The “Smaller/Minor indigenous languages of Circumpolar region” map aims to show the current distribution of indigenous languages in the Circumpolar region. The map includes all languages with less than one million speakers and with at least part of the traditional area being to the north of 60° N. It also includes Aleut, Itelmen, and South Selkup.
In general, language areas have been set around populated places where speakers of a certain language currently reside (for large languages – where there is a noticeable percentage of them). The areas also include the lands which speakers of this language consider 'theirs' in their everyday practices, and the unpopulated lands located between neighborhoods where a given language is spoken. In some cases, the borders have been drawn along meaningful landmarks (rivers, mountains, etc.), and in some cases along administrative borders. For nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples, the language areas include their pastures.
Besides living languages, the recently extinct languages (within the last forty years) are also presented on the map (and shown in various shades of grey). Their areas are based on their distribution immediately before the extinction.
The main sources used for this map are census data, descriptions in linguistic and ethnographic works, as well as information provided by experts in corresponding languages.
Census data sources:
Russia:
Census microdata. The Russian Census of 2010. GMC Rosstat. http://std.gmcrosstata.ru/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml
Alaska (US):
Language spoken at home, 2000. https://apps.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results
Canada:
Census Profile, 2016 Census. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E
Additional sources by language:
|
Ahtna |
Ahtna Villages // https://www.ahtna.com/about/region-map/ |
|
Akkala Saami |
Зайков П. М. {Zajkov P.M.} Бабинский диалект саамского языка (фонолого-морфологическое исследование) {Akkala dialect of Saami (phonologo-morphological research}. Petrozavodsk: «Karelia», 1987. |
|
Aleut |
Головко Е.В. {Golovko E.V.} Алеутский язык {Aleut} // Материалы к атласу языков ЮНЕСКО {Materials for UNESCO language atlas}. 2019. |
|
Alutor |
Нагаяма Ю. {Nagayama Yu.} Очерк грамматики алюторского языка {Essay of Alutor grammar}. (Endangered Languages of the Pacific Rim Publications Series A2-038). Осака: ELPR, 2003. |
|
Deg Xinag |
Krauss, Michael E (2007) "Native languages of Alaska". In: The Vanishing Voices of the Pacific Rim, ed. by Osahito Miyaoko, Osamu Sakiyama, and Michael E. Krauss. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Table 21.1, page 408) |
|
Denaina |
Alan Boraas. 2010. An introduction to Dena'ina grammar: The Kenai (Outer Inlet) dialect. Ms. |
|
Eastern Mansi |
Амелина М.К. {Amelina M.K.} Восточномансийский язык {Eastern Mansi} // Материалы к атласу языков ЮНЕСКО {Materials for UNESCO language atlas}. 2019. |
|
Eyak |
"Last Alaska language speaker dies". BBC News. January 24, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7206411.stm |
|
Forest Enets |
Khanina, Olesya, Yuri Koryakov & Andrey Shluinsky. 2018. Enets in space and time: a case study in linguistic geography. Finnisch-Ugrische Mitteilungen 42, 1-28. |
|
Greenlandic |
Fortescue, Michael. (1997) Dialect Distribution and small group interaction in Greenlandic Eskimo // Patrick McConvell & Nicholas Evans (eds.), Archaeology and Linguistics: Aboriginal Australia in Global Perspective, 111-122. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. |
|
Hän |
Hän - Language Lessons and Learning Resources // "Yukon Native Language Centre". http://ynlc.ca/languages/han.html |
|
Holikachuk |
"Alaska Native Language Loses Last Fluent Speaker - Indian Country Media Network". indiancountrymedianetwork.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017: https://web.archive.org/web/20170608165037/https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/alaska-native-language-loses-last-fluent-speaker/ |
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Inari Sami |
Sammallahti, Pekka (1998). The Saami Languages: an introduction. Kárášjohka: Davvi Girji OS |
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Kerek |
Володин А.П. {Volodin A.P.} Керекский язык {Kerek} // Языки народов России. Красная книга: Энцикл. словарь-справочник { The red book of the languages of Russia: The encyclopedia}. — М.: Academia, 2002. Pp. 90–93 |
|
Kildin Saami |
Головнёв А. В., Куканов Д. А., Перевалова Е. В. { Golovnëv A.V., Kukanov D.A., Perevalova E.V.} Арктика: атлас кочевых технологий {Arctics: atlas of nomadic technologies}. — Sankt-Petersburg: MAE RAN, 2018. |
|
Koyukon |
Jette J.; Jones E. Koyukon Athabaskan Dictionary. Fairbanks: Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska, 2000. |
|
Lower Tanana |
Christopher Eshleman (2010-11-09). "Neal Charlie dies at 91. Minto elder, former chief kept language culture alive". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. https://archive.is/20130129233212/http://newsminer.com/bookmark/10212065-Neal-Charlie-dies-at-91-Minto-elder-=former-chief-kept-language-culture-alive |
|
Lule Sami |
Sammallahti, Pekka (1998). The Saami Languages: an introduction. Kárášjohka: Davvi Girji OS |
|
Medny Aleut |
Головко Е.В. { Golovko E.V.} Алеутско-медновский язык {Medny Aleut} // Материалы к атласу языков ЮНЕСКО {Materials for UNESCO language atlas}. 2019. |
|
Neshan (Forest Nenets) |
Волжанина Е.А. {Volžanina E.A.} Лесные ненцы: расселение и динамика численности в XX веке, современная демографическая ситуация {Forest Nenetses: distribution and number dynamics in 20th century. modern demographical situation} // Археология, этнография и антропология Евразии {Archeology, ethnography and anthropology of Eurasia}, 2007, 2 (30). |
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Northern Sami |
Sammallahti, Pekka (1998). The Saami Languages: an introduction. Kárášjohka: Davvi Girji OS |
|
Pite Sami |
Wilbur, Joshua (2014). A Grammar of Pite Sami. Studies in Diversity Linguistics. 5. Berlin: Language Science Press. |
|
Sirenik |
Вахтин Н. Б. {Vaxtin N.B.} Язык сиреникских эскимосов: Тексты, грамматические и словарные материалы {Language of Sirenik Eskimo: Texts, grammatical and vocabulary data}. — Munchen: Lincom-Europa, 2000. |
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Skolt Saami |
Sammallahti, Pekka (1998). The Saami Languages: an introduction. Kárášjohka: Davvi Girji OS |
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Southern Sami |
Sammallahti, Pekka (1998). The Saami Languages: an introduction. Kárášjohka: Davvi Girji OS |
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Southern Selkup |
Казакевич О.А. {Kazakevič O.A.} Селькупский язык {Selkup} // Материалы к атласу языков ЮНЕСКО {Materials for UNESCO language atlas}. 2019. |
|
Tagish |
Greenaway, J. About The Tā̀gish people // (2006, November 08). Tagish First Voices Project.https://www.firstvoices.com/explore/FV/sections/Data/Yukon/Tagish/Tagish |
|
Ter Saami |
Агранат Т.Б. {Agranat T.B.} Терско-саамский язык {Ter Saami} // Материалы к атласу языков ЮНЕСКО {Materials for UNESCO language atlas}. 2019. |
|
Tundra Enets |
Khanina, Olesya, Yuri Koryakov & Andrey Shluinsky. 2018. Enets in space and time: a case study in linguistic geography. Finnisch-Ugrische Mitteilungen 42, 1-28. |
|
Tundra Nenets |
Мониторинг развития территорий традиционного природопользования в Ненецком автономном округе, Северо-Западная Россия {Monitoring of Development of Traditional Indigenous Land Use Areas in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Northwest Russia} / Под редакцией В.К. Даллманна, В.В. Пескова и О.А. Мурашко {Eds.: W.K. Dallmann, V.V. Peskov and O.A. Murashko}. Project report. 2011. |
|
Ume Sami |
Sammallahti, Pekka (1998). The Saami Languages: an introduction. Kárášjohka: Davvi Girji OS |
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Upper Kuskokwim |
Kibrik, Andrej. 2010. Field notes and recordings on Upper Kuskokwim Athabaskan. |
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Upper Tanana |
John, Bessie. (1997) Upper Tanana Glossary [dictionary] - Scottie Creek Dialect. ANLA |
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Veps |
Koryakov, Yuri. The changes of the Veps language area in the 19th and 20th century: cartographic perspective. In: Jüvä Sullõv (ed.) Finnic languages on the map / Õdagumeresoomõ keeleq kaartõ pääl. Publications Of Võro Institute 28. Võro: Võro Institute, 2014. Pp. 34–51. (In English) |