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> which it hasn't, it used to be one of the most homogeneous mono-cultural countries in the world Really? Well let's take a few seconds to see what Wikipedia h

> which it hasn't, it used to be one of the most homogeneous mono-cultural countries in the world Really? Well let's take a few seconds to see what Wikipedia has to offer on the subject: "Five national minority languages are also recognized by Swedish law: Finnish, Yiddish, Meänkieli, Romani and Sami. " Interesting approach for a "mono-culture". "For most of its history, Sweden was a larger country than today. At its height in 1658, the Swedish Empire comprised the territories of what is Finland and Estonia as well as parts of Russia, Latvia, Germany, Denmark and Norway. Hence, Sweden's linguistic landscape has historically been very different from that of today." And historically, even more diverse. Or is all the above wrong?

Yetanfou 7y ago
Yes, they are mostly wrong. The five national minority languages were explicitly written into law in 1999. In the same article where you got that quote you'll have read (but failed to mention) that 'A significant immigration to Sweden did not start until after World War I' [1]. Also it is a little... far-fetched... to pull in the fact that Sweden used to be a conquering nation - the period called 'stormaktstiden' [2] (the time of great power) here - as 'proof' that Sweden used to be more diverse. It wasn't Sweden which used to be more diverse, it was just that the Swedish kings had turned their country into a well-oiled military machine which was used to spread Swedish influence and power over a large area. It was actually the fact that Sweden was so homogeneous which made it possible for King Gustav I Vasa to take over from the Roman Catholic church and found the Church of Sweden (in 1536) and use its organisation to help create that well-oiled military machine in the first place. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_minority_languages_of_Sweden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_minority_languages_of... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Empire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Empire
recuter 7y ago
I don't have much of an opinion other than to observe that Yiddish & Romani being on that list is worthy of a good chuckle. (I happen to be able to speak a bit of both and I've visited Sweden several times)
fetbaffe 7y ago
Swedish empire was of obvious reasons not a homogenous rule, however the Swedish homeland was except parts of today’s Finland. Forty percent of all ethnic Swedish males all share the same ancestor Ivar, who came from today’s northern Germany 3500 years ago. This tells us that Sweden didn’t have a lot of migration from the Bronze Age until modern era. The different minorities where in total numbers compared to ethnic Swedes not that many except the Finns, but after the separation with Finland in 1809 that number decreased significantly. In 1940 the numbers of individuals that was counted as Romani was about 8000, however many of the Romani arrived in the late 1900th century to Sweden. Meänkieli is basically a Finnish dialect, a consequence of the separation of Sweden & Finland in 1809. Many Yiddish speakers arrived to Sweden with the Second World War and the in the late sixties from Poland. In 1930 they where about 6000. In 1945 it is believed that about 10 000 spoke Sami. 0.7 percent of people living in Sweden year 1900 was born abroad.

Yetanfou 7y ago

Yes, they are mostly wrong. The five national minority languages were explicitly written into law in 1999. In the same article where you got that quote you'll have read (but failed to mention) that 'A significant immigration to Sweden did not start until after World War I' [1]. Also it is a little... far-fetched... to pull in the fact that Sweden used to be a conquering nation - the period called 'stormaktstiden' [2] (the time of great power) here - as 'proof' that Sweden used to be more diverse. It wasn't Sweden which used to be more diverse, it was just that the Swedish kings had turned their country into a well-oiled military machine which was used to spread Swedish influence and power over a large area. It was actually the fact that Sweden was so homogeneous which made it possible for King Gustav I Vasa to take over from the Roman Catholic church and found the Church of Sweden (in 1536) and use its organisation to help create that well-oiled military machine in the first place. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_minority_languages_of_Sweden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_minority_languages_of... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Empire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Empire

recuter 7y ago

I don't have much of an opinion other than to observe that Yiddish & Romani being on that list is worthy of a good chuckle. (I happen to be able to speak a bit of both and I've visited Sweden several times)

fetbaffe 7y ago

Swedish empire was of obvious reasons not a homogenous rule, however the Swedish homeland was except parts of today’s Finland. Forty percent of all ethnic Swedish males all share the same ancestor Ivar, who came from today’s northern Germany 3500 years ago. This tells us that Sweden didn’t have a lot of migration from the Bronze Age until modern era. The different minorities where in total numbers compared to ethnic Swedes not that many except the Finns, but after the separation with Finland in 1809 that number decreased significantly. In 1940 the numbers of individuals that was counted as Romani was about 8000, however many of the Romani arrived in the late 1900th century to Sweden. Meänkieli is basically a Finnish dialect, a consequence of the separation of Sweden & Finland in 1809. Many Yiddish speakers arrived to Sweden with the Second World War and the in the late sixties from Poland. In 1930 they where about 6000. In 1945 it is believed that about 10 000 spoke Sami. 0.7 percent of people living in Sweden year 1900 was born abroad.