Väki also means (or at least used to) ‘power’ or ‘strong’ (väkivahva, väkijuoma…) and that’s also where the etymology for ‘väkivalta’ comes from. So it’s got nothing to do with people.
Comment on Justice should be equal
random_character_a@lemmy.world 2 months ago
An interesting factoid. In Finnish language “väkivalta” means violence. It is a combination word: väki = people, crowd, folk valta = power, reign
IsoKiero@sopuli.xyz 2 months ago
random_character_a@lemmy.world 2 months ago
This is true.
barsoap@lemm.ee 2 months ago
Valta also sounds like a Germanic loan just a second… yep. Same root as German “Gewalt”, violence, “walten”, to rule, preside, also English wield.
What’s it with Finnish. One third borrowed from Estonian, another third from the Swedes, the rest from the Sami.
random_character_a@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Yes. We are a mushroom people that suddenly popped in to existence and had to borrow some stuff.
dogsoahC@lemm.ee 2 months ago
So… in Finland “democracy” and “violence” are the same thing? xD