NORMAL LIFE: Can National Languages Change?

It might sound like a stupid question, but a couple of phone calls recently reminded me of an incident at a dinner party a few years ago. Before I tell you about the calls, I'll tell you about the incident.

It was about four or five years ago, and we were at a dinner party of gays. One of Bree's oldest friends was the host and, at some point in the evening, the subject turned to education. Finns are obsessed with education, and pride themselves on being a nation whose points score in the top three year-on-year for quality of education and results.

Bree told of how he wasn't able to graduate from University (he was studying Engineering) because he couldn't pass his Swedish exam. I reminded him that he was studying Engineering, thinking he had made a mistake. The eight or so guests looked at me strangely, as if I was stupid. Bree explained that you needed to be able to communicate your skills to both Finnish-speaking Finns (93% of the population) as well as to Swedish-speaking Finns (the other 7% of the population).

I reminded him again that he was studying Engineering and pointed out that it was a bit stupid to not pass Engineering because you couldn't speak Swedish, especially as we were all living in Finland. I just couldn't get my head around it. Think about it: in the UK, we have the Welsh, the Scottish and even some of the Northern Irish might speak some dialect of gaelic I am unaware of. Should British people start studying in three or more languages to gain an academic standing in a profession? I think not!

To this day, the other Swedish-speaking Finns who were around the table that night haven't quite been on the same terms with me. I seem to have stumbled upon a political hot potato and no one is going to forgive me! But am I bothered though?! What a load of old shit!

Anyway, yesterday, I called my cable TV company because I wasn't able to see my usual programs and I was stunned that, whilst listening to the options, it offered service in Finnish, English then Swedish, and in that order. The same happened when I called Finnair a few weeks ago too. Are things changing? It used to be in the order of Finnish, Swedish and then English. It is true that, in Finland, more people speak English then Swedish so, on that level, it makes sense to change the level of priority, but I bet the Swedish-speaking Finns are quaking in their boots now, eh?

I shouldn't joke because my best friends are actually Swedish-speaking Finns. They are not worried because their language is preserved in the constitution and various acts of legislation, but it is amusing that the language order is being changed on these automated phone lines. And one last message to the guys who were at the dinner party all those years ago: get a grip!