Prepositions are coming and going: Swedish language evolves in political talk

A linguistic shift is subtly altering how Swedes discuss politics, according to writer Sara Lövestam. She notes a growing tendency to omit the preposition 'om' (about) when referring to political conversations. Instead of saying one 'pratar om politik' (talks about politics), people are increasingly saying 'pratar politik' (talks politics).

Lövestam highlights this observation, which was brought to her attention by an acquaintance. This linguistic change suggests a potential evolution in the way political discourse is framed or perceived, moving from a discussion 'about' a topic to a more direct engagement 'with' the topic itself.

This piece is presented as a personal column, with Lövestam clarifying that any opinions expressed are her own. The observation invites readers to consider the nuances of language and how everyday speech patterns can reflect broader societal or cultural trends, even in seemingly small grammatical changes.