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DEMOGRAPHY OF SWEDEN.
105
The Swedish language has developed as an individual language out of the
speech that was common to Scandinavia about a thousand years ago. The first
period in the history of the language is generally termed the Runic period (till
about 1200); the Swedish of that time is known merely through runic
inscriptions, which, as a rule, are rather stereotyped. The period of early, or Classic
Old Swedish comprises the period 1200—1350; during that time, the language
is, on the whole, free from foreign admixture, and the written language shows
a freedom from constraint testifying to its having only sligtly differed from the
spoken language. The literature consists almost exclusively of law texts. During
the period of Later Old Swedish (1350—1500), the written language developed
more independently of the spoken one, on the basis of the dialect of
Östergötland (notice the Folkung dynasty and Vadstena cloister), but, at the same time,
under the strong influence of Latin, the language of the church, and of Middle
Low German (through the German burghers in the towns). Towards the end of
this period, Central Sweden regained its political importance, which is to be
traced also in the development of the written language; of special importance
in that, respect was the foundation of Uppsala university. — With the sixteenth
century begins Early Modern Swedish (1500 —1730), which, to a great extent,
is developed by the translation of the Bible by the reformers; as a result
of this an influence from High German replaced that from Low German.
Standard Swedish was clearly marked and more and more firmly established,
though during both the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries dialectic peculiarities
are often perceptible. An increased intercourse with the culture of Europe in
general brought with it a considerable foreign influence, first of German, then
of French; towards the end of the period is to be noted the influence of the
commencing scientific study of Old Scandinavian. With the Code of Laws of
1734 and the appearance of O. von Dalin, the transition to the present standard
language is completed; we arrive at Later Modern Sivedish, which has not
undergone any remarkable external changes since then. During the nineteenth century,
Tegnér, Wallin and Strindberg seem to have exercised the most powerful
influence on the idiom of the language; the recent decades have shown an
unmistakeable tendency toward lessen the gap between the spoken and the
written language by allowing the latter greater liberty.
The most typical characteristics of the Swedish language, compared with its
nearest relations, are the contraction of the old diphthongs, a profusion of
unaccented vowel terminations, and a very peculiar accentuation, which to a
certain extent is to be found also in Norwegian, but in hardly any other European
language. As a general estimate it may be maintained that Swedish is
dist-tinguished by force and clearness, sonorousness and variety.
Modern dialectical research divides Sweden into four dialect-regions: a)
Swedish in a strict sense, with its centre in Uppland and the valleys of Lake
Mälaren. To this group belongs the common speech of Norrland, especially along
the bays of the Gulf of Bothnia, and the East Swedish speech in Finland and
Russia, north and south of the Gulf of Finland. The dialects of the districts
which border on the Norwegian frontier more or less resemble the common
speech of Norway. This holds good to a less extent for Värmland and Dalarne,
than for the districts of Bohuslän, Härjedalen and Jämtland (Norwegian in
former days); b) Gothic, in North and Middle Götaland, round the Lakes Vättern
and Vänern; c) South Swedish, comprising the greater part of Småland, with the
addition of Skåne, Halland and Blekinge. The speech here betrays very many
Danish features on account of earlier political and cultural conditions; and d)
The Gottland dialect (gutnisk) on the island of that name.
A triple division can be made, from a demographical point of view, into districts
somewhat sharply divided from each other, viz. a) the Eastern part of South
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