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In:Beyond Binaries in Address Research: Politeness and identity practices in interaction
Edited by Víctor Fernández-Mallat and María Irene Moyna
[Topics in Address Research 6] 2025
► pp. 146–170

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Chapter 7
Complex address practices in Finland-Swedish

Actual and reported use of address in service encounters

Published online: 17 July 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/tar.6.07wid
Abstract
This chapter compares actual address in service situations with reported use and perceptions of address. We focus on Finland-Swedish and compare it with Sweden-Swedish to highlight typical features of Finland-Swedish address practices. Our data come from two sources: observations of address practices in service encounters and responses to a questionnaire administered to Finland-Swedish speakers, which explored address use in service situations. Findings show that Finland-Swedish address practices go beyond a conventional T/V dichotomy. T address dominates, but V address still occurs to some extent in service contexts. Nevertheless, some speakers find V address highly inappropriate. Furthermore, plural V and absence of direct address are common in service contexts. Our results confirm the non-binary character of the Finland-Swedish address system.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background
    • 2.1The address system in Swedish
    • 2.2Variation in address practice in Sweden-Swedish and Finland-Swedish
  • 3.Data and methods
    • 3.1Service encounters
    • 3.2Qualitative questionnaire data
    • 3.3Methods
  • 4.Results of the study of address in authentic service encounters
    • 4.1Quantitative comparison of service interactions in Finland and Sweden
    • 4.2Qualitative analysis of service encounter interactions from Finland
  • 5.Results of the survey study on reported use and perceptions of address
    • 5.1Perceptions of T and V address in service encounters
  • 6.Discussion
  • Transcription symbols
  • Notes
  • References
References (34)
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