Congressus XIV Internationalis Fenno-Ugristarum

Symposium B.2: Perspectives on Saami with a particular focus on the smaller languages


Organizers: Hanna Danbolt Ajer and Minerva Piha (Nord University)

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The purpose of this symposium is to bring together researchers of Saami languages and to exchange ideas with the wider Finno-Ugric research community. The Saami languages are endangered and lesser studied, and it is important for the research community to come together and share research ideas. Presentations on all Saami languages are welcome, but as other Saami languages than North Saami are particularly understudied, we especially welcome presentations on Saami languages such as South, Ume, Lule, Pite, Inari, Skolt, Kildin and Ter Saami.

The proposed symposium aims at 1) sharing knowledge with the Finno-Ugric research community about what is studied within Saami studies, 2) bringing together researchers of different topics related to Saami languages, and 3) offering a forum for discussing research topics in this area and developing new research partnerships. We welcome papers on all areas within both theoretical and applied linguistics, as well as multidisciplinary language papers, for instance papers dealing with language and culture or language and literature. The perspectives of the symposium include (but are not limited to) the following areas of Saami linguistics:

  • Contact linguistics
  • Historical linguistics
  • Language learning
  • Language policies
  • Language teaching
  • Lexicology
  • Morphology
  • Phonetics and phonology
  • Semantics and pragmatics
  • Syntax
  • Typology

Proposals for papers must be written in English, but the papers can be presented in any of the Saami languages or in English at the symposium. However, we ask that if the paper is presented in English, any slides or handouts used would be in one of the Saami languages, or the other way around. The symposium will be a hybrid event in which we encourage attendance in person, but distance participation is possible for those who cannot make it to Tartu.

Contact persons: Hanna Danbolt Ajer hanna.d.ajer@nord.no and Minerva Piha minerva.m.piha@nord.no