Solf workshop (ScanDiaSyn 2006 Grand Meeting)

Preserving Finland Swedish Speech

Lisa Södergård, The Society of Swedish Literature in Finland

The project Spara det finlandssvenska talet (”Preserving Finland Swedish Speech”) was initiated by the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland in 2005. The aim of the project is to document the Swedish spoken in Finland in the beginning of the 21st century. During three years, 2005–2007, the speech of Finland Swedish informants living in urban as well as in rural areas will be recorded. The main focus is on the speech of younger adults, aged 20–30, but the speech of older adults, aged 55–75, is also recorded. Interviews carried out in informal environments comprise the largest part of the project, but in order to document the stylistic variation recordings are also made of student conversations and of presentations given in public.

The material is stored at the Archives of the Swedish Language where it is accessible for researchers and others. Short examples are presented at the project website.