Why Are Finns So Good In English?
Even though Finnish is not a Germanic language
I remember my first time in Helsinki. In order to buy some souvenirs I went to the nearby stall at the Market Square. The stall was managed by an elderly woman, so a little hesitantly I started ordering something in English. At least she would understand my non-verbal cues, I thought. My doubts were quickly dispelled when she started speaking in English, even more fluently than I did.
At that time I was confused, as in my home country I’ve never heard an old person speaking English, never! But in Finland, the first elderly person I’ve talked to was fluent. What was even more surprising, is that Finnish has no ties with English, unlike other Nordic languages.
So how can Finns be so high in international rankings, like EF EPI? As it turns out — they have a few aces in the hole.
Motivation
As we already know, Finnish has no ties with English… at all. What is also true is that it is definetely not a good way to “talk” with a foreigner buying souvenirs from you.
May I help you?
Swedish: Kan jag hjälpa dig?
Danish: Kan jeg hjælpe dig?
Norwegian: Kan jeg hjelpe deg?
Finnish: Voinko auttaa sinua?
Using just the Finnish language you can communicate with about 5 million people, which is not much, to say the least. For many, this is enough of a motivation to get good at English.
No Dubbing
Dubbing is a very rare occurrence in Finland, English movies are subtitled in an overwhelming majority of cases. This practice is likely beneficial for language learning, as seen here. This way Finns are getting accustomed to the English language from a young age.
Quality Of Education
Finland is famous for its great education system. Finnish teachers are required to hold a master’s degree. There are no standardized tests in basic education, the curriculum is only a hint, not a rule, so teachers have high flexibility regarding their methods of teaching. Technology is a common sight in schools. All these things contribute to a good standard of teaching English in Finland.
An Unknown Fact
Finland’s second official language is actually Swedish! About 5 percent of the population speaks Swedish. It certainly makes English more familiar for them, as these two languages are closely related.
Conclusion
Finns have a great motivation to learn English because of the limits of their own language. This motivation is supported by the extraordinary education system. Consuming foreign movies, Finns are getting accustomed to English. The original audio is kept as it is and it is supported by the Finnish subtitles. This phenomenon is what some people call the “Comprehensible Input” method, which is often considered the most effective way of learning languages.
There you have it. Understanding these 3 reasons, you will not worry about the English proficiency of Finns. Just try not to develop a complex about your own English level when visiting Finland, as I did…
