In our research project, we study attachment to places and place names in two different environments: one in the real world and the other in a virtual video game. Our research subjects involve encounters between Finnish, English, and other languages, as well as between Finland and North America. At the same time, two temporal layers, the present and the world from about a hundred years ago, intersect. Both environments we examine are also connected by migration: the movement of Finns to North America and its impact in language and name usage. Additionally, neither environment has (had) physical access for the recipient.
Our project is funded by the Kone Foundation from 2025 to 2027.