Introduction
Sami or Saami is a general name for a group of Uralic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and extreme northwestern Russia, in Northern Europe.
Sami is frequently (and erroneously) believed to be a single language. Several names are used for the Sami languages: Saami, Sámi, Samic, Saamic, Lappish and Lappic. The last two are, along with the term Lapp, considered derogatory by some.
Geographic distribution
Sami languages on the Northern European map
Language | Native speakers | Geographic distribution | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Saami, South | 600 | Sweden, Norway |
2 | Saami, Ume | 20 | Sweden |
3 | Saami, Pite | 20 | Sweden |
4 | Saami, Lule | 2000 | Sweden, Norway |
5 | Saami, North | 21,000 | Norway, Finland, Sweden |
6 | Saami, Skolt | 320 | Finland, Russia (Europe) |
7 | Saami, Inari | 250 | Finland |
8 | Saami, Kildin | 800 | Russia (Europe) |
9 | Saami, Ter | 2 | Russia (Europe) |
x | Saami, Kemi | Extinct | Finland |
x | Saami, Akkala | Extinct | Russia (Europe) |
x | Saami, Kainuu | Extinct | Finland |
Language Family Tree
Uralic > Saami- Eastern Saami
- Mainland Eastern Saami
- [sia] Akkala Saami
- [smn] Inari Saami
- [sjk] Kemi Saami
- [sms] Skolt Saami
- Peninsular Eastern Saami
- [sjd] Kildin Saami
- [sjt] Ter Saami
- Mainland Eastern Saami
- Western Saami
- Central Western Saami
- [smj] Lule Saami
- [sme] North Saami
- [sje] Pite Saami
- Southwestern Saami
- [sma] South Saami
- [sju] Ume Saami
- Central Western Saami