A growing number of young people in Finland are purchasing books in English rather of their native language, leading too concerns among publishers about the future of translated literature.

data from the country’s association of booksellers indicates that one in four books sold in finnish bookstores last year were written in a foreign language, predominantly English.

Publishers attribute the increased demand for English books to BookTok,a reading community on TikTok that substantially influences the industry. Young readers are opting for the English versions to participate in BookTok discussions without waiting for Finnish translations.

The widespread use of English on the internet, social media, film, and television contributes to its aspirational status among young people, similar to the trend in neighboring Sweden.

Translated fiction is crucial for the Finnish publishing industry, which serves a population of only 5.6 million.Last year, Finnish language titles generated €26 million (£23 million) of the €57 million in total fiction book sales across digital and print formats.

Popular English language titles include works by US authors Rebecca Yarros and Colleen Hoover.

Leena Balme of WSOY, a Finnish publishing house, noted that changing consumer habits are forcing them to “think very carefully whether it is worth the risk to translate a book into Finnish”. She added that it is rare for a publisher to have the rights and manuscript in time to publish a Finnish translation together with the English version.

“I am a bit concerned. I’m mostly concerned for the young readers. It seems a bit cool to read in English,” said Balme. “On the streets of Helsinki you can find teenagers born in Finland with Finnish-speaking parents who speak English to each othre.”

Another factor contributing to the popularity of English books is that some readers find the sex scenes less embarrassing. “when you read in English you can detach yourself a little bit,” said Balme.

WSOY is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to accelerate the translation process, a strategy already adopted by some publishers. However, WSOY has not yet implemented this technology. Balme stated, “We have a long and respected tradition of translators in Finland. They are worried.”

“I am a bit concerned. I’m mostly concerned for the young readers. It seems a bit cool to read in English.”

Johanna Laitinen, who publishes translated literature at the Gummerus publishing house, described the dominance of English as a “Europe-wide phenomenon” and a frequent topic at book fairs.

She mentioned that the demand for rapid English editions is putting translators under pressure. “English language is so dominant [across social media, the internet and entertainment] that it has glory in Finland.”

While english presents challenges for publishers,it also offers opportunities.”It has to do with something about connection with the outside world. If you are connected with the international community as an example,there is something bigger there,” said Laitinen.