Aland-blog on language policy

[Christina Paulston]

I don't really think Swedish speaking Finns ( called Finn Swedes) can 
be called ethnically Swedish because over the hundred of years you have 
had so much exogamy and such similar cultures.  I would expect most of 
them to identify first as Finns  nationally and only second as Swedes 
and then not as Swedish Swedish. At this point the labels make little 
sense. Tove, are you there - how do you feel.  But Hult should have 
answered your question.  I just came across the info in a footnote in 
some EU newsletter (when we still had paper and ink).  I am grateful to 
Francis for the elucidation.  Christina
On Apr 4, 2007, at 4:29 AM, Anthea Fraser Gupta wrote:

> Do they define 'Swedish speaking' as 'able to speak Swedish' (a 
> language test), or 'habitual speaker of Swedish' (in practice an 
> ethnic test)???
>
> I'm not in favour of the establishment of reservations or ethnically 
> limited zones (my family would never get anywhere to live!).
>
> Anthea
>
> *     *     *     *     *
> Anthea Fraser Gupta (Dr)
> School of English, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT 
> <www.leeds.ac.uk/english/staff/afg>
> NB: Reply to a.f.gupta at leeds.ac.uk
> *     *     *     *     *
>
> ________________________________
>
> Åland has one of the most interesting pieces of "language policy I
> know.  You cannot buy land there unless you are Swedish speaking.  I
> don't know what brilliant politician was responsible for that, but we
> all know that monolingual Anglophones buying property in the Gaeltaecht
> (for summer cabins and the like) was in some measure helping the Irish
> shift to English.  Won't happen on Åland.  Christina
> <winmail.dat>