Source: Suomen Pipliaseura, media bank
Mikael Agricolas Day 9 April
There was of course the first ever human being who wrote down the Finnish language as we know it. This person was Mikael Agricola, who was born around 1510 in a Swedish speaking area of Pernaja, which today belongs to the town of Loviisa. It is still unclear whether his mother tongue was officially Swedish or Finnish.
On the day of his death 9 April, we celebrate the Finnish Language Day and it is an official flag day in the Finnish calendar. In 2014 Suomen Pipliaseura, bible association organised a competition and Agricola-cake was born. Have you seen these delicacies around?
He wrote the first ever book in Finnish called ABCkirija, and translated the New Testament into Finnish. Finnish spelling is still very much based on the grammatical rules he developed during that time.
Minna, OLS Community Manager – Finnish