Finnish

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A language of Finland

ISO 639-3
fin
Autonym
Suomi
User Population

5,340,000 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 4,840,000 in Finland (2018 census). 30,000 speakers of Tornedalen Finnish. L2 users: 500,000 (2018 Institute for the Languages of Finland). Total users in all countries: 5,679,640 (as L1: 5,023,640; as L2: 656,000).

Language Maps
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). Some also use Swedish [swe] (European Commission 2006).

Language Development

Taught in all primary and secondary schools where Finnish is the majority language; taught as subject in all schools elsewhere from grade 1 or 3. Taught in most tertiary schools. 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.

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