Sami Languages
The Sami people were the original inhabitants of Northern Scandinavia, and though they mostly adopted Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, or Russian, due in no small part to official assimilation policies, some still speak Sami languages. Sami languages, like Kven and Finnish, belong to the Uralic language family. The Sami languages spoken in Norway include Lule Sami (spoken by around 500 in Norway), North Sami (spoken by around 15,000 Norwegian Sami), Pite Sami (which is nearly extinct) and South Sami (which has around 300 speakers in Norway). Sami languages are official in seven Norwegian municipalities.
Read more about this topic: Languages Of Norway
Famous quotes containing the word languages:
“People in places many of us never heard of, whose names we can’t pronounce or even spell, are speaking up for themselves. They speak in languages we once classified as “exotic” but whose mastery is now essential for our diplomats and businessmen. But what they say is very much the same the world over. They want a decent standard of living. They want human dignity and a voice in their own futures. They want their children to grow up strong and healthy and free.”
—Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)