A nine-part quiz that features words that have been borrowed into the Finnish language before the 20th century. The quiz helps students to learn to recognise loanwords. Students will also acquire new vocabulary and have fun. The quiz is suitable for students attending tasters, complete beginners or A1/A2 learners

Valijarvi, Riitta-Liisa

English

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1  Loanwords in Finnish Quiz  Finnish is a Finno-Ugric language. It is not related to English or most other European languages. Finnish is instead related and similar to Estonian, and more distantly related to Hungarian. In the past, Finnish has been influenced by Baltic, Germanic and Slavic languages, and more recently it has received loanwords from Swedish and English. It is easier to acquire Finnish vocabulary if you learn to recognise loan words. A knowledge of German, a Scandinavian language and Russian will come in handy. The words featured in this quiz are older, pre-20th-century loanwords. Note that the meaning of a loanword may shift, e.g. rengas means ’tyre’ and not ‘ring’. 1. Animals and other creatures Match the Finnish animal names with their English equivalents. FINNISH ENGLISH aasi whale haukka lion lammas worm, maggot mato rat leijona piglet porsas donkey rotta hawk valas sheep  2. Food and drink Match the Finnish words with the English descriptions. KAHVI, KAKKU, KUMINA, LEIPÄ, LUUMU, OLUT, PUURO, VIINI, ÖLJY a. Usually eaten for breakfast, made of oats. b. Red or white. c. A purple fruit. d. An ingredient in chili powder.  e. It is difficult to fry without this product, can also be found in a car. f. An alcoholic drink that is drunk in a pub, very popular in England. g. A birthday treat, goes well with coffee or tea. h. A hot, dark brown beverage.  i. Related to the English word ’loaf’, means ’bread’ in Finnish.   2  3. Everyday items What would you do with the following items? Choose a OR b. AIRO: a) air OR b) row with KATTILA: a) boil things in OR b) milk and graze KAMPA: a) sleep in OR b) comb your hair with KARTTA: a) transport things in OR b) check the location of a place with KELLO: a) check the time with OR b) boil water in KYNTTILÄ: a) light OR b) write with LASI: a) drink from OR b) catch reindeer with PALLO: a) be friends with OR b) throw PULLO: a) put on when it is cold OR b) put liquid in RENGAS: a) attach to a car OR b) make a phone call with SAHA: a) wrap around your shoulders OR b) saw with SAIPPUA: a) keep in the bathroom OR b) keep in the garden SUKKA: a) wear OR b) carry stuff in  UUNI: a) bake in OR b) travel in  4. People Guess who the following people are. enkeli (hint: some people doubt the existence of these) herra (hint: almost the same in German) keisari (hint: in in Russia before 1917 and in ancient Rome) kokki (hint: works in a restaurant) kuningas (hint: Finland does not have one, Britain has had several in the past) piispa (hint: member of the church) 3  majuri (hint: a type of soldier) tohtori (hint: of philosophy, for example) tytär (hint: a family member)  5. Places Match the Finnish places with their English equivalents. FINNISH ENGLISH apteekki floor, cf. flat kauppa field kirkko church koulu beach, shore lattia stable luostari mill mylly shop, cf. German kaufen ’to buy’ pelto convent, monastery ranta school talli chemist  6. Qualities Match the Finnish adjectives with the English descriptions. KAUNIS, LAISKA, RIKAS, SAIRAS, VIISAS a. A person who has a lot of money b. A person who does not want to do any work c. A sensible person d. A sick person, cf. sore e. A beautiful person, cf. German schön   7. Materials Can you guess what the following materials are in English? korkki, kupari, kulta, kumi, lasi, nikkeli, paperi, pronssi  4  8. Time, numbers and quantities Are the following statements true or false? a. Maanantai is a day off.  true/false b. Sunnuntai is the least popular day of the week.  true/false c. Viikko is longer than a day.  true/false d. Pari is more than five.  true/false e. Tuhat is less than a million.  true/false f. Joulu is in December.  true/false g. Minuutti is shorter than a second.  true/false  9. Slavic loanwords Guess the meaning of the following Finnish words if you know Russian or another Slavic language.  ikkuna (hint: made of glass) kapakka (hint: a type of pub) lusikka (hint: needed when eating soup) majakka (hint: helps sailors) piirakka (hint: savoury or sweet) saapas (hint: worn on the feet) siisti (hint: the opposite of messy) sääli (hint: a pity, shame) toveri (hint: a friend or a companion) vapaa (hint: the opposite of ‘bound’, ‘busy’ or ‘occupied’) varpunen (hint: a small bird) viesti (hint: can be sent with a phone)   This quiz has been written by Riitta-Liisa Valijärvi r.valijarvi@ucl.ac.uk.  

Loanwords in Finnish Quiz

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