Nykykirjoitusjärjestelmä

Nykykirjoitusjärjestelmä refers to the current Finnish writing system. It is based on the Latin alphabet and was standardized in the 19th century. The Finnish alphabet contains 29 letters, with the addition of å, ä, and ö to the standard 26 letters of the English alphabet. The orthography is highly phonetic, meaning that words are generally pronounced as they are written, and vice versa. This makes Finnish relatively easy to learn to read and pronounce for those familiar with phonetic alphabets.

The standardization of the Finnish writing system was a crucial step in the development of the Finnish language and national identity. Elias Lönnrot's compilation of the Kalevala and the efforts of Johan Vilhelm Snellman were instrumental in establishing Finnish as a literary and official language. The current orthography reflects the phonological features of spoken Finnish, including vowel harmony and consonant gradation. While the basic structure has remained stable, minor adjustments and clarifications have occurred over time to ensure consistency and ease of use. Nykykirjoitusjärjestelmä is thus a well-established and consistent system that supports literacy and communication in Finland.