Study title

Language Barometer 2020

Alternative Title

Språkbarometern 2020

Dataset ID Number

FSD3615

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3615

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Lindell, Marina (Åbo Akademi University. Social Science Research Institute)

Abstract

The Language Barometer has measured the quality of language services in bilingual Finnish municipalities since 2004. The aim of the study was to find out how satisfied minority language speakers in bilingual municipalities were with the services offered in their mother tongue. 36 bilingual municipalities in Finland were included in the study.

The study first examined the respondents' language skills and whether the respondents' children went to a Swedish- or Finnish-language daycare or school. The respondents' use of Swedish, Finnish or both in different types of contexts (e.g. at home, at school, with friends, at the store, with municipal and state authorities, at work) was also investigated. The respondents' familiarity with their linguistic rights was charted, along with how important these rights were for them. They were also asked to evaluate the attitudes towards minority language speakers in the municipality and change in this relationship within the past few years. Harassment or discrimination experienced by the respondents because of their language were also surveyed.

The next set of questions focused on the availability and quality of municipal and state services in the respondents' mother tongue. The respondents were asked to evaluate municipal services (e.g. social and healthcare services, libraries, sports facilities) in their home municipality from the perspective of minority language users. State services (e.g. police, tax offices, emergency response central agency) were also evaluated. For both municipal and state services, the respondents were asked whether the services had developed for the better or for the worse in the previous year, and if special measures should be taken to preserve Swedish-language service in the future. Additionally, the functionality of online municipal and state services in the respondents' mother tongue was charted. Finally, the respondents' reactions in the case that they did not receive service in their own language were surveyed, and the respondents were asked whether they had noticed an increase in the prevalence of English as a customer service language when accessing public services in Finland.

Background variables included the respondent's age (categorised), gender, mother tongue, municipality of residence, level of education, and occupational status.

Keywords

Swedish-speaking Finns; customer service; language; language discrimination; language groups; language policy; minority groups; minority language users; public services

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Language and linguistics (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Government, political systems and organisations (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Minorities (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Language Barometers

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Feelback Oy
• Åbo Akademi University

Data Producers

• Ministry of Justice
• Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities
• The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland

Funders

• Ministry of Justice

Time Period Covered

2020

Collection Dates

2020-04-29 – 2020-06-09

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Residents of bilingual municipalities in Finland aged 18 - 80 (excluding the Åland Islands)

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability: Simple random

Mixed probability and non-probability

Feelback Oy carried out the survey using random sampling (the response rate was 39.6 %). Respondents could complete the survey using either a paper form or an online form. The survey was also sent to Barometern panel participants who lived in bilingual municipalities. Barometern panel respondents were only able to complete the questionnaire using the online form. The Barometern panel is mainly based on random sampling but about 2% of the panel participants are self-selected (the response rate was 65.2%).

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

39.6

65.2

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Related Datasets

FSD3684 Sign Language Barometer 2020

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The data do not include open-ended variables. To prevent identification of respondents, variables concerning exact year of birth and age were removed from the data.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Lindell, Marina (Åbo Akademi University): Language Barometer 2020 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2023-06-16). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3615

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Publications

Lindell, Marina (2021) Språkbarometern 2020. 2021:3. Utredningar och anvisningar. Justitieministeriet. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-259-852-3.

Lindell, Marina (2021) Kielibarometri 2020. Oikeusministeriön julkaisuja, Selvityksiä ja ohjeita 2021:2. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-259-848-6

Schauman, Jonas & Lindell, Marina (2020) Språkklimatet i Helsingfors 2020. https://www.hel.fi/static/kanslia/Julkaisut/2020/sprakklimat-rapporten-2020.pdf

Schauman, Jonas & Lindell, Marina (2020). Helsingin kieli-ilmapiiri. https://www.hel.fi/static/kanslia/Julkaisut/2020/kielibarometri-2020.pdf