Abstract: The Saamic languages form a dialect continuum that reaches from central Scandinavia into the Kola-peninsula in Russia. The area is large, but speakers of the different Saamic languages are few. Whereas the largest one, North Saami, is in a comparatively stable situation, South Saami is today spoken by only a couple of hundred native speakers. However, interest for the language has grown during the past years and the number of second-language speakers is slowly growing. In this seminar, I will first give an overview over the sociolinguistic situation of South Saami and its speakers. I will then present a number of grammatical features that characterize the language, how the language sounds, and how to position South Saami within the Saamic languages.
The United Nations proclaimed 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages. The aim is to raise awareness of these languages, as well as of the cultures and traditions that they are an expression of. The Saami languages represent some of Europe’s indigenous languages. On the occasion of the Sámi language week (21-27 October) announced by the Sámi Parliament of Norway, we want to get closer to one of the Sámi languages: South Sámi.
Språkstudion welcomes all students and staff who are interested in participating to this seminar.
