diff --git festival/lib/languages.scm festival/lib/languages.scm
index 9382ad3..d3e2c5c 100644
--- festival/lib/languages.scm
+++ festival/lib/languages.scm
@@ -56,6 +56,20 @@ Set up language parameters for British English."
   (Parameter.set 'Language 'britishenglish)
 )
 
+
+(define (language_italian)
+"(language_italian)
+Set up language parameters for Italian."
+
+  (if (symbol-bound? 'voice_lp_diphone)
+      (set! female1 voice_lp_diphone))
+  (set! male1 voice_pc_diphone)
+
+  (male1)
+  (Parameter.set 'Language 'italian)
+)
+
+
 (define (language_american_english)
 "(language_american_english)
 Set up language parameters for Aemerican English."
@@ -68,6 +82,17 @@ Set up language parameters for Aemerican English."
   (Parameter.set 'Language 'americanenglish)
 )
 
+(define (language_finnish)
+"(language_finnish)
+Set up language parameters for Finnish."
+  (if (symbol-bound? 'voice_suo_lj_diphone)
+      (set! female1 voice_suo_lj_diphone))
+  (set! male1 voice_hy_fi_mv_diphone)
+
+  (male1)
+  (Parameter.set 'Language 'finnish)
+)
+
 (define (language_scots_gaelic)
 "(language_scots_gaelic)
 Set up language parameters for Scots Gaelic."
@@ -107,8 +132,12 @@ Set up language parameters for Castillian Spanish."
     (language_scots_gaelic))
    ((equal? language 'welsh)
     (language_welsh))
+   ((equal? language 'italian)
+    (language_italian))
    ((equal? language 'spanish)
     (language_castillian_spanish))
+   ((equal? language 'finnish)
+    (language_finnish))
    ((equal? language 'klingon)
     (language_klingon))
    (t
diff --git festival/src/main/festival_main.cc festival/src/main/festival_main.cc
index 4a81dfd..92feb31 100644
--- festival/src/main/festival_main.cc
+++ festival/src/main/festival_main.cc
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ static void festival_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	"              are printed (default if stdin not a tty)\n"+
 	"--language <string>\n"+
         "              Run in named language, default is\n"+
-	"              english, spanish and welsh are available\n"+
+	"              english; russian, spanish, welsh, italian and finnish are available\n"+
 	"--server      Run in server mode waiting for clients\n"+
 	"              of server_port (1314)\n"+
 	"--script <ifile>\n"+