |
* {{Lang|fit|fruukosti}} 'breakfast' (''frukost'') |
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* {{Lang|fit|fältti}} 'field' (''fält'') |
* {{Lang|fit|fältti}} 'field' (''fält'') |
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* {{Lang|fit| |
* {{Lang|fit|hunteerata}} 'to think, ponder' (''fundera'') |
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* {{Lang|fit|engelska}} 'English' (''engelska'') |
* {{Lang|fit|engelska}} 'English' (''engelska'') |
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* {{Lang|fit|fryysbuksi}} 'freezer' (''frysbox'') |
* {{Lang|fit|fryysbuksi}} 'freezer' (''frysbox'') |
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* {{Lang|fit| |
* {{Lang|fit|flaku}} 'flag' (''flagga'') |
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* {{Lang|fit|häätyy}} 'to have to'<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/ |access-date=2019-12-10 |website=meankielensanakirja.com}}</ref> |
* {{Lang|fit|häätyy}} 'to have to'<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/ |access-date=2019-12-10 |website=meankielensanakirja.com}}</ref> |
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* ''raavastua'' 'to mature'<ref name=":2" /> |
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== Example == |
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== Differences between standard Finnish and Meänkieli == |
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This example is taken from the [[Swedish Institute for Language and Folklore]]:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Språket meänkieli |url=https://www.isof.se/nationella-minoritetssprak/meankieli/lar-dig-mer-om-meankieli/spraket-meankieli |access-date=2024-09-23 |website=www.isof.se |language=sv}}</ref> |
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In many loanwords the sound ''f'' has been replaced with ''v'' in Finnish. |
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{| class="wikitable" |
{| class="wikitable" |
||
|+ |
|+ |
||
!Meänkieli |
!Meänkieli |
||
!Finnish |
!Finnish |
||
!Swedish |
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!English |
!English |
||
|- |
|- |
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|Olipa kerran pikku piika joka oli saanu fiinin punasen lyyvan hänen siivolta mummulta. Siksi piikaa kututhiin Rödlyyvaksi. Yhtenä päivänä Rödlyyvan äiti käski hänen mennä mummun tykö, ko mummu makasi saihraana hänen pienessä mökissä pimeässä synkässä mettässä. Rödlyyva sai ruokakorin ja lääkheet matkhaan ja äiti muistutti tyärtä ette marsia suoraa tietä mummun tykö eikä topata välilä praatimhaan kenenkhän kans. |
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|{{Lang|fit|färi}} |
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|Olipa kerran pieni tyttö joka oli saanut hienon punaisen hilkan kiltiltä mummoltaan. Siksi tyttöä kutsuttiin Punahilkaksi. Yhtenä päivänä Punahilkan äiti käski hänen mennä mummon luokse, koska mummo makasi sairaana pienessä mökissään pimeässä synkässä metsässä. Punahilkka sai ruokakorin ja lääkkeet mukaansa ja äiti muistutti tytärtä, että kulkee suoraa tietä mummon luokse eikä pysähdy välillä puhumaan kenenkään kanssa. |
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|{{Lang|fi|väri}} |
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|Det var en gång en liten flicka, som hade fått en fin röd huva av sin snälla mormor. Därför kallades flickan Rödluvan. En dag bad mamman att flickan skulle gå till mormor, som låg sjuk i sin stuga djupt inne i skogen. Flickan fick en korg med mat och medicin att ta med. Mamma förmanade flickan att gå raka vägen till mormor och inte stanna och prata med någon på vägen. |
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|'color' |
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|Once upon a time, there was a little girl who had received a beautiful red hood from her kind grandmother. That’s why the girl was called Little Red Riding Hood. One day, the girl's mother asked her to go to her grandmother, who was sick in her cottage deep in the forest. Little Red Riding Hood was given a basket with food and medicine to take with her. Mother warned the girl to go straight to grandmother's and not stop to talk to anyone along the way. |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|fankila}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|vankila}} |
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|'prison' |
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|} |
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Many words have been loaned with the letter ''u'' into Finnish but with ''y'' into Meänkieli. |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|+ |
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!Meänkieli |
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!Finnish |
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!English |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|kylttyyri}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|kulttuuri}} |
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|'culture' |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|resyrssi}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|resurssi}} |
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|'resource' |
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|} |
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Many words have been loaned with the letter ''o'' into Finnish but with ''u'' into Meänkieli. |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|+ |
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!Meänkieli |
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!Finnish |
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!English |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|puliisi}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|poliisi}} |
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|'police' |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|pulitiikka}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|politiikka}} |
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|'politics' |
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|} |
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In loanwords, the sound ''d'' has been replaced with ''t''. In native words, ''d'' is gone. |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|+ |
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!Meänkieli |
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!Finnish |
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!English |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|tehä}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|tehdä}} |
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|'to make' |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|tynamiitti}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|dynamiitti}} |
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|'dynamite' |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|meän}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|meidän}} |
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|'our' |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|heän}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|heidän}} |
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|'their' |
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|} |
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Double consonants<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meänkielen sanakirja |url=http://meankielensanakirja.com/fi/ |access-date=2020-01-26 |website=meankielensanakirja.com}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Meänkieli |date=2020-01-20 |url=https://fi.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Me%C3%A4nkieli&oldid=18675260 |work=Wikipedia |language=fi |access-date=2020-01-26}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=November 2022}} |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|+ |
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!Meänkieli |
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!Finnish |
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!English |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|mettä}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|metsä}} |
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|'forest' |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|kattoa}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|katsoa}} |
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|'to watch' |
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|- |
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|{{Lang|fit|savvu}} |
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|{{Lang|fi|savu}} |
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|'smoke' |
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|} |
|} |
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Line 215: | Line 282: | ||
* [[Kven language]] |
* [[Kven language]] |
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* [[Sweden Finns]] |
* [[Sweden Finns]] |
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* [[Virsiä Meänkielelä]] |
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==References == |
==References == |
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{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meankieli}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meankieli}} |
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[[Category:Meänkieli| ]] |
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[[Category:Tornedalians]] |
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[[Category:Finnic languages]] |
[[Category:Finnic languages]] |
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[[Category:Finnish dialects]] |
[[Category:Finnish dialects]] |
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[[Category:Languages of Sweden]] |
[[Category:Languages of Sweden]] |
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[[Category:Languages of Finland]] |
Latest revision as of 07:16, 6 January 2025
Meänkieli | |
---|---|
Tornedalian | |
meänkieli | |
Native to | Sweden |
Region | Meänmaa, Kalix, Luleå, Umeå, Stockholm |
Ethnicity | Tornedalians |
Native speakers | Native: 40,000 Total: 75,000[1] |
Uralic
| |
Dialects | |
Official status | |
Recognised minority language in | |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | fit |
Glottolog | torn1244 |
Map of the area where Meänkieli has an official status. | |
Meänkieli is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger |
Meänkieli (literally 'our language'), or Tornedalian[1] is a Finnic language or a group of distinct Finnish dialects spoken in the northernmost part of Sweden along the valley of the Torne River. Meänkieli is recognized in Sweden as one of the country's five minority languages and is treated as a distinct language from Finnish, however its status as an independent Finnic language is sometimes disputed due to its mutual intelligibility with Finnish.[2] According to the National Association of Swedish Tornedalians, 70,000 individuals are able to understand Meänkieli, at least to some level.[3]
Meänkieli is especially similar to the Kven language and the Finnish dialects spoken on the Finnish side of the border and is strongly mutually intelligible with them, although Meänkieli contains strong influences from Swedish and has conserved some archaic features which even the Northern Finnish dialects have lost.[4][5]
Meänkieli is distinguished from Standard Finnish by the absence of 19th- and 20th-century developments in Finnish.[6]
History
[edit]Before 1809, all of what is today Finland was an integral part of Sweden. The language border went west of the Torne Valley area, so the upper section of today's Sweden (about 10% by area), was historically Finnish speaking (just like most areas along the eastern coast of the southern part of Gulf of Bothnia, areas that were ceded to Russia and are part of modern Finland, were historically Swedish speaking, and to a large extent still are). The area where Meänkieli is spoken that is now northern Sweden (apart from the linguistically Sami and Swedish parts of this geographical area), formed a dialect continuum within the Realm of Sweden. Since the area east of Torne River was ceded to Russia in 1809, the language spoken on the western side of it developed in partial isolation from standard Finnish. In 1826, the state Church of Sweden appointed the priest and amateur botanist Lars Levi Laestadius to be the Vicar over the Karesuando parish, which is situated along the Muonio River north of the Arctic Circle on the border of Finland in Swedish Lapland.
In the 1880s, the Swedish state decided that all citizens of the country should speak Swedish. Part of the reason was military; people close to the border speaking the language of the neighbouring country rather than the major language in their own country might not be trusted in case of war. Another reason was that Finns (primarily eastern Finns) were sometimes regarded as being of another "race." An opinion of that period, as reflected in contemporary fiction, was that the Sami and the Finnish populations belonged "more closely to Russia than to Scandinavia".[7] Beginning around this time, the schools in the area only taught in Swedish, and children were forbidden under penalty of physical punishment from speaking their own language at school even during class breaks. Native Finnish speakers were prevented by the authorities from learning Standard Finnish as a school subject for decades, which resulted in the survival of the language only in oral form.
When minority languages first became taught in Swedish schools, Meänkieli was still classified by Sweden as a form of Finnish and children who spoke it natively were taught the standard Finnish literary language in school instead of their more native Tornedalian variant, causing the students to become demotivated. However, in 1977 some schools began to make materials specifically designed for speakers of Meänkieli which did not use standard Finnish. This was also the first time the term "Meänkieli" was applied to the form of speech, which was called "Tornedalian Finnish" before.[8]
Meänkieli today
[edit]On April 1, 2000, Meänkieli became one of the now five nationally recognized minority languages of Sweden, which means it can be used for some communication with local and regional authorities in the communities along the Finnish border. Its minority language status applies in designated local communities and areas, not throughout Sweden.
Few people today speak Meänkieli as their only language, with speakers usually knowing Swedish and often standard Finnish as well. Estimates of how many people speak Meänkieli vary from 30,000 to 70,000, of whom most live in Norrbotten. Many people in the northern parts of Sweden understand some Meänkieli, but fewer people speak it regularly. People with Meänkieli roots are often referred to as Tornedalians although the Finnish-speaking part of Norrbotten is a far larger area than the Torne River Valley; judging by the names of towns and places, the Finnish-speaking part of Norrbotten stretches as far west as the town of Gällivare.
Today Meänkieli is declining. Few young people speak Meänkieli as part of daily life though many have passive knowledge of the language from family use, and it is not uncommon for younger people from Meänkieli-speaking families to be more familiar with standard Finnish, for which literature and courses are much more readily available. The language is taught at Stockholm University, Luleå University of Technology, Umeå University, and Babeș-Boylai University in Romania.[9] In 2020, Oulu University began teaching translators in Meänkieli and Kven.[10] Bengt Pohjanen is a trilingual author from the Torne Valley. In 1985 he wrote the first Meänkieli novel, Lyykeri. He has also written several novels, dramas, grammar books, songs and films in Meänkieli.
The author Mikael Niemi's novels and a film based on one of his books in Swedish have improved awareness of this minority among Swedes. Since the 1980s, people who speak Meänkieli have become more aware of the importance of the language as a marker of identity.[citation needed] Today there are grammar books, a Bible translation, drama performances, and there are some TV programmes in Meänkieli.
On radio, programmes in Meänkieli are broadcast regularly from regional station P4 Norrbotten (as well as local station P6 in Stockholm) on Mondays to Thursdays between 17:10 and 18:00, while on Sundays further programmes are carried by P6 between 8:34 and 10:00 (also on P2 nationwide from 8:34 to 9:00). All of these programmes are also available via the Internet.
Status as a language
[edit]Individuals who agree with the classification of Meänkieli as a separate language generally do so for historical, political and sociological reasons, usually pointing to its separate history, cultural meaning, official status, and its standardised written language that is distinct from standard Finnish. However, on pure linguistic grounds, Meänkieli may be classified as a group of Northern Peräpohjola dialects of Finnish. Although the creation of the 1809 border has moved Meänkieli into its own direction by increasing Swedish influences and keeping some archaic features, Meänkieli is still very comprehensible for speakers of Finnish, especially due to the fact that Swedish is taught as a mandatory subject in Finland, causing the heavy Swedish influence in Meänkieli to not cause as many problems for comprehension. However, according to Harri Mantila (a professor at the University of Oulu), the independent status of Meänkieli is important to many of its speakers as it has increased its linguistic prestige which has been historically very low due to the process of Swedification, thus helping to create a stronger cultural identity for the Tornedalians.[11]
Dialects
[edit]In Sweden, Meänkieli consists of three dialect subgroups, the Torne Valley dialects (spoken in Pajala, Övertorneå, Haparanda and parts of Kiruna), Lannankieli (spoken in Kiruna and Jukkasjärvi) and the Gällivare dialects (spoken around Gällivare), which all descend from the larger Peräpohjola dialect group.[12] The Torne Valley dialects are the most major variant group of Meänkieli, and the written standard language of Meänkieli is primarily derived from the Torne Valley dialects spoken in Pajala and Övertorneå.[13] However, the Lannankieli and Gällivare variants are more severely endangered.[14] All three dialectgroups are mutually intelligible with each other, however they contain some lexical differences.[15]
- Meänkieli dialects
- Torne Valley dialects
- Haparanda dialect
- Pajala dialect
- Övertorneå dialect
- Gällivare dialects
- Southwestern Gällivare dialect
- Middle Gällivare dialect
- Northwestern Gällivare dialect
- Eastern Gällivare dialect
- Lannankieli
- Torne Valley dialects
Geographical distribution
[edit]Meänkieli has an official status in: Pajala, Övertorneå, Haparanda, Gällivare, Luleå, Kalix, Kiruna, Umeå and Stockholm.[16][17] Meänkieli has also been historically spoken in Piteå, Boden, Älvsbyn and northeastern Jokkmokk municipality.[18]
Grammar
[edit]The grammar of Meänkieli is very similar to Finnish, with some variations such as the aspiration of consonants before long vowels. Meänkieli is an agglutinative language with fifteen noun cases. It contains consonant gradation and vowel harmony, just like Finnish. It contains four verb tenses, which are the present, imperfect, perfect and the pluperfect. It does not have a separate tense for future events.[19][20]
Alphabet
[edit]- A – aa – [ɑ]
- B – bee – [b]
- C – see – [k/s]
- D – dee – [d]
- E – ee – [e]
- F – äf – [f]
- G – gee – [ɡ]
- H – hoo – [h]
- I – ii – [i]
- J – jii – [j]
- K – koo – [k]
- L – äl – [l]
- M – äm – [m]
- N – än – [n]
- O – oo – [o]
- P – pee – [p]
- Q – kuu – [k]
- R – är – [r]
- S – äs – [s]
- T – tee – [t]
- U – uu – [u]
- V – vee – [ʋ]
- W – kaksois-vee/tupla-vee – [ʋ]
- X – äks – [ks]
- Y – yy – [y]
- Z – tset(a) – [s]
- Å – ruotti oo – [o/oː]
- Ä – ää – [æ]
- Ö – öö – [ø]
B, C, D, G, W, X, Z, and Å are only used in foreign words and names.[21]
in 2016 a letter š /ʃ/ was added into Meänkieli, instead of the Swedish letters sj.[22]
Differences between standard Finnish and Meänkieli
[edit]1) There exists often either the omission of the d sound (in native words) or its replacement with t (in loanwords):[23][24]
- tehä 'to do' (Finnish: tehdä)
- tynamiitti 'dynamite' (Finnish: dynamiitti)
- syyä 'to eat' (Finnish: syödä)
- meän 'our' (Finnish: meidän)
- heän 'their' (Finnish: heidän)
- teän 'your' (Finnish: teidän)
- soan 'of the war (Finnish: sodan)
2) In certain environments, gemination (doubling of consonants) occurs, which differs from standard Finnish:[25]
Instead of ts clusters, there is tt (similar to western Finnish dialects):
- mettä 'forest' (Finnish: metsä)
- kattoa 'to look' (Finnish: katsoa)
Some consonant clusters have assimilated into geminates:
jokka 'who' (Finnish: jotka)
Meänkieli often has the geminate vv:
- savvu 'smoke' (Finnish: savu)
- avvain 'key' (Finnish: avain)
3) Verb conjugation endings: -mma ~ -mmä, -tta ~ -ttä, -pi[26]
- menemmä 'we go' ('menemme' in Finnish)
- tuletta 'you come' ('tulette' in Finnish)
- ostaapi 'buys' ('ostaa' in Finnish)
- syövä 'they eat' ('syövät' in Finnish)
4) Past participle:[27]
The Finnish syönyt form corresponds to syönny in Meänkieli (not present in all dialects).
5) In certain loanwords, Meänkieli has the sound y under the influence of Swedish, while Finnish uses the sound u:[28]
- kyltyyri = 'culture' (Finnish: kulttuuri)
- mysiikki = 'music' (Finnish: musiikki)
- resyrssi = 'resource' (Finnish: resurssi)
6) In loanwords, Meänkieli has preserved the f sound, whereas in Finnish it has often become v:[29]
- färi 'color' (Finnish: väri)
- fankila 'prison' (Finnish: vankila)
- fati 'bowl' (Finnish: vati)
- fiuletti 'violet' (Finnish: violetti)
7) In loanwords, Meänkieli often uses the sound u under the influence of Swedish, while Finnish uses the sound o:[30]
- puliisi 'police' (Finnish: poliisi)
- muterni 'modern' (Finnish: moderni)
- pulitikki 'politics' (Finnish: politiikka)
- pulitiikkeri 'politician' (Finnish: politiikko)
- vukaali 'vowel' (Finnish: vokaali)
- pusitiivinen 'positive' (Finnish: positiivinen)
8) The verb olla (to be) is sometimes combined with personal pronouns in the spoken form of Meänkieli:[31]
- Molen = I am (Finnish: minä olen)
- Solet = you are (Finnish: sinä olet)
- Son = it is, he/she is (Finnish: hän on/se on)
- Sole = it is not (Finnish: se ei ole)
- Molema = we are (Finnish: me olemme)
- Toletta = you (plural) are (Finnish: te olette)
- Non/Noova/Hoova = they are (Finnish: he ovat)
9) Meänkieli often uses the ending -tten in plural genitives:[32]
- kaloitten 'of the fish' (Finnish: kalojen)
- miehitten 'of the men' (Finnish: miesten)
- taloitten 'of the houses' (Finnish: talojen)
- asunnoitten 'of the apartments' (Finnish: asuntojen)
10) Personal pronouns.[32]
Personal pronouns in Meänkieli somewhat differ from those used in standard Finnish:
Meänkieli | Finnish | |
---|---|---|
1st person singular | mie | minä |
2nd person singular | sie | sinä |
3rd person singular | hään/se | hän |
1st person plural | met | me |
2nd person plural | tet | te |
3rd person plural | het | he |
11) Meänkieli often uses the "š" sound in loanwords due to Swedish influence.[32]
- šinkka = ham
- informašuuni = information
- lekitimašuuni = personal identification
Some Meänkieli words not used in standard Finnish
[edit]The Swedish language words are in parentheses in case of borrowed cognates. With Swedish being the dominant everyday language in the region, the language has impacted modern Meänkieli in some ways. Meänkieli also contains many words which have different meanings in Finnish and Meänkieli, yet sound similar. An example is the word "pyörtyä", which means 'to get lost' in Meänkieli, but it refers to fainting in Finnish.[33]
- äpyli 'apple' (äpple)
- son/s'oon 'it is'
- sole 'it is not'
- klaarata 'to get along' (klara)
- sturaani 'ugly'
- potati 'potato' (potatis)
- pruukata 'to have a habit of' (bruka)
- följy 'along with, company' (följe)
- ko 'when, as, since'
- fiskata 'to fish' (fiska)
- kläppi 'child'
- muuruutti 'carrot' (morot)
- porista 'to talk'
- praatata 'to speak' (prata)
- kahveli 'fork' (gaffel)
- pruuvata 'to try' (prova)
- kniivi 'knife' (kniv)
- knakata 'to knock' (knacka)
- öölata 'to drink beer' (öla)
- miilu 'merrills'
- knapsu 'feminine man'
- fruukosti 'breakfast' (frukost)
- fältti 'field' (fält)
- hunteerata 'to think, ponder' (fundera)
- engelska 'English' (engelska)
- fryysbuksi 'freezer' (frysbox)
- flaku 'flag' (flagga)
- häätyy 'to have to'[34]
- raavastua 'to mature'[34]
Example
[edit]This example is taken from the Swedish Institute for Language and Folklore:[35]
Meänkieli | Finnish | Swedish | English |
---|---|---|---|
Olipa kerran pikku piika joka oli saanu fiinin punasen lyyvan hänen siivolta mummulta. Siksi piikaa kututhiin Rödlyyvaksi. Yhtenä päivänä Rödlyyvan äiti käski hänen mennä mummun tykö, ko mummu makasi saihraana hänen pienessä mökissä pimeässä synkässä mettässä. Rödlyyva sai ruokakorin ja lääkheet matkhaan ja äiti muistutti tyärtä ette marsia suoraa tietä mummun tykö eikä topata välilä praatimhaan kenenkhän kans. | Olipa kerran pieni tyttö joka oli saanut hienon punaisen hilkan kiltiltä mummoltaan. Siksi tyttöä kutsuttiin Punahilkaksi. Yhtenä päivänä Punahilkan äiti käski hänen mennä mummon luokse, koska mummo makasi sairaana pienessä mökissään pimeässä synkässä metsässä. Punahilkka sai ruokakorin ja lääkkeet mukaansa ja äiti muistutti tytärtä, että kulkee suoraa tietä mummon luokse eikä pysähdy välillä puhumaan kenenkään kanssa. | Det var en gång en liten flicka, som hade fått en fin röd huva av sin snälla mormor. Därför kallades flickan Rödluvan. En dag bad mamman att flickan skulle gå till mormor, som låg sjuk i sin stuga djupt inne i skogen. Flickan fick en korg med mat och medicin att ta med. Mamma förmanade flickan att gå raka vägen till mormor och inte stanna och prata med någon på vägen. | Once upon a time, there was a little girl who had received a beautiful red hood from her kind grandmother. That’s why the girl was called Little Red Riding Hood. One day, the girl's mother asked her to go to her grandmother, who was sick in her cottage deep in the forest. Little Red Riding Hood was given a basket with food and medicine to take with her. Mother warned the girl to go straight to grandmother's and not stop to talk to anyone along the way. |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Abondolo, Daniel; Valijärvi, Riitta-Liisa (2023-03-31). The Uralic Languages. Taylor & Francis. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-317-23097-7.
- ^ "Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä – Kielikello". www.kielikello.fi (in Finnish). 31 December 1999. Retrieved 2020-01-26.
- ^ "Ett språk under ständig utveckling". Minoritet.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "Språket meänkieli". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-24.
- ^ "Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä". Kielikello (in Finnish). 1999-12-31. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
- ^ "Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä – Kielikello". www.kielikello.fi (in Finnish). 31 December 1999. Retrieved 2020-01-26.
- ^ L.W.A Douglas, Hur vi förlorade Norrland – How We Lost Norrland, Stockholm 1889, p.17
- ^ Aasa, Ahti; ahti.aasa@sverigesradio.se (2022-11-30). "Meänkielen tie koulhuun aukesi 45 vuotta sitten". Sveriges Radio. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "Meänkieltä Rymäniässä / Meänkieli i Rumänien". Sveriges Radio (in Meänkieli and Swedish). 2014-03-19. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "Oulun yliopisto perustaa kääntäjäkoulutuksen meänkielen ja kveenin säilyttämiseksi | Oulun yliopisto". www.sttinfo.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-11-21.
- ^ "Meänkieli, yksi Ruotsin vähemmistökielistä – Kielikello". www.kielikello.fi (in Finnish). 31 December 1999. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
- ^ "Vi uppmärksammar tornedalingarnas dag". www.sigtuna.se (in Swedish). 2022-07-15. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
- ^ "Meän kieltä hoon päältä". yle.fi (in Finnish). 2006-11-28. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "Meänkielen kielisentteri vihitty – STR-T" (in Finnish). 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ Kielipuoli (2016-11-27). "#Kielipuoli: Yksikielisyyspolitiikan rautakourasta puristui uusi kieli". Sveriges Radio (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ "Meänkieli". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2021-10-15.
- ^ "Kommuner i förvaltningsområdet för meänkieli". Minoritet.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ "Ortnamn på meänkieli". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ "Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ Kenttä, Matti; Pohjanen, Bengt (1996). Meänkielen kramatiikki (in Tornedalen Finnish). Kaamos. ISBN 978-91-87410-19-2.
- ^ "Meankieli language". Omniglot. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ Radio, Sveriges (20 April 2016). "Meänkieli saa uuden kirjaimen – Sveriges Radio Finska". Sveriges Radio (in Finnish). Retrieved 2021-06-14.
- ^ "Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "Tulokset tälle avv | Meänkielen sanakirja". meankielensanakirja.com. Retrieved 2020-09-13.
- ^ "Tulokset tälle avv | Meänkielen sanakirja". meankielensanakirja.com. Retrieved 2020-09-13.
- ^ "Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "Tulokset tälle avv | Meänkielen sanakirja". meankielensanakirja.com. Retrieved 2020-09-13.
- ^ "Tulokset tälle avv | Meänkielen sanakirja". meankielensanakirja.com. Retrieved 2020-09-13.
- ^ "Tulokset tälle avv | Meänkielen sanakirja". meankielensanakirja.com. Retrieved 2020-09-13.
- ^ "Tulokset tälle avv | Meänkielen sanakirja". meankielensanakirja.com. Retrieved 2020-09-13.
- ^ a b c "Meänkieli – Grammatik, lärobok, historia, texter". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "Språket meänkieli". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-19.
- ^ a b "Meänkielen sanakirja". meankielensanakirja.com. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
- ^ "Språket meänkieli". www.isof.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-23.
External links
[edit]- Media related to Meänkieli at Wikimedia Commons
- Torniolaaksolaiset
- Ridanpää, Juha (2018) Why save a minority language? Meänkieli and rationales of language revitalization. – Fennia : International Journal of Geography 169 (2), 187–203.