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'''Standard Swedish''' denotes [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as a spoken and written [[standard language]] in [[Sweden]] and [[Finland]]. The term most commonly used for this term in Sweden is '''rikssvenska''' (roughly "National Swedish"), a word that is perceived ambiguous by many Swedes. The equivalent term for the standard language used in Finland is '''högsvenska''' ("High Swedish"), but is far less known in Sweden. The mindset of most speakers of Swedish is that Standard Swedish is primarily a written standard language. Among [[linguist]]s the term "riksvenska" refers only to the standard language evolved from the dialects around the capital of [[Stockholm]] mainly in the mid-19th century and its various regional variations. The term "dialect" is only used by scholars to denote the "genuine" [[Swedish dialect]]s that have a linguistic history that can be traced back to [[Old Norse]]. These definitions are not known among Swedes in general, and the various regional variants are often refered to as "dialects". The direct translation of Standard Swedish, ''standardsvenska'', has a slightly different meaning and is used far less often (primarily in linguistic contexts). |
'''Standard Swedish''' denotes [[Swedish language|Swedish]] as a spoken and written [[standard language]] in [[Sweden]] and [[Finland]]. The term most commonly used for this term in Sweden is '''rikssvenska''' (roughly "National Swedish"), a word that is perceived ambiguous by many Swedes. The equivalent term for the standard language used in Finland is '''högsvenska''' ("High Swedish"), but is far less known in Sweden. The mindset of most speakers of Swedish is that Standard Swedish is primarily a written standard language. Among [[linguist]]s the term "riksvenska" refers only to the standard language evolved from the dialects around the capital of [[Stockholm]] mainly in the mid-19th century and its various regional variations. The term "dialect" is only used by scholars to denote the "genuine" [[Swedish dialect]]s that have a linguistic history that can be traced back to [[Old Norse]]. These definitions are not known among Swedes in general, and the various regional variants are often refered to as "dialects". The direct translation of Standard Swedish, ''standardsvenska'', has a slightly different meaning and is used far less often (primarily in linguistic contexts). |
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Besides the genuine dialects, there are three major standard variants as well as dialectal variants of the standard language used for everyday speech. The use of the standard variants is primarily intended for more formal contexts (such as public speeches in broadcast media) as well as for communication with people from other regions. The three main varieties are: |
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*Central Swedish standard (5-7 million) |
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*Southern Swedish standard (2-4 million) |
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*Finland-Swedish standard (300 000) |
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Genuine rural dialects are generally uniform with the area of the Swedish ''socken'' <!--parish?-->. City dialects are undergoing rapid changes and are much harder to distinguish from the standard language. Differences between individual buroughs is not uncommon in the larger cities like [[Gothenburg]], [[Malmö]] and [[Stockholm]]. |
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The divisions between dialectal standards are generally defined by the borders of the old [[Swedish land]]s and natural boundaries like forests and rivers. The actual number of individual dialectal standards is disputed and different sources will give widely differing figures. At least five Central Swedish varieties exist: |
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*''östgötskt'' |
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*''Gutnish'' |
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*''Eastern Central Swedish'' |
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*''norrländskt'' |
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*''Western Central Dalecarlian'' |
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The ''västgötisk'' variation (including Gothenburg) has a prosody that is close to that of Southern Swedish, but with Central Swedish {{IPA|/ɧ/}} and /r/-realizations. It can also be considered a seperate variety and is then refered to as ''Western Central Swedish'' (2 million speakers). The southern boundary is through northern [[Halland]], northwest [[Småland]] and [[Vättern|Lake Vättern]]. The northern boundary is around [[Värmland]]. |
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==Högsvenska== |
==Högsvenska== |
Revision as of 16:05, 8 April 2005
Standard Swedish denotes Swedish as a spoken and written standard language in Sweden and Finland. The term most commonly used for this term in Sweden is rikssvenska (roughly "National Swedish"), a word that is perceived ambiguous by many Swedes. The equivalent term for the standard language used in Finland is högsvenska ("High Swedish"), but is far less known in Sweden. The mindset of most speakers of Swedish is that Standard Swedish is primarily a written standard language. Among linguists the term "riksvenska" refers only to the standard language evolved from the dialects around the capital of Stockholm mainly in the mid-19th century and its various regional variations. The term "dialect" is only used by scholars to denote the "genuine" Swedish dialects that have a linguistic history that can be traced back to Old Norse. These definitions are not known among Swedes in general, and the various regional variants are often refered to as "dialects". The direct translation of Standard Swedish, standardsvenska, has a slightly different meaning and is used far less often (primarily in linguistic contexts).
Besides the genuine dialects, there are three major standard variants as well as dialectal variants of the standard language used for everyday speech. The use of the standard variants is primarily intended for more formal contexts (such as public speeches in broadcast media) as well as for communication with people from other regions. The three main varieties are:
- Central Swedish standard (5-7 million)
- Southern Swedish standard (2-4 million)
- Finland-Swedish standard (300 000)
Genuine rural dialects are generally uniform with the area of the Swedish socken . City dialects are undergoing rapid changes and are much harder to distinguish from the standard language. Differences between individual buroughs is not uncommon in the larger cities like Gothenburg, Malmö and Stockholm.
The divisions between dialectal standards are generally defined by the borders of the old Swedish lands and natural boundaries like forests and rivers. The actual number of individual dialectal standards is disputed and different sources will give widely differing figures. At least five Central Swedish varieties exist:
- östgötskt
- Gutnish
- Eastern Central Swedish
- norrländskt
- Western Central Dalecarlian
The västgötisk variation (including Gothenburg) has a prosody that is close to that of Southern Swedish, but with Central Swedish /ɧ/ and /r/-realizations. It can also be considered a seperate variety and is then refered to as Western Central Swedish (2 million speakers). The southern boundary is through northern Halland, northwest Småland and Lake Vättern. The northern boundary is around Värmland.
Högsvenska
Until the early 20th century Swedish was the primary language of status and education in Finland. While the language still has official status the number of speakers has been in a steady decline during later years. The language is still taken as a school subject by sizeable minority of students, though it is no longer mandatory.
Official status
The Swedish language as such has official status only in Finland (including the autonomous region of Åland), and unlike for instance French no offically sanctioned standard actually exists, although the Research Institute for the Languages of Finland also has the purpose of "language planning" and dictionary compilation.
In Sweden, the Swedish Language Council is similarly funded by the Swedish government and may be said to have a semi-official status as a regulatory body being a join effort that includes the Swedish Academy, Swedish Radio, Swedish Broadcasting Corporation and several other organizations representing journalists, teachers, actors, writers and translators. The recommendations of these bodies are not legally binding, though they are generally respected.
History
Standard Swedish evolved from the high prestige dialects of the Mälaren Valley region around Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.
The creation of the (semi-) autonomous Russian Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809/1812 led to drastically decreased communication between Sweden and Finland, where virtually all administration and higher education would continue to be executed in Swedish until the end of the 19th century, when Finnish was given first an equal status with that of Swedish, and soon a strong dominance due to the small size of the diminishing Swedish speaking minority. The reaction was a strong urge among the Finland-Swedes to retain the connection with Sweden and Swedish as it developed there, which was why högsvenska in the first half of the 20th century primarily meant Swedish as spoken by educated people in Sweden. This would however change, maybe under impression of the feeling of "separateness" caused by numerous events culminating in the disappointment over Sweden's failure to live up to expectations of solidary help against the Soviet Union during the Winter War. In effect, Högsvenska came to be understood as the prestige dialect of Finland-Swedish. In the second half of the 20th century, tensions between center and periphery in Finland made the concept of a spoken standard variety less popular, and the spoken Swedish in Ostrobothnia again oriented towards Sweden, particularly when switching to more elevated registers, resulting in a relation between Standard Swedish as spoken in Southern versus Eastern Finland that by and large echoed the relation between Standard Swedish as spoken in Central versus Southern Sweden.
In Sweden, the concept of a unified standard language, based on a high prestige dialect spoken in the capital region, was primarily understood in terms of the written language, as exemplified with the Swedification of the Danish and Norwegian provinces that were acquired in the 17th century. The people was taught Swedish hymns and prayers, but with a phonology that remained largely Danish or Norwegian.
During the latter half of the 19th century, the use of a standardized written language increased with each new innovation of communication and transportation. I was however not until the 1960s, when the major demographic situation of Sweden had changed from a quite rural and agrarian society to the highly urbanized society it is today, that the spoken varieties closed up towards unified dialects whos vocabulary and grammatic rules adhered to that of the (written) Standard Swedish. The different phonologies, particularly the different realizations of melodic accent, have however proved to be more viable.
The development in terms of phonology has been to be an increasing standardization of the pronunciation, though some notable regionalisms like the southern Swedish realization of the /r/-phoneme various forms of uvular trills, a trademark of southern regional variations and dialects known to most native speakers of Swedish.
See also
External links
- The official hompage of the Swedish Language Council (mostly in Swedish with some sections in English, Finnish, French and German]
References
- Bolander, Maria Funktionell svensk grammatik (Liber AB, Falköping 2002) ISBN 91-47-05054-3
- Engstrand, Olle Fonetikens grunder (Studenlitteratur, Lund 2004) ISBN 91-44-04238-8
- Definition of the goals of the Swedish Language Council (in English)