Revitalization of Inari Saami: reversal language shift in changing speech community Bodø, SLDR Winter School Annika Pasanen, Ph.D.student at University of Helsinki, Department of Finno-Ugrian Studies Project coordinator in Anarâškielâ servi (‘Inari Saami language association’)

Researcher’s position; I am A Finn, speaking Inari Saami and North Saami A Finn, speaking Inari Saami and North Saami Coming originally from Central Finland, living in Inari Coming originally from Central Finland, living in Inari Related to Inari Saami language in many roles: as language activist, project worker, researcher and mother of language nest children Related to Inari Saami language in many roles: as language activist, project worker, researcher and mother of language nest children

Saami languages of Finland Alltogether nine living Saami languages Three of them spoken in Finland: North, Inari and Skolt Saami Inari Saami spoken only in Finland, in the municipality of Inari Inari: officially 4-lingual municipality

Endangerment of language / linguistic assimilation / language shift A → Ab → AB → aB → B (Haugen 1953) A → Ab → AB → aB → B (Haugen 1953) Typically happening during three generations Typically happening during three generations % of the world’s appr spoken languages in danger of disappearing until % of the world’s appr spoken languages in danger of disappearing until 2100 Do languages die or fall asleep? Do languages die or fall asleep?

UNESCO 2003: Major evaluative factors of language vitality Inter-generational language transmission Inter-generational language transmission Absolute number of speakers Absolute number of speakers Proportion of speakers within the total population Proportion of speakers within the total population Trends in existing language domains Trends in existing language domains Response to new domains and media Response to new domains and media Materials for language education and literature Materials for language education and literature Governmental and institutional language attitudes and policies, including official status and use Governmental and institutional language attitudes and policies, including official status and use Community members’ attitudes toward their own language Community members’ attitudes toward their own language Amount and quality of documentation Amount and quality of documentation

Endangerment of Inari Saami Small amount of speakers, endemicity Small amount of speakers, endemicity Position as a minority of a minority, “double- pressure” Position as a minority of a minority, “double- pressure” Location in the crossroads of many cultures and languages Location in the crossroads of many cultures and languages Humbleness and tolerance (!?) Humbleness and tolerance (!?) Finnish education policy since the beginning of the 20th century, boarding schools Finnish education policy since the beginning of the 20th century, boarding schools The II World War and it’s consequences The II World War and it’s consequences Since 1940’s diminishing use as a home language Since 1940’s diminishing use as a home language

Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove & Ole Henrik Magga (2003: 43) “Even if schools alone cannot save languages, schools can kill them more or less on their own.”

Revitalization / reversal language shift (RLS) (A → Ab → AB → aB → B) (A → Ab → AB → aB → B) → aB / AB / Ab Not returning to the same situation than 50 or 100 years ago – monolingualism – but to bi/multilingualism Not returning to the same situation than 50 or 100 years ago – monolingualism – but to bi/multilingualism Modernization in minority language Modernization in minority language Ideological clarification (Fishman 1991) as an important element of revitalization: what’s the goal and by which means can it be reached Ideological clarification (Fishman 1991) as an important element of revitalization: what’s the goal and by which means can it be reached

Early steps in revitalization of Inari Saami 1970s: Instruction of Inari Saami in primary school of Inari is started 1970s: Instruction of Inari Saami in primary school of Inari is started 1980s: Broadcasts in Sámi Radio begin; Anarâškielâ servi ry is founded; Journal Anarâš is founded; language courses for adults begin 1980s: Broadcasts in Sámi Radio begin; Anarâškielâ servi ry is founded; Journal Anarâš is founded; language courses for adults begin

Year 1997 as a watershed of the revitalization of Inari Saami Four speakers under the age of 30 Four speakers under the age of 30 Very little active speakers under the age of 50 Very little active speakers under the age of 50 Marginal role in school, some use in media and literature, very little public discussion Marginal role in school, some use in media and literature, very little public discussion Two language nests were founded, one in Inari and another one in Ivalo Two language nests were founded, one in Inari and another one in Ivalo

Language nest: what is it? A kind of early, total immersion in a local minority / indigenous language A kind of early, total immersion in a local minority / indigenous language Kindergarten or daycare group, in which the staff uses only the minority language in question from the first day Kindergarten or daycare group, in which the staff uses only the minority language in question from the first day Context of the activity: endangerment of the language, interruption of the inter-generational language transmission → children don’t learn the language at home Context of the activity: endangerment of the language, interruption of the inter-generational language transmission → children don’t learn the language at home

Impacts of language nests Since 2000 Inari Saami as a medium of tuition in primary school of Inari Since 2000 Inari Saami as a medium of tuition in primary school of Inari Reversal language shift in some families and many other social networks Reversal language shift in some families and many other social networks Better status and prestige for the language Better status and prestige for the language More visibliness in the community More visibliness in the community Bilingualism of the youngest generation: until these days appr. 50 children learnt Inari Saami in language nests Bilingualism of the youngest generation: until these days appr. 50 children learnt Inari Saami in language nests More use in media and literature; developing children’s culture More use in media and literature; developing children’s culture Adults learning the language Adults learning the language

Current challenges in the speech community Problem of the lost generation Problem of the lost generation Lack of teaching materials Lack of teaching materials Lack of financial and human resources Lack of financial and human resources Few Inari Saami –speaking domains for children outside language nest and school Few Inari Saami –speaking domains for children outside language nest and school Making Inari Saami a natural communication language among children and youngsters – realism or uthopy? Making Inari Saami a natural communication language among children and youngsters – realism or uthopy? Restarting or widening the inter-generational language transmission at home – how? Restarting or widening the inter-generational language transmission at home – how?

Solving the problem of the lost generation: complementary education of Inari Saami Intensive language course for adults, since August 2009 until August 2010 Intensive language course for adults, since August 2009 until August 2010 Organised by Giellagas Institute of the Oulu University, together with Anarâškielâ servi and Sámi Education Center Organised by Giellagas Institute of the Oulu University, together with Anarâškielâ servi and Sámi Education Center Target group: adult members of the community, teachers and other professionals critical for language transmission Target group: adult members of the community, teachers and other professionals critical for language transmission Goal of the education: to produce such language skills, that after the education participants are able to work in Inari Saami Goal of the education: to produce such language skills, that after the education participants are able to work in Inari Saami Formal language instruction together with innovative methods like master-apprentice -program Formal language instruction together with innovative methods like master-apprentice -program

Solving the problem of teaching materials (?): Oppâkirje-ráp

Inari Saami as a success story in the context of global revitalization movement – why and how? Small amount of speakers, endemicity?! Small amount of speakers, endemicity?! Tolerance toward change: change of the language, speech community, livelihoods, culture Tolerance toward change: change of the language, speech community, livelihoods, culture Acceptance of support coming from outside Acceptance of support coming from outside Ideological clarification (Fishman 1991) and commitment of the speakers Ideological clarification (Fishman 1991) and commitment of the speakers Clear focus on language transmission and creating domains for language use Clear focus on language transmission and creating domains for language use SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE, NOT ONLY ABOUT THE LANGUAGE – even if it excludes many people SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE, NOT ONLY ABOUT THE LANGUAGE – even if it excludes many people Effective methods chosen: language nest, bilingual education Effective methods chosen: language nest, bilingual education And of course: brave, innovative, hard-working activists of Anarâškielâ servi And of course: brave, innovative, hard-working activists of Anarâškielâ servi

“Language gap” describing inter- generational language transmission Language transmission has never broken off Language transmission has broken off Language transmission has broken off and been restarted How would you place Saami languages ?