Swedish Language

The Swedish language (Swedish: svenska [ˈsvɛ̂nːska]) is a North Germanic language belonging to the Indo-European language family. Predominantly spoken in Sweden and parts of Finland, Swedish serves as the official language of Sweden and one of the two main official languages of Finland, the other being Finnish.

Historical Context

Swedish evolved from Old Norse, the common North Germanic language spoken in Scandinavia during the Viking Age. As the centuries passed, Swedish began to diverge from its Nordic siblings, eventually becoming a distinct language around the 14th and 15th centuries. The evolution of Swedish was significantly influenced by the adoption of the Latin alphabet, the establishment of a centralized Swedish kingdom, and the Reformation, which established Swedish as the language of the church.

Linguistic Features

Swedish is characterized by its use of pitch accent, a feature it shares with Norwegian and to some extent with Danish. This means that the intonation used when pronouncing a word can change its meaning. Swedish grammar is relatively simple compared to its ancient form, primarily owing to the minimal inflection system and the regularity of verb conjugations.

One of the distinctive features of Swedish is its rich system of vowels. The language contains nine vowel qualities, each of which can be long or short, leading to a wide array of vowel sounds. Additionally, Swedish uses the letters Å, Ä, and Ö, which are not present in English.

Dialects and Variants

Swedish is a language with many dialects, which can sound quite different depending on the region. These dialects are divided into six major groups: Norrland, Svealand, Gotland, Götaland, South Swedish, and East Swedish. The standard form, Rikssvenska, is based largely on the dialects spoken around the capital, Stockholm.

In Finland, the variant known as Finland Swedish (finlandssvenska) is spoken by the Swedish-speaking population of Finland. Although mutually intelligible with the Swedish spoken in Sweden, Finland Swedish has its own distinct characteristics in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary.

Swedish Sign Language

Swedish Sign Language (SSL; Swedish: Svenskt teckenspråk or STS) is the sign language used in Sweden. Recognized by the Swedish government, SSL is an integral part of the Swedish linguistic landscape.

Language Regulation

The Language Council of Sweden (Språkrådet) is the primary regulatory body responsible for the advancement and cultivation of the Swedish language. The Council works towards maintaining the purity of the language while also adapting to new linguistic influences.

Official Status and Minority Languages

Swedish did not officially become the country's main language until 2009. In addition to Swedish, there are five official national minority languages in Sweden: Finnish, Meänkieli, Yiddish, Romani, and Sami. These languages have been spoken in Sweden for centuries and are protected by law. The Sami people, as one of Sweden's five official national minorities, have additional legal protections for their language.