https://www.hs.fi/mielipide/art-2000011162841.html
A.I. translated:
The Status of the Karelian Language as a Minority Language Must Be Improved
Reader's Opinion | The multifaceted nature of Karelian identity is a strength.
This article is a reader's opinion piece in Helsingin Sanomat.
In the April issue of Kuukausiliite, the young members of the Karjalazet nuoret Suomes’ association interviewed want to distinguish Karelian identity from Finnish identity.
As an example, they bring up the background of the Kalevala, which has been passed down as national poetry from one Karelian generation to the next. National epics are increasingly being interpreted critically. However, this enriches the cultural heritage associated with them. It is also important to remember that Elias Lönnrot collected the first folk poems from Kesälahti in South Karelia. The most folk poetry from a single individual was recorded from the Ingrian Larin Paraske, from Metsäpirtti in the Karelian Isthmus, after the writing of the Kalevala.
Historically and linguistically, Karelia refers to the area inhabited by the Karelians, stretching from northern Vienna to southern Ingria and Tver. From the east, the Svir and Lake Onega to the present-day regions of South and North Karelia in Finland, including the southeastern part of Kymenlaakso.
The term "Karelians" has two meanings: Karelians as one of Finland's tribes, and more broadly, as a Finnic people of the same name, encompassing the entire area named Karelia. Located at the border of Western and Eastern cultural spheres, the Karelians have been influenced by various ruling powers, resulting in a diverse cultural heritage.
The Karelian language was spoken north of the Treaty of Nöteborg border, but due to Swedish expansionist policies, the Karelian-speaking population moved to Tver Karelia and partly to Ingria. The area of the southeastern dialects of the Finnish language expanded with the resettled population to cover almost the entire former Käkisalmi province, reaching as far as Sortavala. The area of the Karelian language shrank to Border Karelia.
The image of Karelian identity is in danger of becoming one-sided.
With these two meanings of the term "Karelians," the perspective of young Karelians on Karelian identity, as a concept defined by the Karelian language, is understandable. In the Karelian League, the concept of Karelian identity encompasses both meanings. The League considers the southeastern dialects of the Finnish language to be a living part of Karelian identity.
The goal of the Karelian League is to preserve, transmit, and renew the multifaceted Karelian cultural heritage in the present day. The biggest threat to the disappearance of the various aspects of cultural heritage is the digitization of information. People search for their family roots using AI-assisted search services. It is already evident that the image of Karelian identity is in danger of becoming one-sided. The narrowing of cultural heritage diversity may also be due to deliberate simplification or even so-called hybrid influence.
Improving the status of the Karelian language as one of our country's four minority languages is a common goal of the Karelian League and organizations representing Karelian youth. The League has actively supported the Karelian language revitalization program at the University of Eastern Finland. Ten percent of the evacuated Karelians spoke Karelian as their native language; today, the number of speakers is estimated to be 10,000. Additionally, 20,000 people understand the language.
To preserve the Karelian language, legislative changes are needed to establish its status, in addition to cooperation among civil society organizations. The language needs its own language policy program to remain an actively used language in the Finnic branch of the Uralic language family.
Martti Talja
Professor, Chairman
Minna Anttonen
Executive Director
Karjalan Liitto ry
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