Backward and forward survival ratios were used to estimate the net effect of language shift upon the Swedish-speaking population of Finland between 1950 and 1960. The analysis was done for males and females separately.
Findings show that language shift was an important factor in the decline of the Swedish-speaking population of Finland between 1950 and 1960 Since the heaviest loss took place in cohorts aged 10-19 in 1950, it is suggested that important factors in language shift were those experiences which for most persons occur in late adolescence and early adulthood: secondary schooling, entry into labour market and the selection of a marriage partner.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Arsenian, S.Bilingulism and Mental DevelopmentNew York: Teachers College, 1937, Columbia University
2.
Barclay, G.W.Techniques of Demographic Analysis. New York: Wiley, 1958
3.
de Vries, J.The Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. Unpublished M.Sc Thesis, University of Wisconsin, Department of Sociology, 1968
4.
de Vries, J.Local Homogamy and Linguistic Endogamy in Finland, 1951-1967, Unpublished paper, Carleton University, Ottawa1972
5.
de Vries, J.Ecological Determinants of Bilingualism. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Wisconsin, Department of Sociology , 1973
6.
Fougstedt, G.Finlands Svenska befolkning åren 1936-1945. Helsinki : Akademiska bokhandeln, 1951
7.
Hurd, W.B.Racial Origins and Nativity of the Canadian People. Ottaw a: Dominion Bureau of Statistics, 1937
8.
Klovekorn, M.Die sprachliche Struktur Finnlands 1880-1950. Helsinki : Akademische Buchhandlung, 1960
9.
Lieherson, S. "Bilingualism in Montreal A Demographic Analysis", American Journal of Sociology, 71, 1 (July) 10-25, 1965
10.
Svalastoga, K.Where Europeans Meet. Copenhagen: University of Copenhagen, 1960, (mimeographed).
11.
Weinreich, U.Research Problems in Bilingualism, with Special Reference to Switzerland . New York: Columbia University , 1951 (unpublished).
12.
Weinreich, U.Languages in Contact. New York: Linguistic Circle of New York, 1953
13.
Wuorinen, J.H.A History of Finland. New York: Columbia University Press, 1965
