Mikael Reuter
Humanist of the day

Mikael Reuter

Mikael Reuter is a linguist, language consultant, translator, expert in Nordic languages and organisational activist. In particular, he has worked to ensure that Fenno-Swedish remains a fully functional variant of Swedish that can be used in all areas of society. Reuter sees Swedish as an important link to Sweden and the other Nordic countries.

Mikael Reuter

Born May 17, 1943, Helsinki

Master of Arts 1969 (Scandinavian languages), Licentiate 1982, University of Helsinki

Head of the department of Swedish 1992–2008, Institute for the Languages of Finland
Senior researcher (specialised in Swedish for public administration) 1987–92
Researcher (department of Swedish) 1976–87
Teaching assistant in Scandinavian languages 1970–76, University of Helsinki
Secretary General of the Swedish-speaking School Student Union of Finland 1963–64

Research themes
At university primarily the phonetics of Swedish in Finland, particularly the variety spoken in Helsinki. Later, more generally the relationship of Fenno-Swedish to Swedish in Sweden.

Publications, awards and honours

Photo: Peter Slotte
Written by Mikael Reuter (Tomas Sjöblom, ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington

One of the questions, aside from language planning and maintenance, with which I have most strongly grappled is Nordic linguistic cohesion. Even at the Swedish-speaking School Student Union of Finland, I felt that Nordic cohesion was important, and while working at the University Student Union that feeling was further strengthened.

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Mikael Reuter has published dictionaries, numerous books and hundreds of columns. For his significant work in the promotion of Fenno-Swedish and Nordic language cooperation he has been awarded many prizes and honours. In this article, we have compiled a list of his publications and the prizes and honours awarded to him.

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