lappish

Lappish is an adjective historically used to refer to Lapland and, by extension, to the Sámi people and their languages. In contemporary usage, the term is widely regarded as outdated or offensive by many Sámi people, who prefer Sámi or the specific language names. In some historical or regional writings, Lappish may still appear.

Lappish languages are the group of Sámi languages, a branch of the Uralic language family spoken across Sápmi, the cultural region that stretches across parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The term does not denote a single language; it covers several languages, including Northern Sámi, Lule Sámi, Southern Sámi, Inari Sámi, and Skolt Sámi, with Northern Sámi being the most widely spoken.

In modern linguistics and cultural discourse, the label Lappish has generally fallen out of favor as a blanket term. Authorities and scholars prefer Sámi languages or the specific language name to reflect linguistic and cultural diversity.

The word Lappish is also tied to Lapland, the broad northern region associated with Sámi history and contemporary life. Efforts to promote Sámi languages in education, media, and public institutions have been central to policies in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia.