Sami Language
The Sami language is spoken by the indigenous Sami people, also known as the Lapp people, across northern Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. This language is part of the Uralic language family and is closely related to Finnish, having evolved from a common ancestor around 1000 BCE. The Sami language comprises three main dialect groups: Central Sami, East Sami, and South Sami, with numerous distinct dialects within each group. Central Sami is the most widely spoken among approximately 30,000 Sami speakers today, though the number of speakers has been declining.
Historically, the Sami were nomadic reindeer herders, and their language reflects a rich vocabulary related to nature, particularly reindeer. However, many Sami have transitioned to speaking the dominant languages of their respective countries, leading to the extinction of some dialects and a decrease in overall usage. Efforts are underway to revitalize the Sami language, including educational initiatives aimed at teaching it in schools and promoting its importance to Sami culture. The language continues to evolve, incorporating new terms and adapting to contemporary life, while Sami communities strive to preserve their linguistic heritage for future generations.
Sami Language
The Sami language is spoken by the Sami people, who are also called Lapp people, in northern Finland, Sweden, and Norway and on the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The Sami descended from nomads who lived in northern Scandinavia for thousands of years and depended upon reindeer for survival. They are a minority people who as a group do not have a country of their own. About 30,000 Sami in Scandinavia speak the Sami language.
The Sami language has three main dialect groups that are so distinct they are sometimes considered separate languages. They are Central Sami, East Sami, and South Sami and reflect the Sami's eventual settlements. Central Sami is spoken by those in northern Finland, Sweden, and Norway. East Sami is spoken by those on the Kola Peninsula and by some in eastern Finland. South Sami is spoken in central Norway and northern-central Sweden. Within each dialect group are many dialects. For example, the East Sami group of dialects includes the Inari Sami, Akkala Sami, Kildin Sami, Skolt Sami, and Ter Sami dialects. These dialects are closely related and mutually intelligible, which means all those within a dialect group can understand one another.
Of the dialect groups, Central Sami is spoken by the most people. Few Sami still speak the dialects within the East and South Sami dialect groups. The Sami in these areas speak the native language of their country. Even those who speak Sami are bilingual, so they can communicate with the majority population.
The Sami dialects are all comprised of a rich vocabulary with many words related to nature. The Sami language has many words to describe reindeer—so many that a particular reindeer within a large herd can be identified by description.
Use of the Sami language is shrinking. However, the Sami and government officials are working to preserve it along with the Sami culture. They also hope that the Sami language will one day be taught to Sami children in schools.
History and Classification
The Sami have lived in Scandinavia since ancient times. Scholars believe they may have been the first inhabitants of the Fenno-Scandinavian peninsula. These early Sami eventually inhabited all of present-day Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Kola Peninsula.
The Sami language belongs to the Finno-Ugrarian branch of the Uralic family of languages. The closest language to Sami is Finnish, and Finnish and Sami may have emerged from the same protolanguage, early Finno-Sami. Somewhere around 1000 BCE, Finnish and Sami developed into different languages. At first, the Sami language was uniform and did not have dialects. The many dialects most likely developed in the ninth century Common Era and had more to do with lifestyle than geography.
Traditional Sami lived in family groups called siida. Not all family groups lived the same way. For example, the Sami in northern Scandinavia were nomads who traveled along river banks with their herds of reindeer. However, the Sami in southern Scandinavia may have had a different lifestyle. They may have relied on fishing or hunting for survival. These differences caused communities to separate, and these communities eventually developed their own dialects.
In time, the Sami had to share their land with people who are considered to be the natives of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. These settlers soon staked their claim on the land and eventually became known as Scandinavians. They treated the Sami unfairly and forced them to pay a tax to use the land. They did not approve of the Sami's traditional lifestyle. By the nineteenth century, Scandinavians considered the Sami to be of a lower social class.
Because many Sami were nomads, their children did not receive a formal education. The Scandinavian government tried to help the children by requiring them to be educated as other Scandinavian children. However, Sami children were taught that their language was socially unacceptable while the Norwegian and Swedish languages were progressive.
Geographic Distribution and Modern Usage
The Sami language is spoken in a region of northern Europe that includes the countries of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The language has been used less and less over the years. Of the 50,000 Sami in Scandinavia, only about 25,000 to 35,000 speak the language. This is mainly due to a change in lifestyle. Only a small percentage of Sami today herd reindeer and live in siida groups. Most live like other inhabitants of Scandinavia and speak the native language. Because of this, some Sami dialects are now extinct and others have only a few remaining speakers. For example, of the East Sami dialect group, the Kemi Sami dialect is extinct and the Ter Sami dialect has only about six speakers. About 75 percent of those who still speak Sami speak Central Sami. These speakers live in the northern regions of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
Even though many Sami no longer use the language, they feel it is important to preserve it as testament to their past. Government agencies and politicians agree and feel that the language should be taught to Sami children. Since the 1990s, the three Scandinavian countries have set up parliaments that work to preserve the Sami language and culture.
While Sami children most often attend elementary schools in their country, they may opt to attend a Sami high school, where most of the subjects are taught in the Sami language. They may also study the language at universities in Sweden, Finland, and Norway.
The Sami language continues to evolve. Many new words have been added over the past few decades. Some have been borrowed from other languages and others have been created to describe technologies such as computers.
Bibliography
Dalby, Andrew. "Sami." Dictionary of Languages. London, UK: A&C Black, 2004. 530-532. Print.
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