Everyone knows that Swedish in Finland sounds different from Swedish in Sweden, but now linguists can also explain how the differences reflect the different mentalities of the countries.
For eight years, the researchers have closely studied how Swedish is spoken in each country. Among other things, they can state that Finnish Swedish, although it is more straight to the point, is also generally more formal. The Swede in Sweden can be described as both more considerate and more afraid of conflict.
Good mood versus matter-of-factness
An important cultural difference to be aware of, however, is that Swedes are guided more by wanting to have a good atmosphere, while Finns are guided by matter-of-factness.
David Lindström, who is an informant at the Swedish Theater in Helsinki, has personally experienced how the Swedish treatment has created misunderstandings, compared to what he describes as his Finnish slightly drier but more serious approach to facts:
– If someone at a party says to me “come to my summer cottage”, I know they mean it. In Sweden, it doesn’t necessarily mean that, he says, laughing.
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