Finnish linguist examines evolution of word “äiti” in language shift from “emä”

The Finnish word for “mother,” “äiti,” has a relatively short history in the Finnish language, having been used for a little over 2,000 years. Prior to this, the term “emä” was commonly employed. Linguist and assistant professor Minerva Piha from Nord University in Norway states that remnants of the old word “emä” still exist in various feminine-related terms such as “emäntä” (hostess), “emo” (female animal), “emätin” (vagina), and “emakko” (sow). Currently, the word “emä” is still used to refer to female animals.

As part of an ongoing study with the University of Eastern Finland, Yle is collecting data on the current usage of the word “äiti.” Participants are asked how they refer to their mothers in various contexts, with a choice of words and phrases like “mum,” “mama,” “äippä,” or simply their mother’s first name. The researchers are also interested in age, gender, and postal codes to map the responses across Finland.

The shift from “emä” to “äiti” occurred around the Iron Age, approximately 2,000 years ago, following the arrival of Germanic-speaking peoples in the region. These newcomers likely influenced the local language, resulting in the adoption of words that sounded sophisticated. Through intermarriages and language exposure, local children began to use the term “äiti.”

Interestingly, while “äiti” has survived, similar words in other Germanic languages have changed, often starting with the letter “m,” such as “mother” in English, “Mutter” in German, and “mamma” in Swedish. Piha notes that while “äiti” could have originated from a child’s babbling, it ultimately arrived in Finnish as a loanword from Germanic languages, rather than through local phonetic development.