A Finn and a Swede were having an argument on whos mother tongue was the more beautiful of the two.

As they were unable to reach an agreement, they decided to ask an English linguist to act as a neutral expert judge on the matter.

The renown researcher asked both parties to translate the following verse by Percy Shelley to their respective languages:

Island, island,

Grassy island,

Grassy islands bride.

The Finn answered first. His translation was:

Saari, saari,

Heinäsaari,

Heinäsaaren morsian.

Then came the Swede:

Ö, ö,

Hö ö,

Hö ös mö.