occasionally subtle
Love Begins
taylor price
Not today Justin
EXPECTATIONS
Cosimo Galluzzi
RMH
noise dept.
roma★
pixel skylines
Game Changer & Make Some Noise
oozey mess
KIROKAZE
Keni
YOU ARE THE REASON
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#extradirty
Monterey Bay Aquarium
shark vs the universe
seen from Colombia
seen from Indonesia
seen from Germany
seen from Venezuela
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seen from Vietnam
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@harakkataihaarukka
a really really really underrated feeling in learning a different language is when you start to hear words. as in it's no longer a string of sounds, you can parse through where words start and stop as you're hearing them. even words that you don't know what they mean yet but you can distinctly hear it as a whole word
I'd love to reach people who have been studying Finnish (basically all of you who follow me 😅) but who have not studied other Uralic languages. I have a question!
How much do you know about the other Uralic languages without googling? Which ones are you aware of? How would you describe them? Approximately how many Uralic languages do you think there are? How would you describe the average Uralic language?
This would be fun to know as I like to ask this question as an ice breaker at uni to others who don't study the Finno-Ugric languages there. Everyone answers differently and it's very amusing!
I know Estonian because it can sound very similar to Finnish and also looks similar.
Then I think Hungarian is somehow related? But besides that I've got no clue about Finno-Ugric languages... I guess there are about 10? But probably all with not much people speaking them.
This has definitely prompted me now to learn a bit more about them!
The fun thing with finnish is that the most common way of saying "this is none of your business" can also be interpreted as "this is not within the reach of your hearing", as in 'you are too far away from this to hear anything', so if someone's airing out their dirty laundry LOUDLY while also being IN PUBLIC, if you butt in to the conversation and they tell you to mind your own business, you can be pedantic and go "actually I can hear y'all just fine. If it's none of my business then lower your damn voices."
what is it in Finnish?
The fun thing about finnish is that formal written finnish is technically speaking a distinct dialect that's different from all spoken dialects, and while fiction is almost always written with written finnish, many authors will have the dialogue spelled out in spoken dialects to give the text more "real", naturally flowing flavour.
Someone speaking written finnish in casual day-to-day life usually means one of two things - either the speaker is somewhere on the autism spectrum (not a diagnostic criteria, but one of those "I've never seen a neurotypical person do that" things) or they speak finnish as a second language. And I don't know how to say this without sounding condescending, but I love hearing it, it's so charming. Like you stepped straight out of a 19th century play.
Standing in the line to a public bathroom, there's a man talking on the phone, speaking in finnish with a distinct accent, going "I understand, darling. Love. My love. Beloved, I understand. I understand. I will make my way there. Yes, I understand. I will make my way to you. Two hours."
And now that I wrote that out, I can see that there is no way to express in english just how delightfully formal and "writing a love letter with ink on paper to your beloved promising to come back from the war" it sounds when someone in finnish says "rakkaani, minä ymmärrän, minä tulen luoksesi."
@ozyga fun thing actually! The finnish written language was deliberately intentionally constructed during the 1500s during protestant reformation, in order to translate the bible into the peoples' own language. The concept of finns as a distinct people - not to mention a nation - was not even regarded as a valid thing. Finland wasn't occupied as much as just the isolated eastern half of the Swedish kingdom, whose peasants just happened to speak their own rural peasant language.
The reason why finnish is written so strictly exactly the same way it's pronounced is because the people who wrote it down were men of the church, who spoke the language as their "home language" but were educated in latin. Finnish was written down the way it phonetically sounded to people who could read and write latin.
And while I will now pause to aknowledge that the "fathers of the finnish language" were Problematic™ by 21st century Tumblr standards, the written form of finnish was constructed by intentionally mixing together different dialects of the spoken language, to tie them all together to an uniform standardised common finnish.
To add to this: spoken Finnish existed for a really long time before people (or one man) decided that it needs to have a written form too and combined two "different" type of Finnish into one (which is why the dialects are separated into Eastern and Western dialects, as they are basically the same language but also not because the proto-language for both is a different one. Eastern dialects share the same protolanguage as Karelian, whereas Western dialects developed from just proto-Finnic or such iirc). Then this guy also added and made up lots of new words.
Jokinly I always say that when the written Finnish was literally made up, Finnish speakers were not really having it and continued to use the spoken language regardless which led us to having two types of Finnish that everyone here understands. In reality it probably was that people just could not read or did not have access to education that would have taught them to read, I'm not sure as I haven't really researched this. Anyhow, all Finns understand both the written and spoken language as well the dialects, but for Finnish learners that can be a challenge. Many have said that they learned Finnish from books and then traveled to here and realized no one speaks whatever they were taught in those books.
I also find it very fascinating that so many words in Finnish have 1-3 synonyms because we have the spoken language version(s) and then the written language version, but also loan words from either Swedish and/or Russian. And then of course regional differences between different dialects, e.g. naturally the Russian/Slavic loan words are more common in the East.
As someone who learns Finnish and lives in Finland I speak a weird mix of written and spoken language (with so many mistakes but we manage...). But also the spoken part is the Helsinki version although I am living in East Finland.
And let me tell you, it is sooo hard to understand the spoken Finnish especially if its in another dialect than the Helsinki one because you only learn that one from textbooks. You only really learn the real spoken language (of your area) if you hear it around you regularly.
But I definitely came to love the eastern dialect.
One of my fave parts of Jakob giving the 12 points to Finland is when he goes “TORILLE!!!” He was SO excited !! I didn’t realise at first he said it but after rewatching it it was so clear and it is a very Finnish thing to say!
“Torille” or “torilla tavataan” is something us Finns say when Finland has been mentioned somewhere or when Finland is being successful at anything really! It’s Finnish and it means “to the market square” or “meet you at the market square”. Whenever Finland wins something we have huge celebrations at the market square and even more specific at the market square in Helsinki (Kauppatori).
Here we have happy Finns celebrating Lordi’s Eurovision victory in 2006 at the market square!
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Hei, oisko sul jotai kasvisprotskuu ilman chilii messiiin? Kiitos!
Mitä tarkoitat? Ymmärrän kasvisprotsku, mutta mitä on 'chilii messiin'?
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Kahvi
No niin...
Kiitti
Yks kahvi ja tommonen vohveli tästä.
Mä ottasi pari palaa masaliisaa, ja kyä me kaffet juuaa kans.
mä ottasin ton juustotäytetyn voisarven ja tuorepuuron. onks teil muuten kofeiinitont kahvii?
Juu tää kahvi vaan. Löytyyks teilt kauramaitoo?
Mää voisin ottaa juustosämpyläj ja ison kahveen. Ja tommosen rosinamunkin kans.
Teillä näyttää olevan vähän ruuhkaa, mutta... mie ottasin ihan tavallisen ison pannukahvin kauramaidolla. Ja öö. Kuuluuko sanstsikuppi (= toinen kuppi kahvia samaan kuppiin) hintaan, ja jos ei, niin paljonko se tekee?
Ai niin, ja onko teillä asiakasvessaa?
Santsikuppi kuuluu hintaan.
Ja asiakasvessa löydät, kun menet sisäänkäyntiä kohti ja sitten oikealle.
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Kahvi
No niin...
Kiitti
Yks kahvi ja tommonen vohveli tästä.
Mä ottasi pari palaa masaliisaa, ja kyä me kaffet juuaa kans.
Mitä noi pullat maksaa?
(En tiedä tavallinen hinta) Palan on 1,50€.
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Kahvi
No niin...
Kiitti
Yks kahvi ja tommonen vohveli tästä.
Mä ottasi pari palaa masaliisaa, ja kyä me kaffet juuaa kans.
Pystyksää kolauttaa mulle tollasen öö suodatinkahvin kauramaitoon ja sit tollasen mutakakkupalan kans? Kiitti paljon! Aa joo, perus kermavaahto, kiitti!
Mie ottasin jäälatten kauramaitoon, ei tarvi siirappia, ja härkispatongin. Mukaan, kiitos 😌
No, mitä tarkasti on härkispatonki? Eli pantonkia, salaattia, tomaattia?, kurkkua?, jotain leikkeletta tai juustoa?
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Kahvi
No niin...
Kiitti
Yks kahvi ja tommonen vohveli tästä.
Mä ottasi pari palaa masaliisaa, ja kyä me kaffet juuaa kans.
Viis kahvia pöydälle kiitos. Onks vege vaihtoehtoi leivonnaisis?
Mitä tarkottaa viis kahvia pöydälle?
[/hämmentynyt]
Yritin välittää että viisi kahvia pöydän seurueelle mahdollisimman epäsuorasti sori. Aattelin et mahd epäselvää nii varautuu kaikkee. Ei tuu kyl käytyy hirveesti kahviloissa 😅
Kiitos! Onneksi mä ymmärsin tätä.
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Kahvi
No niin...
Kiitti
Yks kahvi ja tommonen vohveli tästä.
Mä ottasi pari palaa masaliisaa, ja kyä me kaffet juuaa kans.
Viis kahvia pöydälle kiitos. Onks vege vaihtoehtoi leivonnaisis?
Meillä on vegaaninen suklaakakku.
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Kahvi
No niin...
Kiitti
Yks kahvi ja tommonen vohveli tästä.
Mä ottasi pari palaa masaliisaa, ja kyä me kaffet juuaa kans.
Miä ottasin posson ja kahvin. Kortil joo. Jätä maitovaraa vähä.
Ensin ajattelin, että posso on jotain ruokaa siasta niin kuin possu... Mutta ei, se on leivos.
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Kahvi
No niin...
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Kahvi
Tää kakku näyttäis hyvältä, tiätsie sannoo onko siinä pähkinöitä?
Tällä kakulla on mantelia. Toimisiko se? Meillä on myös täällä esimerkiksi omenakakkua kokonaan ilman pähkinöitä.
Hei suomitumppu!
Mä opiskelen suomea ja haluaisin harjoitella toimimaan tarjoilijana.
Voisitteko tilata jotain ruokaa/ juomaa puhekieleksi, niin että voin harjoitella ymmärtämistä?
Owls of Finland 1. Great grey owl 2. Boreal owl 3. Long-eared owl 4. Eurasian eagle-owl 5. Northern hawk-owl 6. Tawny owl 7. Snowy owl 8. Eurasian pygmy owl 9. Short-eared owl 10. Ural owl
Finnish words/names in the new Genshin Impact world Nod-Krai (Part 1)
Nod-Krai is the new Genshin Impact world inspired by the nordic countries Norway, Sweden and Finland aswell as Russia. As someone who learns Finnish it is so interesting to see how many Finnish words and names are in this new world. So I am collecting them here on this blog with little explanations.
World Building
kuuvahki - moon 'power'
While there is no word like 'vahki' in the Finnish language, the way it is pronounced in-game and the meaning resonates more with the word 'väki'. In Finnish mythology 'väki' refers to elven creatures like for example forest people (Frostmoon Scions in-game?) or to a supernatural power connected to a place, object or creature which seems more fitting as kuuvahki in Genshin is a magnet like power all over Nod-Krai. And 'kuu' means moon which is connected to the overall theme of moons in Nod-Krai.
kuuhenki - moon spirit
My first thought were that the word 'henki' comes from the word 'henkilö' which means 'person' in the spoken language. But it is also its own word which then means something like 'spirit/ghost' which might be a more fitting translation for the spirit like creatures in Genshin Impact that carry this name.
Kuutar - explained as meaning 'Moon Maiden' in-game
The ending -tar (or -tär) makes a noun female in the Finnish language. Some examples are 'kuningatar' for queen or 'jumalatar' for goddess. So 'kuutar' literally means the female moon. Or moon maiden, moon lady like in-game where the Moon Goddess carries this name.
Luonnotar - Nature Lady, Mother Nature (?)
Luonnotar is a special kind of kuuhenki in Nod-Krai, so a special kind of moon spirit. The word part 'luonno' comes from 'luonto', meaning nature. And adding '-tar' at the end makes it female like I just explained. So the word 'luonnotar' literally means Nature Lady.
Kuunrukous - Moon prayer
'Rukous' means prayer. And in combination with 'kuu' it creates 'kuunrukous': a moon prayer. In-game the Moon prayer night is an important cultural celebration for the Frostmoon Scions.
Lempo Isle - 'Lenient Isle'/ Island of the god Lempo
'Lempo' is not really a normal word in Finnish but rather the name of a God. If you were to translate it derived from a normal Finnish word it would be from the adjective 'lempeä' which means something like 'lenient', 'mild'. Which would actually fit the island in-game because it is a mostly civil place. There is also the mythical creature or god 'Lempo' from Finnish mythology who is compared to the devil in Christianity. But some researchers believe that Lempo was the personification of love or affection before. Although the god might have been associated with a negative view of love - where people in love where seen as unpredictable and unreliable, as love was a force that took over a persons ability to reason. Definitely very interesting as Nod-Krai as a whole is described as a lawless place where everyone does as they wish.
Hiisi Island - Sacred Island
Nowadays 'hiisi' apparently means more something like 'demon' or 'devil'. But in the indigenous religion before Christianity 'hiisi' meant 'a sacred place'. Which definitely fits perfectly for 'Hiisi Island' in Genshin Impact as it is the home of the Frostmoon Scions.
Paha Isle - Evil Isle
'Paha' literally means 'evil, corrupt' which fits so perfectly to this island that I had a little chuckle when I read it for the first time. Because Paha Isle is the place where the Fatui have built a base and the Fatui are literally the main evil and corrupt organisation in Genshin Impact.
Eye of Kratti - ghost from Finnish mythology
Eye of Kratti is a little island close to Lempo Isle and the Finnish history is very interesting. Kratti is a ghost in Finnish mythology who rules and guards hidden treasures and money chests. According to history Kratti is one-eyed and bestows wealth onto his worshippers. I actually haven't played the world quest there yet, but I will look out for more references there.
Lakkaberry - cloudberry
An orange and a little bit like raspberries looking berry that grows in nordic countries in peatlands. Can be called 'lakka', '(suo)muurain' or 'hilla' in Finnish. I actually haven't tasted one before but I definitely want to. Maybe I will even find them in nature here.
Smetana - sour cream
I actually never heard of smetana before until my summer job this year where it was used in the restaurant. It is basically just sour cream.
Names of playable characters
Lauma - herd, pack
Now this is interesting. The character Lauma is the Moonchanter of the Frostmoon Scions, so basically their leader. And 'lauma' in Finnish means herd, pack or basically any synonym for a group of animals. But during my research I also saw that 'lauma' is a synonym for 'väkijoukko'. 'Joukko' means something like 'group' as well and the word 'väki' we already looked at for the word 'kuuvahki' at the beginning of this article - 'väki' meaning elven creatures or forest people in this context now. 'Väkijoukko' means a group of people and in this special context the word literally means 'elven people-group'. Which are literally the Frostmoon Scions and the developers called their leader the synonym 'Lauma'. I find it very interesting to trace the steps of how the developers might have decided her name.
Aino - solitary, only
The word 'aino' is an older version of the word 'ainoa' which is more common nowadays. 'Ainoa' meaning 'only', 'lone', 'solitary' which all fits perfect to the character Aino (which made me sad). Because she is a child that spent most of her time alone with just herself and her mechanical creations. And then she built the robot Ineffa (another character) so that she doesn't feel so alone anymore. Those two have a special place in my heart. I also love how 'aino' sounds like 'I know' which Aino says in such a whiny voice sometimes. Coming back to the meaning of 'aino', another common word is the word 'ainokainen' which means 'only child'.
Conclusion
This is it for now. I already have multiple posts in draft concerning all the NPCs in Nod-Krai sorted by location. But those will take some more time because there are quite a lot (I love it!). And when I encounter more Finnish words in the word building etc. I will also definitely write them down. This is quite a nice way to learn Finnish and learn more about Finnish mythology.
