Arctic languages: an awakening

446 Pages·1999·2.69 MB·English

ARCTIC LANGUAGES
An Awakening
Edited by Dirmid R. F. Collis
Unesco
Published in 1990 by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
7, place de Fontenoy, 75700 Paris, France
Printed by Imprimerie des Presses Universitaires de France, Vendome
ISBN 92-3-102661-5
Unesco 1990
Printed in France
The word is the greatest power human
beings have. With words you can wound
others or make them happy -for life.
(Asineq, an East Greenlander)
Preface
At its eighteenth session in 1974, the General Conference of Unesco
authorized the Director-General to undertake studies on Arctic cultures
(Resolution 3.31) in order to promote co-operation among research insti-
tutes and scholars from countries with Arctic population groups. The
present publication is a part of the Unesco Arctic project aimed at safeguard-
ing the non-physical heritage of Arctic peoples in its linguistic dimensions.
It is the outcome of three Unesco meetings of experts, held respectively in
Paris (1978), Novosibirsk (1980) and Copenhagen (1987), that worked out
conceptual approaches to and practical plans for the study of Arctic cultures
and languages.
The work is a study of Arctic languages written in an interdisciplinary
manner. Following an introduction, it goes on to deal with the concepts of the
Arctic and its peoples, describing their ethnonyms and patterns of settle-
ment and socio-economic structuring. General data are given on their
history and traditional culture and on the system of Arctic languages. The
study depicts the contemporary situation from the viewpoint of written and
literary language and the legal status, social functions and uses in education
and the mass media of these languages. Their role as a factor of cultural
identity of the peoples is emphasized.
This analysis highlights the underlying need for revitalization of Arctic
languages and indicates a host of problems brought about by the impact of
new socio-economic realities on traditional life and the cultural identity of
the Arctic peoples. The publication is intended to foster research and draw
the attention of population groups and institutions to the need to safeguard,
popularize and promote the linguistic heritage of those peoples.
The editor and authors are responsible for the choice and the presenta-
tion of the facts contained in this book and for the opinions expressed
therein, which are not necessarily those of Unesco and do not commit the
Organization. The designations employed and the presentation of material
throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion
whatsoever on the part of Unesco concerning the legal status of any country,
territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of
its frontiers or boundaries.
Contents
Dir-mid R.F. Collis General Introduction 15
I. SIBERIA: THE LANGUAGES OF THE SOVIET NORTH
Il y a Gurvich Introduction 21
Chuner Taksami Ethnic Groups of the Soviet North: A General
Historical and Ethnographical Description 23
Vassily Uvachan Socio-economic and Cultural Development
of the Peoples of the Soviet North 39
Piotr Skorik Languages of the Soviet Northern Peoples 49
Georgy Contemporary Studies of the Eskimo-Aleut
Menovshchikov Languages and Dialects: A Progress Report 69
Piotr Skorik Social Functions of the Soviet Northern
Peoples’ Languages 77
Chuner Taksami Use of the Northern Languages
in the Mass Media 83
Alla Bugaeva,
Chuner Taksami Mother Tongues in School 93
Short Reference Guide to the Northern Languages
The Manchu-Tungus Group 101
Orest Sunik,
NadezhdaB ulatova Introductory Remarks 101
Vassily Robbek Even 103
Orest Sunik,
Nadezhda Bulatova Evenk 104
Orest Sunik,
Nadezhda Bulatova Nanai 106
Orest Sunik,
NadezhdaB ulatova Negidal 107
Orest Sunik,
Nadezhda Bulatova Oroki and Orochi 108
Orest Sunik,
Nadezhda Bulatova Udegey 109
Orest Sunik,
NadezhdaB ulatova ulchi 110
The Samoyed, Finno-Ugric (Uralic Family)
and Palaeosiberian Groups 111
Nikolai Vakhtin Aleut 111
Piotr Skorik,
Piotr Inenlikei Chukchi 111
Galina Grachyova Dolgan 112
Ludmila Khomich Enets 114
Georgy
Menovshchikov Eskimo 114
Alexander Volodin Itelmen 116
Yevgeniya
Alekseenko Ket 116
Nikolai Tereshkin Khant 117
Alevtina Zhukova Koryak 118
Yevdokiya Kuzakova,
Yevdokiya
Rombandeeva Mansi 119
Ludmila Khomich Nenets 120
Galina Grachyova Nganasan 122
Galina Otaina Nivkhi 122
Ludmila Khomich Sami 123
Ludmila Khomich Selkup 124
Vera D’yakonova Tofalar 124
Alevtina Zhukova Yukaghir 125
II. NORTH AMERICA AND GREENLAND: NATIVE LANGUAGES
Lawrence D. Kaplan The Language of the Alaskan Inuit 131
Edna Ahgeak MacLean Culture and Change for Inupiat
and Yupiks of Alaska 159
Knut Bergsland The Aleut Language of Alaska 177
Louis-Jacques Dorais The Canadian Inuit and their Language 185
Michael Fortescue The Greenlanders and their Language:
Introductory Remarks 291
Robert Petersen The Greenlandic Language:
Its Nature and Situation 293
Michael Fortescue Basic Structures and Processes
in West Greenlandic 309
Christian Berthelsen Greenlandic in Schools 333
Inge Kleivan Debate and Linguistic Usage in Connection
with Double Place-Names in Greenland 341
Christian Berthelsen Greenlandic Literature 343
Michael Fortescue A Greenlandic Tale:
Alummioq, the Man from Aluk 355
Aqigssiaq Moller Language Policy and Planning under
the Home Rule Administration 361
III. NORTHERN SCANDINAVIA: THE SAMI LANGUAGE:
IN THE NORDIC COUNTRIES
Marjut Aikio The Finnish Perspective:
Language and Ethnicity 367
Elina Helander Situation of the Sami Language in Sweden 401
Ole Henrik Magga The Sami Language in Norway 419
Pekka Sammallahti The Sami Language: Past and present 4443
Illustrations
Figures
1. Tungusic language family 126
2. Eskimo-Aleut language family 126
3. Chukotko-Kamchatkan language family 127
4. Na Dene language group 131
5. Syllabic and Roman orthographies 239
6. Syllabics without diacritics 240
7. Standard writing system 241
8. Language shift in the Ponku family of Vuotso
between 1800 and 1982 392
Maps
1. The Soviet North 22
2. Distribution of northern peoples in USSR 25
3. Key to tribal territories 130
4. Native peoples and languages of Alaska 132
5. Distribution of Eskimo-Aleut languages and dialects
in the Soviet Far East and Alaska 176
6. Inuit territory and language groups in Canada 189
7. The Greenlandic dialects 307
8. West Greenlandic 310
9. The Finnish Sami population 366
10. Administrative borders of Finnish Lapland 371
11. Language spoken by lo-year old Sami children 374