A summary of "Dialektprojekt kartlãgger svenska språlet-.
SWEDIA 2000 - A SURVEY OF SWEDISH DIALECTS.
Dialects can be found in all aspects of society; we find them in common speech, .
literature, advertisement and folk music. Furthermore, one can even see reflections in .
society through the changes in dialects. .
In the beginning of the 20th century, there were hundreds of different dialects in Sweden.
In speech, there were clear dialectal boundary distinctions between the different parishes and .
villages as the people spoke the dialect of the parish or village they lived in. Fortunately, a .
great number of these dialects were well documented and archived by scentist of ethnology, .
who traveled around the country in those days, documenting the life and manners of the .
ordinary people.
.
During the last century, the numbers of dialects have clearly diminished, and the.
distinctions between the various dialects have become less noticeable. This dialectal fade-out .
is partly due to the accessibility of reaching other parts of the country in very a short time, as .
well as urbanization and the constant flow of new influences.
.
Swedia 200, a project undertaken by phoneticians and linguists from various Swedish .
Universities, has documented and made a summary of 110 dialects in Sweden and Finland.
The scientists and their assistants have spent five years picking out dialects, and then traveling .
from the most southern, to the most northern town in Sweden, and with their recording .
equipment, having recorded at least twelve people in every town. In addition to this, the .
recordings were made by interviewing males and females, young as well as old, in order to .
further show variations in the local dialect. When recorded, the interviewees were able to .
speak their mind; some telling stories ranging from childhood memories to providing .
information on how to bake the local bread.
