50 years old | Linguist Lari Kotilainen: When someone tries to speak Finnish, don't switch to English

In public from time to time there is a discussion about the state of the Finnish language: is it threatened, should we be worried.

Linguist Lari Kotilainen has himself been stirring up discussion with his work, for example Protector of Finland (2009), in which he outlined what kind of future might await the Finnish language.

Kotilainen recalls that there was also a lot of talk at that time about the booming status of the English language. One of the sparks for writing was to make a general work about language, one that people from outside the scientific community would also like to get hold of. And it was also taken

“I thought of it as a translation job: I translate science fiction so that even ordinary people can understand it.”

At all According to Kotilainen, writing about language is a rewarding endeavor, because, for example, journalists tend to be interested in the topic. So you can share your message more widely.

“But it is a fact that if there are people talking about these topics at the book fair, the average age of the audience is quite high. I don't know if young people are equally interested. At least my own children aren't.”

Kotilainen, however, denies that he is worried about the Finnish language, if he was even before.

“The fact that I would wiggle my finger in worry sounds clichéd. It's not a role I can fit into.”

If there is any concern, it is more related to Finnish speakers.

“I would hope that those people who learned Finnish as adults would also have opportunities to use Finnish and that there would be teaching and help available to them.”

To become a linguist Kotilainen ended up partly by chance. Writing went smoothly when I was younger, and therefore studying Finnish seemed like a good choice.

“I remember when, at the beginning of my studies, we laughed at the topics and the title of the degrees: 'a hundred pages on this topic, can it be more stupid.' And gradually he noticed that he started to feel the same way himself. The industry took off.”

Today, Kotilainen works at the University of Helsinki as a university lecturer in Finnish language and culture. As a researcher, he has examined, for example, language learning outside the classroom, especially from the perspective of working life and digital technology.

He also works in the Kielibuusti project, where international students are offered customized language teaching. The point of view is that language teaching improves retention so that people would also like to stay
in Finland.

University lecturer in Finnish language and culture and linguist Kotilainen was photographed in his office in Metsätalo of the University of Helsinki. Picture: Anna Huovinen / HS

At home has over twenty years of experience also teaching Finnish to international students. According to him, the students repeat one message to Finns from time to time: don't switch to English when someone tries to speak Finnish.

“We certainly have something to learn from that. People probably think they are being polite when they switch to English. But at the same time, another company's talk becomes boring.”

So the most important thing would be to be able to use Finnish. As a teacher, Kotilainen admits that he also feels a small sting in his heart.

“When I was younger, I felt a lot more about grammar, and at least in the past, teachers were insanely interested in grammatical subtleties. In terms of learning a language, however, the most important thing would be what you can say in that language and how you can use it. Then the degree changes don't matter so much.”

Today, fortunately, the emphasis has already changed, he says.

“Maybe that's how a person develops.”

Is it Is Finnish as difficult a language to learn as they say? Not that harder than the others, says Kotilainen.

“It's a cliché that Finns probably repeat the most. For an adult language learner, any language is difficult to learn,” says Kotilainen.

He himself says that he is trying to learn Russian.

How is it going?

“It's pretty slow and sticky.”

Finland in addition to language, Kotilainen also deals with six musical languages: he is the singer-guitarist of the children's music group Jytäjyrsijö.

The band was founded in 1996, when Kotilainen and another “main rodent” were doing civil service in a kindergarten. The idea of ​​twenty-somethings mixing and playing air guitar with their knees bent seemed funny.

“And why wouldn't it happen at fifty, too.”

The group is still active, Kotilainen assures. Recently, though, there hasn't been time to work on new material.

“But all the gigs that are offered are played.”

Picture: Anna Huovinen / HS

• Born in 1974 in Kuusjoki.

• Doctor of Philosophy 2007.

• Wrote several scientific articles, information books and textbooks.

• Founding member of the Jytäjyrsijät children's music group.

• Lives in Vantaa. Four children.

• Turns 50 on Tuesday, January 2nd.

What would you tell your 20-year-old self?

“Do not hurry.”