Teasing still doesn’t sit well with Finns – The researcher recognizes one change in behavior

Sighing still sits strongly among Finns. Although there is more teasing in customer service now than a few decades ago, teasing has still not taken root in Finland.

When the Finnish language professor Hanna Lappalainen studied talking and teasing in customer service situations in the 2000s and 2010s, he found that the age of the person being talked to and the age difference between the participants had a significant effect. According to his observations, this fact has not changed in recent years.

“For example, my own students, who were working in cafes and hotels during the summer, have been instructed to make fun of customers who are clearly older than themselves.”

According to the researcher, a small minority of senior citizens likes to be teased. They may think that talking to you is very rude and intrusive. However, a large number of older people think that teasing is a sign of old age.

“Now we’re talking about Kela and the Tax Administration, as is often the case in morning TV and current affairs programs. In the main news broadcasts, instead, there is teasing.”

Osa of Finnish companies, such as Posti, has chosen a familiar and relaxed approach to its written customer service with small talk and informal greetings. Some, on the other hand, strive to stand out with “European” politeness and prefer tea talk and more formal greetings.

However, tea making has been on the rise for the last couple of decades.

“I connect the rise of the tea-making boom to 1995 and Finland’s accession to the European Union. With that, we started to get international influences”, says Lappalainen.

Distance is also created by teasing. In Lappalainen’s research material, the Kela clerk initially scolded the customer, but when the conversation became more awkward, he switched to teasing. The customer could also be extremely friendly, but the clerk kept strictly to the conversation.

“The subject of the teasing then decides whether it is a question of showing politeness or distancing or showing authority.”

Investigator Johanna Isosävin according to the customer service representative may ask “what do you want” at first, but as the conversation continues, it turns into a nagging.

“Politeness phrases such as ‘good morning ma’am’ or ‘please’ are easier for us to create.”

However, the customer service representative can get around the argument by asking, for example, “what should be”. You can also politely ask “what would you like to take”, advises Isosävi.

French Isosävi, who works as an assistant professor of language at the University of Helsinki, has observed the discussions that took place in the 2020s in the Finnish parliament and the French and German parliaments.

“When there was a heated debate in the parliament, where MPs shouted at each other without speaking, there was also a lot of backbiting. The speaker didn’t react to it in any way, hardly anyone even noticed. In the French and German parliaments, on the other hand, swearing occurred less than in Finland, because it is considered offensive, especially in France.”

However, one thing is clear. Everyday language doesn’t change in an instant, it takes decades.

“When sinutelu broke through in Finland in the 1970s, it was a drastic change. Even though a return to it was predicted at the time, I don’t think that we will go back to full-scale teasing again”, reflects Lappalainen.

In terms of the success of the interaction situation, the most important thing is that we show that we are benevolent and interested in the other person.

“If our whole being breathes warmth and good mood, it doesn’t matter if we are angry or angry,” Isosävi sums up.

Finns politeness practices have changed in a more French direction. This was stated by Johanna Isosävi when she studied the perceptions of French people who have lived in Finland for a long time about Finnish politeness. Finns greet strangers now more often than before, and even more people stop to exchange a few words with their neighbors.

“This observation shows a clear change, because traditionally in Finland strangers have not been greeted. If a stranger says hello, we automatically wonder if he has any business. We also don’t have clear rules about how well you have to know a person to greet them,” Isosävi reflects.

In France, you can quickly say “bonjour” and continue on your way. The country also has clearer greeting norms than ours, and not greeting shows bad behavior. In public spaces, such as elevators, one automatically greets a stranger, as is often the case when meeting eyes in a public place.

However, Finnish politeness does not require reacting to another person. In Finland, other people’s territory is respected, so overreacting to another person can be perceived as impolite. Some Finns would still like more greetings.

“However, the greeting culture is in transition. There are people who have lived abroad for a longer period of time and have found that considering and greeting others is a warm and nice way to do it.”

The French, on the other hand, also report that young Finnish men now open more doors than before.

“Change typically starts with young people,” says Isosävi.