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The SwedishLanguage is a SwedishGroupLanguage of Sweden. SIL code: SWD. ISO 639-1: sv. ISO 639-2: swe. Population: 7,825,000 in Sweden, 93% of the population (1986), including 5,000 speakers of Gutniska (1998 Sven Hakansson). Gutniska has 10,000 second language speakers. Population total all countries 9,000,000 (1999 WA). Region: The Gota dialect group is southern, including parts of Smaland, south Swedish provinces, Varmland, Vastergvtland, the Svea dialect group is northern, including Halsingland, parts of Ostergotland and Uppland, and the Swedish-speaking parts of Finland. Southern Swedish is in Skaane, Blekinge, southern Smaland, southern Halland. Northern Swedish is from northern Halsingland and Jamtland and northwards. Eastern Swedish is in Finland, Estonia, and Gammalsvenskby, Ukraine. Gutnic is in southeastern Isle of Gotland and Faaroe. Nearly extinct in Estonia. Also spoken in Canada, Estonia, Finland, Norway, UAE, USA. Alternate names: SVENSKA, RUOTSI. Dialects: NORTHERN SWEDISH (NORRLAND), EASTERN SWEDISH (FINLAND SWEDISH, ESTONIAN SWEDISH), SVEA, GUTNISKA (GUTAMAL, GOTLANDIC, GUTNIC). Comments: 'Proper' Swedish is considered to be spoken in Svealand. Dialect investigation is needed of diverse varieties Gutniska, Overkalixmal, Norpes, Pitemal, provinces around the Bothnic Sea (Vasterbotten and Norbotten in Sweden, and Oesterbotten in Finland), and the island of Gotland. Gutniska is descended from Forngutniska (Old Gotlandic), which is ranked as a separate language. A mixed variety, with Turkish influence, Rinkebysvenska, is used among immigrants. There are, or were, Swedish varieties spoken in Estonia and Ukraine which are now more or less extinct. See separate listing for Skane, often called Southern Swedish. Investigation needed: intelligibility with Gutniska, Overkalixmal, Pitemal, Norpes, Skane. National language. Bible 1541-1999. Also spoken in: Finland. (Language name: SWEDISH.) Population: 296,000 in Finland, 5.7% of the population (1997). Dialects: STANDARD SWEDISH, OSROBOTHNIAN, ALAND ISLANDS SWEDISH, SOUTHWEST FINLAND SWEDISH, UUSIMAA SWEDISH. Comments: Swedish Finns have a distinctive pronunciation compared to the dialect in Sweden, but no apparent difficulty in intelligibility. Some Ostrobothnian dialects are intelligible to others with difficulty. Perhaps 3/4 of speakers are fluent in Finnish, 1/4 are totally bilingual. National language. Bible 1541-1999.(extract from http://www.ethnologue.com/)
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