Perkele
Template:Italic title Template:Short description Template:For {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}) is a Finnish word meaning 'evil spirit' and a popular Finnish profanity, used similarly to the English phrase God damn,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> although it is considered much more profane. It is most likely the most internationally known Finnish curse word.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
EtymologyEdit
The name is of Indo-European origin; Perkwunos is the reconstructed name of the god of thunder.
Some researchers consider {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} to be an original name of the thunder god Ukko, the chief god of the Finnish pagan pantheon,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> but this view is not shared by all researchers.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> There are related words in other Finnic languages: in Estonian, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} means hell, in Karelian {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} means an evil spirit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Influence of ChristianityEdit
As Finland was Christianized, the ancient pre-Christian deities came to be regarded as demons. This led to the use of "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" as a translation for "Devil" in the Finnish translation of the Bible. Later, in other translations, the word was rendered as {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (the evil one).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>