Language
Languages of Finland
Republic of Finland, Suomen Tasavalta. 5,327,490. National or official languages: Finnish, Swedish. Literacy rate: 100%. Also includes English (4,500), Northern Kurdish (1,293), Polish, Romanian (1,000), Russian (10,000), Somali (3,103), Spanish, Standard German, Tatar (1,000), Turkish (1,000), Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese. Information mainly from M. Stephens 1976; B. Comrie 1987; T. Salminen 1987–1998. Blind population: 3,345. Deaf population: 8,000 to 307,333 (1986 Gallaudet University). Deaf institutions: 44. The number of languages listed for Finland is 13. Of those, 12 are living languages and 1 is extinct.
[est] 6,000 in Finland (1993). Traditionally on the southern coast. Alternate names: Viro, Eesti. Dialects: Tallinn (Reval, Northern Estonian), Tartu (Dorpat, Tatu, Southern Estonian), Setu, Muly (Mulgi), Vyrus (Voru). Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Finnish
[fin] 4,700,000 in Finland (1993). Population includes 30,000 speakers of Tornedalen Finnish. Population total all countries: 5,232,728. Also spoken in Canada, Estonia, Norway, Russia (Europe), Sweden, USA. Alternate names: Suomi, Suomea. Dialects: Southwestern Finnish, Häme (Tavast), South Pohjanmaa, Central and North Pohjanmaa, Peräpohja, Savo (Savolax), Southeastern Finnish (Finnish Karjala, Finnish Karelian). Southeastern dialects called 'Karelian' in colloquial Finnish are distinct from true Karelian (T. Salminen). Finnish is closely related to Karelian and Olonetsian. In Russia eastern dialects merge gradually into Karelian. Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Finnish Sign Language
[fse] 5,000 (1986 Gallaudet Univ.). Ethnic population: 8,000. Alternate names: Viittomakieli. Dialects: 2 major dialects from the Finnish (17 schools) and Swedish (1 school) communities. Apparent influence from Swedish Sign Language merged with local indigenous varieties. Not intelligible with Danish Sign Language. Classification: Deaf sign language.
Finnish, Tornedalen
[fit] 30,000 in Finland (1997 Birger Winsa). Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Finnish-Swedish Sign Language
[fss] 150 (2001). Classification: Deaf sign language.
Karelian
[krl] 10,000 in Finland (1994). There are two villages in Oulu Province, close to the Russian border (Northern Karelian), and others scattered around Finland (Southern Karelian). Alternate names: Karely, Karelian Proper. Dialects: Northern Karelian, Southern Karelian, Norgorod, Tver (Kalinin). Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Livvi
[olo] 5,172 in Finland (2000 WCD). Ethnic population: 140,000. Scattered around Finland. Alternate names: Olonetsian, Olonets, Livvikovian, Lívõnkél, Aunus. Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Romani, Kalo Finnish
[rmf] 5,410 in Finland (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 7,002. Ethnic population: 8,000 Gypsies in Finland (1980). Western and southern. Also spoken in Sweden. Alternate names: Fíntika Rómma, Gypsy. Dialects: Not inherently intelligible with Traveller Swedish, Traveller Norwegian, Traveller Danish, or Angloromani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Northern.
Saami, Inari
[smn] 250 (1995 M. Krauss). 4,700 all Saami in Finland (1995). Ethnic population: 700 (1995 M. Krauss). Lapland, above 68.00N Lat., in an area about 15,400 square miles between Lake Inari and the Norway border. They are in the majority around the border town of Utsjoki. Alternate names: Inari "Lappish", Anar, "Finnish Lapp", "Lapp", Sámi, Samic, Saam, Saame. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Eastern.
Saami, North
[sme] 2,000 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Ethnic population: 3,500 (1995 M. Krauss). Utsjoki, Enontekio, and Sodankyla. Alternate names: Northern Lapp, Davvin, "Lapp", Saame, Same. Dialects: Ruija, Torne, Sea Lappish. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Western, Northern.
Saami, Skolt
[sms] 300 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Population total all countries: 320. Ethnic population: 500 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Northwest of Inari Saami. Also spoken in Russia (Europe). Alternate names: Skolt Lappish, Russian Lapp, "Lapp", Saame, Same, Lopar, Kolta, Koltta. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Eastern.
Swedish
[swe] 296,000 in Finland (1997). Coasts of the provinces of Central Österbotten (Ostrobothnia), Vasa (Vaasa), Southwest Finland, Nyland (Uusimaa) (Helsingfors), Åland Islands, Kymenlaakso. Dialects: Standard Swedish, Österbotten (Ostrobothnian), Åland Islands Swedish, Southwest Finland Swedish, Uusimaa Swedish, Nyland Swedish. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish.
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http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=FI
Republic of Finland, Suomen Tasavalta. 5,327,490. National or official languages: Finnish, Swedish. Literacy rate: 100%. Also includes English (4,500), Northern Kurdish (1,293), Polish, Romanian (1,000), Russian (10,000), Somali (3,103), Spanish, Standard German, Tatar (1,000), Turkish (1,000), Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese. Information mainly from M. Stephens 1976; B. Comrie 1987; T. Salminen 1987–1998. Blind population: 3,345. Deaf population: 8,000 to 307,333 (1986 Gallaudet University). Deaf institutions: 44. The number of languages listed for Finland is 13. Of those, 12 are living languages and 1 is extinct.
Living languages
Estonian[est] 6,000 in Finland (1993). Traditionally on the southern coast. Alternate names: Viro, Eesti. Dialects: Tallinn (Reval, Northern Estonian), Tartu (Dorpat, Tatu, Southern Estonian), Setu, Muly (Mulgi), Vyrus (Voru). Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Finnish
[fin] 4,700,000 in Finland (1993). Population includes 30,000 speakers of Tornedalen Finnish. Population total all countries: 5,232,728. Also spoken in Canada, Estonia, Norway, Russia (Europe), Sweden, USA. Alternate names: Suomi, Suomea. Dialects: Southwestern Finnish, Häme (Tavast), South Pohjanmaa, Central and North Pohjanmaa, Peräpohja, Savo (Savolax), Southeastern Finnish (Finnish Karjala, Finnish Karelian). Southeastern dialects called 'Karelian' in colloquial Finnish are distinct from true Karelian (T. Salminen). Finnish is closely related to Karelian and Olonetsian. In Russia eastern dialects merge gradually into Karelian. Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Finnish Sign Language
[fse] 5,000 (1986 Gallaudet Univ.). Ethnic population: 8,000. Alternate names: Viittomakieli. Dialects: 2 major dialects from the Finnish (17 schools) and Swedish (1 school) communities. Apparent influence from Swedish Sign Language merged with local indigenous varieties. Not intelligible with Danish Sign Language. Classification: Deaf sign language.
Finnish, Tornedalen
[fit] 30,000 in Finland (1997 Birger Winsa). Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Finnish-Swedish Sign Language
[fss] 150 (2001). Classification: Deaf sign language.
Karelian
[krl] 10,000 in Finland (1994). There are two villages in Oulu Province, close to the Russian border (Northern Karelian), and others scattered around Finland (Southern Karelian). Alternate names: Karely, Karelian Proper. Dialects: Northern Karelian, Southern Karelian, Norgorod, Tver (Kalinin). Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Livvi
[olo] 5,172 in Finland (2000 WCD). Ethnic population: 140,000. Scattered around Finland. Alternate names: Olonetsian, Olonets, Livvikovian, Lívõnkél, Aunus. Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Romani, Kalo Finnish
[rmf] 5,410 in Finland (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 7,002. Ethnic population: 8,000 Gypsies in Finland (1980). Western and southern. Also spoken in Sweden. Alternate names: Fíntika Rómma, Gypsy. Dialects: Not inherently intelligible with Traveller Swedish, Traveller Norwegian, Traveller Danish, or Angloromani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Northern.
Saami, Inari
[smn] 250 (1995 M. Krauss). 4,700 all Saami in Finland (1995). Ethnic population: 700 (1995 M. Krauss). Lapland, above 68.00N Lat., in an area about 15,400 square miles between Lake Inari and the Norway border. They are in the majority around the border town of Utsjoki. Alternate names: Inari "Lappish", Anar, "Finnish Lapp", "Lapp", Sámi, Samic, Saam, Saame. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Eastern.
Saami, North
[sme] 2,000 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Ethnic population: 3,500 (1995 M. Krauss). Utsjoki, Enontekio, and Sodankyla. Alternate names: Northern Lapp, Davvin, "Lapp", Saame, Same. Dialects: Ruija, Torne, Sea Lappish. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Western, Northern.
Saami, Skolt
[sms] 300 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Population total all countries: 320. Ethnic population: 500 in Finland (1995 M. Krauss). Northwest of Inari Saami. Also spoken in Russia (Europe). Alternate names: Skolt Lappish, Russian Lapp, "Lapp", Saame, Same, Lopar, Kolta, Koltta. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Eastern.
Swedish
[swe] 296,000 in Finland (1997). Coasts of the provinces of Central Österbotten (Ostrobothnia), Vasa (Vaasa), Southwest Finland, Nyland (Uusimaa) (Helsingfors), Åland Islands, Kymenlaakso. Dialects: Standard Swedish, Österbotten (Ostrobothnian), Åland Islands Swedish, Southwest Finland Swedish, Uusimaa Swedish, Nyland Swedish. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish.
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http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=FI
