Symposium on Minority Languages and language policies in the Nordic Countries,
Charles University, Philosophical Faculty, Department of Germanic languages, Prague
24.–27.4.2024 (Wed: arrival) Thursday & Friday (Sat: departure)
WEDNESDAY 24.4.: Arrival
THURSDAY 25.4.:
8.30–9.00: Registration
9.00–9.30: Welcoming words, Lenka Fárová, PhD, University lecturer in Finnish studies, Vice Director of the
Germanic Department, Charles University, Prague, Riikka Seppälä, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of
Finland, Other embassies? The Decanate? (Jan Č. cannot come)
9.30–9.40: Practical issues during the symposium, Lenka Fárová
9.40–10.00: Introduction: Some facts (?) about languages spoken on this planet, Yrjö Lauranto, PhD, doc.,
Lecturer in Finnish studies, Germanic Department, Charles University, Prague / University lecturer of
Finnish, Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian and Scandinavian Studies, University of Helsinki
10.00–10.45 (chair YL): Presentation 1: Language policy, national languages, and minority languages in
Finland, Tiina Onikki-Rantajääskö, PhD, Professor of Finnish, Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian and
Scandinavian Studies, University of Helsinki
10.45–11.15: Break
11.45–12.30 (chair YL): Presentation 2: Swedish minority language policy and endorsement of immigrants’
mother tongue studies at school, Boglárka Straszer, PhD, Professor of Swedish as a second language, School
of Languages, Literatures and Learning, Dalarna University
12.30–14.00: Lunch
14.00–14.45 (chair HB): Presentation 3: Language awareness at the workplace: Multilingualism,
(trans)languaging, and parallel language use in Denmark, Marta Kirilova, PhD, Associate professor,
Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen
14.45–15.15: Break
15.15–16.00 (chair HB): Presentation 4: Modern urban dialects in Scandinavian cities, Ditte Zachariassen,
M.A., PhD student, School of Communication and Culture/Linguistics, Aarhus University & University
College of Northern Denmark
16.30–17.30: Prague city tour (with Lenka Fárová, Jens Nielsen & Yrjö Lauranto)
FRIDAY 26.4.:
9.00–9.15: A few words for a good day
9.15–10.00 (chair MK): Presentation 5: The situation of Saami languages in Norway, Lene Antonsen, PhD,
Professor in Saami languages, Department of Language and Culture, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
10.00–10.45 (chair MK): Presentation 6: Karelian language and Karelian-speaking Finns in Finland, Ilia
Moshnikov, PhD, postdoctoral researcher, Karelian Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies,
University of Eastern Finland
10.45–11.15: Break
11.15–12.00 (chair LF): Presentation 7: What is the future of Finland-Swedish Sign Language?, Maria
Andersson-Koski, M.A., PhD student, Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian and Scandinavian Studies,
University of Helsinki
12.30–14.00: Lunch
14.00–14.45 (chair LF): Presentation 8: Elfdalian: its current status, origin and position within the North
Germanic language family – some topics from Sapir and Lundgren's upcoming book 'A Grammar of
Elfdalian', Yair Sapir, PhD, Senior lecturer in Swedish, Faculty of Education, Högskolan Kristianstad
14.45–15.15: Break
15.15–16.30: Round table discussion, Lene Antonsen (Norway), Vít Dovalil (Czech Republic), Marta Kirolova
(Denmark), Tiina Onikki-Rantajääskö (Finland), Yair Sapir (Sweden), moderator Jens Nielsen, M.A., Lecturer
in Norwegian studies, Germanic Department, Charles University, Prague
19.00: Symposium dinner
SATURDAY 27.4.: Departure
Chairs:
HB = Helena Březinová
LF = Lenka Fárová
MK = Michal Kovář
YL = Yrjö Lauranto