Happy finnish language day!

Leevi went to an evening hike to a campfire place with his friends and he texted us that there's a stunning sunset. Me and Emma immediately drove to Rajasalmi bridge to see it. Maybe we missed the best part but the sky was still magnificent, as you can see!

In the afternoon I lectured about the linocut graphic arts technique to my colleagues who are interested to take part to the linocut workshop next week.

Today we have celebrated Mikael Agricola and the Finnish language. The most beautiful Finnish sentences are said to be:


Alavilla mailla hallan vaara = flat grounds risk freezing
Aja hiljaa sillalla = drive carefully on the bridge

Some of the most beautiful Finnish words are:

lilja (lily)
helmi (pearl)
pilvi (cloud)
vadelma (rasberry)
suudelma (kiss)
lämpimämpi (warmer)
silkkiuikku (great crested grebe)

Agricola translated the New Testament into Finnish and he published the first book in the Finnish language. He had to create the written language in Finnish as at that time there still was no standard way of writing Finnish and there was no printed Finnish literature available. Sometimes he had to create suitable words for issues and items which did not even exist yet in the Finnish language at that time. For example, he is the creator of the Finnish words hallitus (government), esikuva (example) and käsikirjoitus (manuscript).

Agricola was appointed the Bishop of Turku in 1554. At that time, there were some constant arguments about the border between Sweden and Russia and the King of Sweden of the time, Gustavus Wasa, made attempts to negotiate for the peace. Agricola was part of the peace negotiations committee sent to Moscow in 1557. During his return trip from Moscow, Agricola suddenly died of an attack of illness on 9th April.



+10 °C, semi-sunny