Nya talare av svenska i Finland: positionering i berättelser om språk och integration

Translated title of the contribution: New speakers of Swedish in Finland: positioning in narratives of language and integration

Linda Bäckman

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingChapterScientificpeer-review

Abstract

This article examines how new speakers of Swedish in Finland position themselves vis-à-vis
the Swedish language in small stories about language and integration. It thereby contributes to the
growing field of research on new speakers of minority languages. The ten participants all migrated to
Finland at some point of their lives, and their interviews are studied with the help of positioning theory
and narrative analysis. The study finds that the reasons for learning Swedish vary, and learning Swedish
was not an active choice for all. Many participants link language skills with the labour market, and
while the majority consider it possible to get by with only Swedish in the small town in question, the
role of Finnish for certain jobs and for mobility is highlighted. The link between language and identity
is complex, and identification as Finland-Swedish does not seem to depend solely on language.
Translated title of the contributionNew speakers of Swedish in Finland: positioning in narratives of language and integration
Original languageSwedish
Title of host publicationSpråkets funktion
Subtitle of host publicationJuhlakirja Urpo Nikanteen 60-vuotispäivän kunniaksi - Festskrift till Urpo Nikanne på 60-årsdagen - Festschrift for Urpo Nikanne in honor of his 60th birthday
EditorsLeena Maria Heikkola, Geda Paulsen, Katarzyna Wojciechowicz, Jutta Rosenberg
PublisherÅbo Akademi University Press
Pages284-305
ISBN (Electronic)978-952-12-4062-1
ISBN (Print)978-952-12-4061-4
Publication statusPublished - 2021
MoE publication typeA3 Part of a book or another research book

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