A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
Omaa paikkaa etsimässä : edistyneisyys suomea toisena kielenään puhuvien kokemana (2022)
In search of one’s own place : advancedness as experienced by speakers of Finnish as a second language

Ruuska, K., & Suni, M. (2022). Omaa paikkaa etsimässä : edistyneisyys suomea toisena kielenään puhuvien kokemana. In L. Aarikka, K. Priiki, & I. Ivaska (Eds.), Soveltavan kielitieteilijän sormenjälkiä etsimässä : kielen rakenteet ja niiden käyttäjät Kirsti Siitosen tutkimuksellisina kiintopisteinä (pp. 19-39). Suomen soveltavan kielitieteen yhdistys AFinLA. AFinLA-teema, 14. https://doi.org/10.30660/afinla.111374

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Ruuska, Katharina; Suni, Minna

Parent publication: Soveltavan kielitieteilijän sormenjälkiä etsimässä : kielen rakenteet ja niiden käyttäjät Kirsti Siitosen tutkimuksellisina kiintopisteinä

Parent publication editors: Aarikka, Lotta; Priiki, Katri; Ivaska, Ilmari

eISBN: 978-951-9388-73-1

Journal or series: AFinLA-teema

eISSN: 2814-6298

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 16/06/2022

Number in series: 14

Pages range: 19-39

Number of pages in the book: 287

Publisher: Suomen soveltavan kielitieteen yhdistys AFinLA

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: Finnish

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30660/afinla.111374

Persistent website address: https://journal.fi/afinla/article/view/111374

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/82119

Additional information: Artikkelit

Abstract

This article takes up a central question of Kirsti Siitonen’s dissertation – how advancedness in Finnish as a second language can be characterized – and investigates it from the perspective of research terminology as well as the lived experience of language users. We first discuss how and with what implications advanced learners of Finnish have been referred to in the research literature, i.e. whether they have been regarded as learners, speakers or other kinds of language users. Applying a small stories approach to interview data from different research projects, we then explore what advancedness means to such language users themselves. We conclude that advanced learners navigate a complex sociolinguistic context in which their place is not self-evident. Insights into their experiences contribute to debates about the migration – or recruitment – of highly educated professionals who need very advanced Finnish skills in order to work in their field in Finland.

Keywords: Finnish language; Finnish as a second language; language skills; advanced level; immigrants; use of language; legitimacy; sociolinguistics

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1