saamelaiskielestä

Saamelaiskielet, often referred to as Saami languages in English, are a group of Finno-Ugric languages spoken by the Sámi people. The Sámi homeland, Sápmi, stretches across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. These languages are not a single entity but rather a linguistic continuum, meaning there are varying degrees of mutual intelligibility between them. Historically, linguists have categorized the Saami languages into two main branches: western and eastern.

The western Saami languages include North Saami, Lule Saami, and South Saami. North Saami is the most widely spoken Saami language, with the largest number of speakers concentrated in the northernmost regions. Lule Saami and South Saami have fewer speakers and are spoken further south. The eastern Saami languages encompass Inari Saami, Skolt Saami, Kildin Saami, Ter Saami, and Akkala Saami. Many of these eastern varieties are critically endangered or have already become extinct, with very few speakers remaining, often elderly individuals.

The Saami languages share many common features with other Finno-Ugric languages, such as Finnish and Estonian, but they also possess unique characteristics. They are known for their complex grammatical structures, including a rich system of cases and verbs. Due to historical assimilation policies and societal changes, the number of Saami language speakers has declined significantly over the past century. However, efforts are underway to revitalize and preserve these languages through education, cultural initiatives, and the development of linguistic resources.