 He received his master's degree in philosophy 1924 and continued his education in Finno-Ugric languages at the University of Helsinki under professors Yrjö Wichmann, Frans Äimä and J. J. Mikkola.He earned his PhD in 1932 and was professor of Finnish and related languages at the University of Turku from 1934 to 1949.He spent the rest of his career at the University of Helsinki, first as professor of Finno-Ugric linguistics from 1949 to 1956, then as rector from 1953 to 1956 and finally as chancellor from 1963 to 1968.