Kimmo Luukkonen

Back to spring issue 2004

Professor Andrew Chesterman, 57, has studied, taught and researched languages for four decades. The language skills of today's arts students he describes as "amazing". "In the long run, this gives Finnish culture an advantage. Britain will not fare well if the British speak no other language except their own. They will be prisoners of their own language."

Andrew Chesterman came to Finland by sea from Britain in 1968. "The archipelago was very beautiful," he says of his first impressions. A fresh Cambridge graduate, he came to Savonlinna to teach English. The assignment was for one year only, but Chesterman took a liking to Finland and knew he would stay. The young Englishman soon learnt even the coffee table etiquette: it was not appropriate to move to the table until the third call, "But the coffee will get cold!"

In 1969, Chesterman began his career at the University of Helsinki, where he has worked for over thirty years. He has taught in several language departments, and is currently Professor in the Multilingual Communication Programme. He is also an internationally renowned translation theorist.

Chesterman says he has taken on the Finnish identity to such an extent that he no longer feels particularly British. "I am also a European, or rather a cosmopolitan." The Professor speaks with a beautiful Oxbridge accent. He points out that the fact that accents are so class-based in Britain is one of the reasons he does not live there. "You open your mouth and everyone will know immediately in which pigeon-hole to put you."

Imprisoned by language?

Andrew Chesterman is known as an excellent teacher, who in a very un-Finnish way engages in dialogue with his students. He has run a course in translation theory for all language students for 25 years. He accepts homework for the course in seven languages. Students detect a lot of that famous dry, ironic British wit in his speech.

"In British culture, lectures are probably not as strict and formal as in other cultures," Chesterman admits and continues, "What is important in teaching is that you challenge others to listen. What you say has to be interesting and down-to-earth, something the audience wants to listen to."

For his career choice, Chesterman thanks his French teacher who was "absolutely brilliant" and encouraged the sixteen-year old boy from the London suburbs to choose the arts. The Professor ironically adds that soon afterwards the highly individual teacher was sacked from the school.