Perkele

Perkele (pronounced [ˈperkele] (listen)) is a Finnish word meaning "evil spirit" and a popular Finnish profanity, used similarly to English "god damn".[1] It is most likely the most internationally known Finnish curse word.[2][3][4][5]

For the Swedish band, see Perkele (band).

Origins

Some researchers consider Perkele to be an original name of the thunder god Ukko, the chief god of the Finnish pagan pantheon,[6] but this view is not shared by all researchers.[7] There are related words in other Finnic languages: in Estonian, põrgu means hell, in Karelian perkeleh means an evil spirit.[8][9]

Introduction of Christianity

As Finland was Christianized, the old Finnish deities were regarded as demons. This led to the use of "Perkele" as a translation for "Devil" in the Finnish translation of the Bible. Later, in other translations, the word was rendered as paholainen (the evil one).[10]

References
  1. Kielitoimiston sanakirja. Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus. 2006. ISBN 952-5446-20-4.
  2. "How Finns Swear and What This Tells Us About Their Culture".
  3. "Finnish swearwords – a list of profanities you shouldn't know".
  4. Advances in Swearing Research: New languages and new contexts. John Benjamins Publishing Company. 2017. ISBN 978-9027256874.
  5. Handbook of Finnish. E-painos. 2015. ASIN B015AM7Q90.
  6. Siikala, Anna-Leena (2013). Itämerensuomalaisten mytologia. Helsinki: SKS.
  7. Salo, Unto (1990). Agricola's Ukko in the light of archeology. A chronological and interpretative study of ancient Finnish religion: Old Norse and Finnish religions and cultic place-names. Turku. ISBN 951-649-695-4.
  8. "Miten suomalaiset kiroilivat ennen kristinuskoa?". Retrieved 2015-12-25.
  9. Suomen kielen etymologinen sanakirja. 3. Helsinki: Suomalais-ugrilainen seura. 1976. ISBN 951-9019-16-2.
  10. "Paholainen".
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