Pronunciation of Finland Swedish in beginner learners with different native languages

We study the pronunciation features of Finland-Swedish in beginner learners with varying language backgrounds and develop research-based learning materials with a language-aware approach. The starting point is pronunciation that is comprehensible and communicatively effective.

The objectives of the project are:
1) to produce new information on the acquisition of Finland Swedish pronunciation by beginner-level speakers whose native language is other than Finnish
2) to develop research-based, open-access materials for practicing Finland Swedish pronunciation and oral language skills.

Funding source

Svenska Kulturfonden

Contact persons

Heini Kallio

University Lecturer, phonetics

Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences

Tampere University

heini.h.kallio [at] tuni.fi (heini[dot]h[dot]kallio[at]tuni[dot]fi)

+358505644607

City Centre Campus

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1263-9624

Henna Heinonen

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences

Tampere University

henna.heinonen [at] tuni.fi (henna[dot]heinonen[at]tuni[dot]fi)

City Centre Campus

Pronunciation of Finland Swedish in beginner learners with different native languages, Svenska Kulturfonden (2024-2025)

In Finland, Swedish has traditionally been learned by Finnish-speaking students, and therefore Finland Swedish as a second language has been studied almost exclusively with Finnish speakers. However, the diversification of society has changed the profile of Swedish language learners in Finland, and nowadays an increasing number of learners have a first language other than Finnish. Language background has a notable effect on how a new language is learned, especially how it is spoken. The challenges faced by many immigrants and international students in learning Swedish may therefore differ from those of Finnish-speaking Swedish learners. In order to develop functional language skills it is essential to achieve speech comprehensibility at an early stage. It is thus important to identify pronunciation challenges arising from different language backgrounds and to develop language-aware learning methods.

The goal of the project is to increase linguistic and pedagogical knowledge about the pronunciation and oral language skills of Finland Swedish as a second language. Through research, new digital tools will be developed for learning the pronunciation of Finland-Swedish, and supplementary training will be created for language teachers.

Conference presentations

3.-4.10.2024, Svenskan i Finland, Oulu: Observationer kring svensk satsprosodi av S2-talare från olika språkbakgrunder. (Observations on the sentence prosody of Swedish learners from different language backgrounds). Heinonen, H. & Kallio, H.

7.-9.11.2024, AFinLA Fall Symposium, Turku: Ääntämispiirteiden yhteydestä L1- ja L2- kuulijan mielikuvaan L2-puhujasta ja hänen viestistään. (On the relationship between pronunciation features and L1 and L2 listeners’ perceptions of the L2 speaker and their message). Heinonen, H. & Kallio, H.

3.4.2025, Klubbens årsfest, conference day: Presentation av projektet och preliminära resultat. (Project presentation and preliminary results). Heinonen, H. & Kallio, H.

24.-25.4.2025, XXXVII Finnic Phonetics Symposium, Turku: Suomenruotsin prosodian tuottaminen erikielisillä alkeisoppijoilla. (The production of prosody in Finland Swedish in beginner learners with different native languages). Kallio, H. & Heinonen, H.

21.-23.5.2025, the 36th Swedish Phonetics Conference FONETIK, Växjö: Pronunciation of Finland Swedish as an L2: a project presentation. Kallio, H. & Heinonen, H.

26.–28.5.2025 Svenskans beskrivning 40, Stockholm: Uttalsdrag och uppfattningar: om hur finlandssvenska L1-talare upplever L2-talare och hens budskap. (Pronunciation features and perceptions: on how Finnish Swedish L1 speakers perceive L2 speakers and their messages). Heinonen, H & Kallio, H.

Publications

Kallio, H. & Heinonen, H. (2025). Hanke-esittely: Suomenruotsin ääntäminen ja ymmärrettävyys - puhujina eri kielitaustoista tulevat ruotsinoppijat (Project presentation: Pronunciation and intelligibility of Finland Swedish - studying learners of Swedish from different language backgrounds). Kieli, koulutus ja yhteiskunta, 16(3). Available online: https://www.kieliverkosto.fi/fi/journals/kieli-koulutus-ja-yhteiskunta-toukokuu-2025/hanke-esittely-suomenruotsin-aantaminen-ja-ymmarrettavyys-puhujina-eri-kielitaustoista-tulevat-ruotsinoppijat