FINLAND

Regan Hughes and Stephanie Hoffman

 OBJECTIVES

• Students will be able to:

• Summarize aspects of Finland's culture,
language, and education system
• Identify differences between Finland and the
United States pertaining to these two country’s
cultures, languages, and education systems
 WHAT ARE THE LANGUAGES SPOKEN
IN FINLAND?

• Two official languages:

• Finnish and Swedish
• Saami Languages
• Languages of the indigenous population of Finland
• Inari Saami
• Skolt Saami
• Northern Saami
• Finnish Romani, Finnish Sign Language, and Finland-Swedish sign
language are also spoken in Finland, among others.
ATTITUDES AND IDENTITY OF FINNISH
PEOPLE

• Liberal Attitudes, many of the same European

customs.
• Strong sense of nationalism.
 RELIGION IN FINLAND

• Mostly Evangelical-Lutheran (about 83%)

• Allow for ordination of women as priests.
• People are generally secular in their views
• The Church and its ministers are held in high
esteem, and personal religious views are respected.
 CORE VALUES

• Gender
• Equality
• Women hold positions of power and are financially independent
• Individualism
• Privacy/ Personal Space
• NOT normal to show up to a friend’s house unannounced.
• Honesty/ Punctuality
• Modesty
• Hold nature in high esteem
 FINNISH GREETINGS

• Handshake while holding eye contact.

• Address others on a first name basis 
• Addressing others formally is reserved for only
highly formal events 
• Elderly people are also often addressed formally
THE WEIGHT OF THE SPOKEN WORD

• Finnish style of speech is very direct and

straightforward.
• Silence is natural, there is no need to fill it.
• Small talk is generally avoided.
 FINNISH FOOD

• Finns eat common European food consisting mostly of

meat, fish, potatoes, rice or pasta.
• Vegetarian food has gained popularity.
• Healthiness of food is often stressed.
• Children and young people are served meals at daycare
and school. School meals are free of charge for all and
there is no need to bring a packed lunch to school.
COFFEE, ALCOHOL, AND EATING OUT

• Alcohol &
•Finns eating out is
more
drink a expensive in
lot of Finland than in
many other
coffee. countries.
(Tip is included
in the bill. )
A FINNISH TRADITION:
THE SAUNA
What is something you learned about
Finland’s culture that is different
from the United States?
 SOURCES

• Finnish customs. (n.d.). Retrieved October 09, 2020, from

https://www.infofinland.fi/en/information-about-finland/basic-information-
about-finland/cultures-and-religions-in-finland/finnish-customs
• A guide to Finnish customs and manners. (2020, August 13). Retrieved October
09, 2020, from https://finland.fi/life-society/a-guide-to-finnish-customs-and-
manners/
• Languages of Finland - Institute for the Languages of Finland. (n.d.). Retrieved
October 09, 2020, from
https://www.kotus.fi/en/on_language/languages_of_finland