Languages|On Monday, HS told about Finnish families where English is spoken as their home language. According to the experts, the choice of home languages is a family’s own decision, but they are worried about society becoming English-speaking.
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Choosing English as the home language reflects society’s English-language.
Especially higher education is increasingly in English, which worries experts.
The high level of teaching and requirements of domestic languages should be fostered in schools.
According to experts, choosing the languages spoken in the family is a family’s own decision.
English choosing it as the home language reflects the English-speaking nature of Finnish society, says the language policy coordinator of the Center for Domestic Languages Matti Räsänen.
“It is not by chance that families choose English. It is clear that it is influenced by which language is dominant. The everyday language landscape is undoubtedly influenced by the English language and the linguization of English.”
HS told on Monday Santeri from Saarikoski and Kirsi from Sergerwho speak English to their children, even though their families’ mother tongue is Finnish. Researchers use an English name for the phenomenon non-native bilingualism.
According to Räsänen, the use of English concepts alongside the Finnish language is one example of how the English language takes over a sector in society.
Santeri Saarikoski, interviewed by HS, said that his older child Daniel’s English speech sometimes includes Finnish sentence structures, for example “What Daddy is doing?”. Saarikoski tries to address these and gives instructions on the correct word order.
Social the change in English worries experts. Linguist Janne Saarikivin according to the flip sides of the English-language change are especially visible in higher university degrees, of which about 40 percent are studied in English in Finland as well.
In Saarikivi’s opinion, the idea that higher education in English would help Finns compete for top international jobs is somewhat unrealistic.
“A Finnish tankero can’t compete with a Brit who has attended English private schools and read English classics since the age of 10.”
In addition, according to Saarikivi, becoming English is a class issue. He gives an example: A refugee coming to Finland is expected to learn the Finnish language, but according to Saarikivi, those coming to expert work are free to use English in their environment.
“Why, for example, are universities adapting to this? There are people there whose job is to learn new things.”
Island stone according to the master’s programs, English-speaking also trickles down to lower school levels. In addition to the school world, English may also take over the field in home settings, such as in Saarikoski’s and Serger’s families.
In Räsänen’s opinion, it would be essential that schools foster a high level of teaching and requirements for domestic languages. He also hopes that the language proficiency requirements of the authorities would be adhered to.
“I think that when we always talk about internationalization and multilingualism, it would be important to also include the national languages of Finland and Sweden.”
In addition, Räsänen urges to think about the choice of school language from the point of view that in school you learn a lot more than the language. The language of schooling is the child’s entire language of education, which opens up access to, for example, local culture, he says.
According to Saarikivi, a person growing up in an English-speaking environment usually learns the language quite well, even if Finnish is spoken at home and in lessons.
A person who only speaks English is also in danger of getting stuck in an English-speaking bubble when internationalizing, Saarikivi reflects.
“It would be nice if people spoke Arabic, Hindi, Japanese or Chinese at home. You can learn the basics of English in Finland anyway.”
Itwhich language parents speak to their children at home, in the opinion of both Saarikivi and Räsänen, is nevertheless a family’s own decision, which can have numerous reasons behind it. According to Räsänen, there is no “patent solution” to language choices that can be applied in every situation.
However, Saarikivi would think about what kind of English a child in a Finnish home actually learns. English is a difficult language, he reminds.
“I’ve been using English in my work every day for 30 years, but I wouldn’t produce the kind of text that the New York Times or the BBC have on my birthday. Of course, there can be a million good reasons to speak English at home, and I don’t want to get into that. But I would at least think about what kind of English I know before I start speaking it to my children.”
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