Saami, North

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A language of Norway

ISO 639-3
sme
Alternate Names
“Lapp” (pej.), “Northern Lappish” (pej.), Northern Saami, “Norwegian Lapp” (pej.), Saami, Same, Sámegiella, Samic
Population

15,000 in Norway (Krauss 1992). Population total all countries: 20,700. Ethnic population: 30,000–40,000 in Norway (1995 M. Krauss).

Location

Finnmark, Troms provinces; Nordland province, Ofoten. Also in Finland, Sweden.

Language Maps
Language Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Sami Administrative District (1987, Sami Act, No. 12, Article 3).

Classification
Uralic, Sami, Western, Northern
Dialects

Ruija, Sea Lappish, Torne. Two-thirds of all Saami speak Ruija dialect.

Language Use

In central Finnmark Province, where North Saami has an official status, many children learn the language and are likely to continue to use it in adulthood (2007). All ages.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 30%–60%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. Taught in primary schools. New media. Bible: 1895.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Saami, North
Writing
Cyrillic script. Latin script, primary usage.
Other Comments

Formerly called “Finns” which they consider derogatory.

Also spoken in:

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