What do Swedish people think of Finland?
Nowadays most Swedes see Finns positively. Many Swedes have Finnish grandparents or other ancestry, and are always excited when they find out. Finns are considered to be almost the same as Swedes apart from the language.
Are Finns emotional?
“Nordic people, and the Finns in particular, are emotionally introverted,” explained Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, an independent think tank in Denmark that studies happiness and wellbeing.
What are the facts of the relationship between Finland and Sweden?
The facts this relationship lies on are the long common history of domination by Sweden. It is somewhat unclear, when the future Finland began its career under the Swedish crown. The common history goes back to 11th century and beyond.
Why do Swedish people find it hard to understand Finnish?
Swedes find it hard to understand Finnish because Swedish has closer ties to North Germanic languages spoken in Scandinavia. It’s easier for Swedish people to understand Norwegian and Danish than it is to grasp Finnish, mainly because Finnish is a member of the ‘foreign’ Uralic family of languages.
Is Swedish spoken in Finland?
Swedish is spoken by a small percentage of Finland’s population, which is gradually declining over the years. It’s easier for Finnish people to understand Swedish than it is for Swedes to grasp Finnish. Swedish is a North Germanic language spoken natively by over 10 million people spread across Sweden and Finland. [5]
Did the Vikings ever meet the Finns?
Contact between Sweden and what is now Finland was considerable even during pre-Christian times. The Vikings were known to Finns due to both their participation in commerce and their plundering. There is evidence of possible Viking settlements on the Finnish mainland. The Åland Islands were probably settled from Sweden during the Viking period.