The past, present and future of the Pite Saami language: Sociological factors and revitalization efforts

• Main Authors: Valijärvi, Riitta-Liisa, Wilbur, Joshua
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin 2012
• Subjects: Arjeplog Saami; endangered languages; language documentation; language policy; language sociology; minority languages; language revitalization; Pite Saami; Saami; Sweden; 400 Sprache; 490 Andere Sprachen; 300 Sozialwissenschaften; ddc:400; ddc:490; ddc:300; Arjeplog; saami; Lapland
• Online Access: http://edoc.hu-berlin.de/18452/28562; https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-110-18452/28562-9; https://doi.org/10.18452/27950; https://doi.org/10.1017/S0332586512000042

This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively. Our paper is a report on the past, current and future state of the endangered Pite Saami language (aka: Arjeplog Saami) spoken in Swedish Lapland. Our primary data come from interviews with Pite Saami individuals and our field observations. We estimate the vitality of Pite Saami based on the UNESCO Language Vitality Scale, taking into consideration factors such as the number of speakers, language attitudes and the quality of documentation. We also discuss the possible reasons for the decline of Pite Saami, report on the speakers’ views of other Saami languages and Swedish, consider whether there is a specific Pite Saami identity, describe revitalization efforts already taking place, and discuss the future prospects of the language. Peer Reviewed