The Finnish legislative language has a centuries-long history, with roots extending to the time before written Finnish. The oldest translations of legal texts were made in the late 16th century, and legislative language has been studied since the late 18th century by many scholars. However, until now, knowledge of this language has been fragmented and partly incorrect. This book provides an up-to-date and revised overview of the historical background and development of the Finnish legislative language by presenting the most important written sources and the history of their research. The development of the language is demonstrated with examples of spelling, grammar and vocabulary. This concise book is useful for everyone who works with the legislative language, as well as anyone interested in the development of the Finnish language.

This book is included in DOAB.