Why Hungarian? Motivations of Hungarian language learners in Finland

Abstract Since the end of the 18th century, when knowledge and awareness of the linguistically related Hungarian and Finnish language started to spread in both language speaking communities, several different forms of social, political and cultural relations have encouraged members of the two societies to learn each other's language. Knowing the language of the partner community has meant deeper insight into its cultural, social, and public life, and it has been a key to understanding each other better. This research aims at answering the question of what motivates adult language learners to study Hungarian as a foreign language in present day Finland. The study focusses on adult education and university education as study environments. The research methodology mixes qualitative and quantitative methods and is empirical in nature. The theoretical background is based on research on motivation for language learning, particularly on Zoltán Dörnyei's model about components of foreign language learning motivation, and on the context of the history of social and cultural relations between Finland and Hungary. The results show that elements of the Dörnyei model surface within the answers of the research participants and can be further grouped according to categories related to those of Dörnyei.