When Swedish falls silent in everyday life – the decline of the language causes concern

In a column in Fokus, Sofie Löwenmark publicly addresses something that many of us have noticed – how the Swedish language is gradually disappearing from our public environments in line with high immigration and inadequate integration. She warns of far-reaching social, economic, and democratic consequences when a common language can no longer be taken for granted.

The change came gradually, but is now noticeable. In the environment where Sofie Löwenmark lives – an area that is not considered vulnerable – Swedish is rarely heard. In shops, on buses, and in stairwells, other languages dominate. According to Fokus’ columnist, this is a clear sign of how quickly the demographic map has been redrawn, even outside the problem areas that are most often discussed in public debate.

Löwenmark argues that while the language issue is addressed politically, linked to work and contacts with authorities, no one really wants to acknowledge or measure the real extent of the problem. Many people in the country live without sufficient knowledge of Swedish – often still after many years in Sweden. This affects them but also everyone else in society.

Research and figures point in the same direction

Several years ago, research showed that large groups lack basic Swedish skills. According to information referred to by Löwenmark, around a quarter of the residents in certain suburbs were estimated to lack proficiency in Swedish. Similar results emerged in journalistic surveys prior to previous election campaigns.

For the Fokus columnist, these are no longer just numbers in reports, but something she encounters daily: in restaurants, at the hairdresser, and in grocery stores where communication is entirely in languages other than Swedish. It is an experience she shares with many Swedes but lacks a platform with impact to sound the alarm.

Interpreters as a routine – billion costs

The economic consequences are significant with large groups dependent on benefits instead of employment, partly because they do not master the language. But language estrangement also drains tax money in many other areas of society.

Löwenmark pointed out, for example, that all citizens are entitled to a free interpreter when in contact with authorities, even if they have lived in Sweden for decades. This has led to the use of interpreters becoming a natural part of everyday life in healthcare, social services, and the judicial system. Several years ago, the cost was estimated to be around two billion SEK annually – a figure that has likely increased further.

But according to the Fokus columnist, the problem is not just about money. The effectiveness of the societal systems is also affected. Police investigations take longer, court processes are delayed, and misunderstandings risk having serious consequences.

When language disappears between people

However, the most tangible consequence is seen in the small things. Löwenmark describes how everyday simple encounters diminish when the language is absent. Neighbors who are friendly, but with whom one can never converse. The informal small talk that builds relationships in the local community is missing.

She describes how “personality, humor, and conversations” are lost when words are lacking – and how this contributes to social isolation, despite physical proximity. More forced blending, which is currently a proposal on the table, does not solve the problem, but rather exacerbates it.

Vulnerable groups are hardest hit

The language deficiency has particularly serious consequences for already vulnerable groups. According to Löwenmark, women can remain in destructive relationships because they cannot make themselves understood. The elderly have difficulty communicating with their home care. Children born in Sweden start school with very weak Swedish skills and fall behind immediately.

It is in this context that she sees how what is often referred to as parallel societies are emerging – where language barriers are as decisive as geographical ones.

A common language in jeopardy

In her journalistic work, Löwenmark regularly meets people who have lived most of their lives in Sweden without learning Swedish. Recently, she needed to interview a man who had lived in the country for over 30 years and still could not speak “a single word of Swedish.”

At the end of her column, she looks ahead with concern. Today, around one in four residents in Sweden has a mother tongue other than Swedish, and the largest of these languages is Arabic. Löwenmark gives voice to a growing fear among Swedes that politics will eventually give up the idea of a common language and instead adapt society to linguistic division.

There are already plenty of examples in that direction. If it were to happen on a full scale, she argues, the consequence would not only be practical – but existential. “Then, more than ever, we become a completely different country.”