This essay is a guide to Swedish lyric diction for American singers. An overview of the linguistic traits and basic grammar of the Swedish language prepares the reader for a detailed description of Swedish phonemes and their occurrence in the language. Differences in pronunciation conventions as they pertain to classical singing, particularly the contrast between "högsvensk" (high Swedish) and "talad svenska" (spoken Swedish), are explored. The author offers repertoire suggestions for various voice types and levels of study, with special attention to the Swedish songs of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Finally, translations and transcriptions into the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) of representative song texts are given. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]