Representations of Finnishness in SwedenMore than half a million Swedes - one in twenty - is of Finnish descent. This book explores Finnishness, multilingualism and identities of young people with Finnish background in Sweden. What does it mean to grow up in a Finnish family in Sweden? Who are "real Finns" and what does it take to be(come) one? Is a shared minority language essential for the survival of the minority, or can a minority culture stay viable without it? What is Finnishness and who, in the end, can define ethnicity? How to make sense of, and how to present interviews that are rich with imitations of accents, jokes and laughter? Representations of Finnishness is Sweden is an ethnographic interview study in the domain of applied language studies. This book is aimed at readers interested in sociolinguistics, linguistic ethnography, and the study of identities. Interviewees' voices take a central position in this book and interview excerpts are used not only as illustrations, but also serve as starting points for discussing broader theoretical concepts. The author, Dr. Lotta Weckström, grew up bilingual - Finnish and Swedish - in Finland. She studied linguistics and migration studies in Germany and the Netherlands, and in this longitudinal study encompasses her expertise. |
Contents
Foreword | 9 |
Changing Faces of Migration | 17 |
Research Process | 24 |
Language and Communities in the Construction of Finnishness | 53 |
Being Different | 102 |
What is Finnishness? | 129 |
The End | 149 |
163 | |
170 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accent According accounts Aki-Petteri analysis appear argue argument asked aspects associated background belonging born called changed choice communication concerning connected considered context course create cultural December definitions described discussed elements Emma emotional ethnic että example experience express fact Feedback conversation feeling Felix Finland Finn Finnish Finnish-speaking friends idea identification identity ihan immigrant important individuals interesting interview Katariina key participants kind language laughs laughter learned lives look Lotta Madeleine Maria meaning migration minority mother nature nauraa never niin parents participants person play position possible present problems questions reasons referred reflect representation role roots Sandra Sanna seems setting sitten situation social society sometimes speak speakers spoke sport started Stockholm suggests Sweden Swedish talking term things topic understand