Endangered Languages Project

Ausbau-language on the far end of the Finnish dialect continuum, closest to Far-Northern Finnish but heavily influenced by Swedish loanwords, syntax, and phonetics

ALSO KNOWN AS		Tornionlaakson Suomi, Torne Valley Finnish, Meän Suomi, Tornedalen Finnish
CLASSIFICATION		Uralic, Finno-Ugric
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		fit
VARIANTS & DIALECTS		Torne Valley Kiruna-‐Jukkasjärvi Gällivare Pajala
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

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Information from: “Meänkieli in Sweden: An Overview of a Language in Context” . Laura Arola; Niina Kunnas; Birger Winsa (2010) , Johanna Laakso (Wien) · ELDIA: European Language Diversity For All

Endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
20,000
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
40,000-70,000

DATE OF INFO: 2009

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Right to education, medical care, legal proceedings, minimum hours of radio broadcasting in the language

The Meänakateemi/Academia Tornedaliensis foundation is carrying out ongoing scientific projects including bilingual Meänkieli/Swedish dictionary, vocabulary & place names, digital corpus, history book about the community.

There are several theater troups, musical bands, literary authors and local festivals that showcase creative works in Meänkieli. Language is the single clear cultural symbol.

SPEAKER ATTITUDE

Tornedalian is a regional rather than ethnic identity, with young people considering the language important but not necessary to use. Since 2005, interest in learning Meänkieli has fallen (based on course enrollment), and has less prestige than Swedish and other major European languages. Swedish people tend to value monolingualism highly and consider bilingualism as mixed or bastard speaking. Some (though fewer) Finnish people feel the same.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

national minority language in Sweden

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

STR-‐T (Svenska Tornedalingars Riksförbund – Tornionlaaksolaiset)

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Svenska (Swedish)
Suomi (Finnish)

More on Orthography

Under development since the 1970s by DAUM

PLACES: Border of Finland & Sweden around the Torne Valley

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Official minority language in the Swedish provinces of Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala, Övertorneå, and Kalix

Endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
Estimated 30,000-75,000. Approximately 100 pre-school students enrolled in Meänkieli-medium instruction.
Native speakers worldwide

DATE OF INFO: 2014

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Local and national governmental authorities must provide information and services, education, and elder care in Meäinkieli upon request.

All levels of instruction lack widespread education of and in the language. Few formally trained users of the language.

SPEAKER ATTITUDE

Requests for access to governmental services in Meänkieli is generally perceived as negative. Lacking a functioning model of how to increase and elaborate informal registers, especially for youth. Older generations were shamed for not knowing Swedish and prohibited from using Finnish, which impacts their attitude toward Meänkieli today and hesitation to use it even in the home (with the exception of traditional practices). Diglossia between Meänkieli and Finnish is misunderstood, so families often opt to use Finnish at home and Swedish or English in public. Meänkieli is seen as unfit for modern contexts and less prestigious.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

recognized national minority language of Sweden

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Meän Akateemi

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Swedish; Sweden Finnish

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

Swedish municipalities have been hiring staff with competence in Meänkieli. However, there is a clear imbalance between oral and literate proficiency among young adults.

More on Orthography

Lack of agreement on codification of orthography and grammatication

PLACES: County Norrbotten, Sweden on the border with Finland; in the cities of Luleå, Umeå, and Stockholm

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Official minority language in Sweden

Severely endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
50,000
Native speakers worldwide

DATE OF INFO: 2008

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Meäinkieli is the focus of several cultural festivals and a few novels.

National minorities have the right to learn, develop and use their languages.

There is a preschool language reclamation project in Pajala.

SPEAKER ATTITUDE

Older generations were severely stigmatized for using Meänkieli, so few have taught it to their children.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

national minority language

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Nordkalottens Kultur-och Forskningscentrum

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Swedish; Finnish

PLACES: Torneadalen region around the river Tornio (Torne a¨lv) in Sweden on the border with Finland

MORE ON VITALITY

Public service broadcasting companies are required to provide a minimum and annually increasing amount of programming in the national minority languages, including Meänkieli, and must conduct dialogue with minority representatives. In 2018, 1,195 hours of programming in Meänkieli was broadcast. There is one newspaper which publishes in Meänkieli and Finnish.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

national minority language

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Institute for Language and Folklore (ISOF)

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Swedish

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

Individuals have the right to use their minority language in certain administrative districts when dealing with administrative authorities, in preschool education, and in elder care. The government has begun an initiative to establish bilingual education in Meänkieli and Swedish, including increased teacher training, and a language centre. A full-time language advisor has been hired by the government to set up an advisory group. There is a need for additional, formally-trained interpreters and translators.

Umeå University offer elementary level courses in Meänkieli.

9,061 (+100 more forthcoming) place names in Meänkieli have been added to the Lantmäteriet basic map database.

More on Orthography

Undecided on which orthographical form to use

PLACES: Eight municipalities in northern Sweden near the border with Finland

Meänkieli

Language metadata

Language information by source

Endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

20,000

Endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

Estimated 30,000-75,000. Approximately 100 pre-school students enrolled in Meänkieli-medium instruction.

Severely endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

50,000

Discussion

ISSN 2192-2403	Working Papers in European Language Diversity		6	2010	Meänkieli in Sweden: An Overview of a Language in Context		Johanna Laakso (Wien)	ELDIA: European Language Diversity For All			Mainz, Germany		https://www.univie.ac.at/eldia-project/?s=Me%C3%A4nkieli	Laura Arola; Niina Kunnas; Birger Winsa	40,000-70,000	20,000	2009	10000-99999	20,000	national majority language	Svenska (Swedish), Suomi (Finnish)	national minority language in Sweden	Tornedalian is a regional rather than ethnic identity, with young people considering the language important but not necessary to use. Since 2005, interest in learning Meänkieli has fallen (based on course enrollment), and has less prestige than Swedish and other major European languages. Swedish people tend to value monolingualism highly and consider bilingualism as mixed or bastard speaking. Some (though fewer) Finnish people feel the same.		STR-‐T (Svenska Tornedalingars Riksförbund – Tornionlaaksolaiset)	Endangered (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13	Right to education, medical care, legal proceedings, minimum hours of radio broadcasting in the language The Meänakateemi/Academia Tornedaliensis foundation is carrying out ongoing scientific projects including bilingual Meänkieli/Swedish dictionary, vocabulary & place names, digital corpus, history book about the community. There are several theater troups, musical bands, literary authors and local festivals that showcase creative works in Meänkieli. Language is the single clear cultural symbol.	12	13	Border of Finland & Sweden around the Torne Valley	Official minority language in the Swedish provinces of Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala, Övertorneå, and Kalix	66.53,24.41
		June		2019	Sweden's seventh periodic report to the Council of Europe on the implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages			Government Offices of Sweden			Stockholm	Ministry of Culture		Amanda Lind							Swedish	national minority language		Individuals have the right to use their minority language in certain administrative districts when dealing with administrative authorities, in preschool education, and in elder care. The government has begun an initiative to establish bilingual education in Meänkieli and Swedish, including increased teacher training, and a language centre. A full-time language advisor has been hired by the government to set up an advisory group. There is a need for additional, formally-trained interpreters and translators. Umeå University offer elementary level courses in Meänkieli. 9,061 (+100 more forthcoming) place names in Meänkieli have been added to the Lantmäteriet basic map database.	Institute for Language and Folklore (ISOF)			Public service broadcasting companies are required to provide a minimum and annually increasing amount of programming in the national minority languages, including Meänkieli, and must conduct dialogue with minority representatives. In 2018, 1,195 hours of programming in Meänkieli was broadcast. There is one newspaper which publishes in Meänkieli and Finnish.			Eight municipalities in northern Sweden near the border with Finland
ISSN: 0800-3831		June	1	2010	Regulating Multilingualism in the North Calotte: The Case of Kven, Meänkieli, Sirkka Laihiala-Kankainen, Ulla Aikio-Puoskari & Pia Lane			Routledge Taylor & Francis Group	Acta Borealia	27			https://doi.org/10.1080/08003831.2010.486923	Sari Pietikäinen; Leena Huss; Sirkka Laihiala-Kankainen; Ulla Aikio- Puoskari; Pia Lane		50,000	2008	10000-99999			Swedish; Finnish	national minority language	Older generations were severely stigmatized for using Meänkieli, so few have taught it to their children.		Nordkalottens Kultur-och Forskningscentrum	Severely Endangered (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	14	Meäinkieli is the focus of several cultural festivals and a few novels. National minorities have the right to learn, develop and use their languages. There is a preschool language reclamation project in Pajala.	15	13	Torneadalen region around the river Tornio (Torne a¨lv) in Sweden on the border with Finland
DOI: 10.1515/soci-2015-0009		1		2015	Meänkieli today - to be or not to be standardised	121-140			Sociolinguistica	29				Jarmo Lainio; Erling Wande		Estimated 30,000-75,000. Approximately 100 pre-school students enrolled in Meänkieli-medium instruction.	2014	10000-99999			Swedish; Sweden Finnish	recognized national minority language of Sweden	Requests for access to governmental services in Meänkieli is generally perceived as negative. Lacking a functioning model of how to increase and elaborate informal registers, especially for youth. Older generations were shamed for not knowing Swedish and prohibited from using Finnish, which impacts their attitude toward Meänkieli today and hesitation to use it even in the home (with the exception of traditional practices). Diglossia between Meänkieli and Finnish is misunderstood, so families often opt to use Finnish at home and Swedish or English in public. Meänkieli is seen as unfit for modern contexts and less prestigious.	Swedish municipalities have been hiring staff with competence in Meänkieli. However, there is a clear imbalance between oral and literate proficiency among young adults.	Meän Akateemi	Endangered (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13	Local and national governmental authorities must provide information and services, education, and elder care in Meäinkieli upon request. All levels of instruction lack widespread education of and in the language. Few formally trained users of the language.	14	13	County Norrbotten, Sweden on the border with Finland; in the cities of Luleå, Umeå, and Stockholm	Official minority language in Sweden	66.83,20.40

Meänkieli

Language metadata

Language information by source

Endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

20,000

Endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

Estimated 30,000-75,000. Approximately 100 pre-school students enrolled in Meänkieli-medium instruction.

Severely endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

50,000

Discussion

Suggest information or improvement

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Sources of information

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