Lähisukukieltä

Lähisukukieltä, meaning "close relative language" in Finnish, refers to a linguistic concept used primarily in the context of Finnish and Estonian language relationships. It designates a language that is closely related to another language, often to the point where speakers of one can understand significant portions of the other with some effort, even without prior formal learning. This term is most commonly applied to the relationship between Finnish and Estonian, which belong to the Finnic branch of the Uralic language family.

The degree of mutual intelligibility between Finnish and Estonian is a subject of ongoing linguistic discussion. While they share a common ancestor and exhibit considerable lexical and grammatical similarities, centuries of separate development have led to significant divergences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. This means that while a Finnish speaker might recognize many words and sentence structures in Estonian, full comprehension is not guaranteed and often requires conscious effort or exposure. The term "lähisukukieltä" highlights this close but not identical relationship, distinguishing it from languages that are more distantly related. It emphasizes the shared heritage and the potential for partial understanding, making it a useful descriptor for languages on the cusp of mutual intelligibility.