Talk:Zahra Abdulla

Finnish vs. Somali

It seems clear that she can be described as Finnish - she is a citizen, what more is required? You can be from somewhere else originally and still "of" the country you currently live in. Norum notes that she isn't white as a reason for not describing her as Finnish - I'm not sure how its relevant to the point, and also I imagine any reader can conclude that she is not white by viewing the image. We're not likely to leave people with the impression that she is a white, born and raised Finn of Finnish descent by saying she is Finnish and born in Somalia. Avruch ^T 19:15, 3 November 2008 (UTC)

She is a citizen of Finland, but she is not Finnish. If she was born there then we could say she is Finnish. She is a Somali with a Finnish citizenship. Norum (talk) 20:28, 3 November 2008 (UTC)

Where is it written that you have to have been born in Finland in order to be Finnish? Here in the US, you don't have to be born in the states in order to be considered "American." Point of fact, you can be born anywhere in the world and still qualify as an American from birth. Finnish doesn't seem inaccurate or misleading, so no sense in changing it. Avruch ^T 20:39, 3 November 2008 (UTC)

Sure it does. I have a Canadian citizenship, but I am not a Canadian. The best example is Olympic wrestler representing Sweden, Ara Abrahamian. He represents Sweden, but he is not Swedish. he is Armenian, he defected from the Armenian team back in 1994. Norum (talk) 21:34, 3 November 2008 (UTC)

Well, that is as good as an opinion as any. However, do you have an encyclopidacally reliable source which also makes the statement that a person has to be born in Finland in order to be Finnish? Samulili (talk) 15:24, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

There is a difference between being a citizen of Finland and being an ethnic Finn. That's what I'm trying to point out. Zahra Abdulla has Finnish citizenship, but obviously she is not an ethic Finn like Jari Kurri, Matti Nykänen or Tarja Turunen.

Norum (talk) 01:10, 11 November 2008 (UTC)

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines the adjectival "Finnish" as "of, relating to, or characteristic of Finland, the Finns, or Finnish". The word "Finn" has three meanings: 1: a member of a people speaking Finnish or a Finnic language 2 a: a native or inhabitant of Finland b: one who is of Finnish descent. Thus a person who is a Finn, i.e. one who speaks the language and is an inhabitant of Finland, may well be described as Finnish. Of course there's also the aspect of personal identity, but as we don't have a realiable source about Zahra Abdulla's opinion, I guess we can safely use the word "Finnish". ›mysid (☎∆✎) 10:10, 11 November 2008 (UTC)

I understand your point of view, but still, it feels strange to consider someone who was born outside, spent most of her life elsewhere and having no other ties to Finland, Finnish.

Norum (talk) 09:06, 12 November 2008 (UTC)

She can be a national of Finland, but she will never be a Finn. Norum (talk) 22:04, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Well, if you have definitive sources to back that up... Samulili (talk) 07:11, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Let me see... her name is Zahra Abdulla, she's black, she was born in Somalia and is a muslim. Yep, sounds like a typical Fin, doesnt she? Norum (talk) 17:34, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

I guess it's a matter of 'feeling'. I would say that until the ethnicity of a nation becomes mixed it seems strange to describe someone of so obviously different ethnicity as being of that ethnic group. For instance I find it sensible that people of Jamaican origin can be British but it feels odd to call them English (although admittedly that is slowly changing), and if I as white and English gained Korean citizenship I would find it bizarre to be thought of as Korean in such a racially homgeneous population. So, since Finland is overwhelmingly white it seems odd to say Zahra is a Finn. Also interesting in the case of Finland is the status of the large Swedish speaking minority along the southern coast. Do they consider themselves Finns, or Swedes with Finnish citizenship? Anyone?1812ahill (talk) 00:11, 28 January 2010 (UTC)