Finnisch-Ugrische Forschungen

The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages

Kaisla Kaheinen — 2024-12-19

Besprechung

Bakró-Nagy, Marianne & Laakso, Johanna & Skribnik, Elena (eds․). 2022. The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages. Oxford University Press. LV + 1115 pp.

Samoyed languages in The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages

Kaisla Kaheinen — 2024-12-19

Besprechung

Bakró-Nagy, Marianne & Laakso, Johanna & Skribnik, Elena (eds․). 2022. The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages. Oxford University Press. LV + 1115 pp.

Some notes on The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages

Riku Erkkilä — 2024-12-19

Besprechung

Bakró-Nagy, Marianne & Laakso, Johanna & Skribnik, Elena (eds․). 2022. The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages. Oxford University Press. LV + 1115 pp.

Are there Proto-Slavic loanwords in Saami?

Ante Aikio — 2024-12-19

There are two nouns in Saami languages for which Proto-Slavic loan etymologies have been proposed: Proto-Saami *multtē ‘soap’ and *kuompe̮r ‘mushroom’, allegedly borrowed from Proto-Slavic *mỳdlo ‘soap’ and *gǫba ‘mushroom, fungus’. Both etymologies are critically analyzed, and in the process, new etymologies for several other Saami words are also proposed. It is suggested that the two Slavic loan etymologies are examples of the largely overlooked phenomenon of “chance correspondence”: although the matches between the Saami and the Slavic words are phonologically regular and semantically transparent, they nevertheless very probably result from sheer coincidence. The word *multtē ‘soap’ is showed to have an alternative and far more probable Proto-Norse loan etymology, and the Slavic etymology of the word *kuompe̮r turns out to be weak because it does not account for the stem-final consonant *r. This result entails a valuable methodological lesson: in addition to “chance similarities” between languages, there are also “chance correspondences” between them – that is, words that show a regular phonological and semantic match by pure coincidence. Although the latter are much rarer than the former, they nevertheless seem to be more common than is usually assumed. Because of this, far-reaching conclusions (such as assumptions of contact between two reconstructed proto-languages) should not be based on a mere couple of etymologies, no matter how plausible they may seem superficially.

Komi language sustainability in urban Syktyvkar

Maria Fedina — 2024-12-19

The article focuses on language sustainability, the functioning of a language in the multiverse of its relations with speakers, non-speakers, other languages, and surrounding environments. Highlighted is the case of the Komi language, approached through the analysis of the language attitudes of Komi and non-Komi residents of Syktyvkar, the capital of the Komi Republic, and changes that have affected the language’s role. The empirical data includes interviews with urban Komi, social media posts, and historical and census data.

Unlike previous studies, the article demonstrates historical transformations in the language attitudes of urban Komi. Widespread Russification and marginalization have previously spurred the development of negative language attitudes. Increased interregional communication, digitalization, and access to information have influenced later improvements in these attitudes.

Changes in the attitudes of non-Komi residents are observed as well: while these attitudes were previously acutely negative, they have been replaced by indifferent and moderately positive ones. The prevalence of positive attitudes was registered in situations where direct interaction with the Komi language was not expected, while direct interaction, such as inclusion of Komi in the school curriculum, triggered more negative reactions.

The prevalence of a utilitarian approach to language maintenance and widespread narratives about the Russifying influence of Syktyvkar have negatively affected the sustainability of the Komi language within the city. Simultaneously, the influx of rural-born Komi-speaking youth with positive language attitudes and the presence of places and communities where Komi is used and valued exert a favorable influence on the language.

Competing etymologies

Sampsa Holopainen — 2024-12-19

The purpose of this paper is to discuss some debated etymologies that have competing explanations in Hungarian and in other Uralic languages. It is shown that in most cases quite clearly one of the suggested etymologies is superior and that some phonological details have been neglected in recent discussion of these etymologies. The discussion includes criticism of some recent etymologies that have not yet been commented on elsewhere in detail.

The origin and development of the Nganasan indicative aorist perfect

Kaisla Kaheinen — 2024-12-19

This paper addresses the origin and development of the Nganasan indicative aorist markers. The system of Nganasan aorist marking, with its obligatory marking of lexical aspect through the selection of suffixes, is unique among the Samoyed languages, and the aorist suffixes themselves lack direct cognates in finite verbal paradigms outside Nganasan. The present paper asserts that the Nganasan markers of the indicative aorist have developed from Proto-Samoyed deverbal forms via the process of refinitization, also known as verbalization, a common way of creating new finite paradigms in languages of northern Eurasia. Cognates for the Nganasan aorist suffixes can be found among the derivational forms of other Samoyed languages, and traces pointing towards their deverbal origin prevail in Nganasan as well.

In parallel to the Nganasan imperfective aorist suffixes -NTU, -U, previously suggested to have originated in imperfective participles, I claim that the perfective aorist suffix -qe/-qa has likewise developed from a deverbal form, the modern cognates of which are found in the augmentative suffixes of northern Samoyed languages. The diverse patterns of aorist formation in Samoyed, as well as the largely opaque morphophonological alternations affecting the suffixes in Nganasan, suggest that the tense system of Proto-Samoyed was going through major changes exactly during the breakup of the common proto-language.

Vocabulary related to iron manufacture and iron-working in Saami languages

Minerva Piha — 2024-12-19

In this article, etymologies of the lexical set related to iron manufacture and iron-working in the Saami languages are examined. The aim is to examine, from a linguistic perspective, when Saami speakers started to manufacture and work iron and from which direction they learned these activities.

The data consists of 32 words relating to iron. Only the most central terms of the lexical set have been included, namely terms for ‘iron’; ‘steel’; ‘ore’; ‘iron slag’; ‘forge (v.)’; ‘forge (n.), smithy’; ‘furnace’; ‘smith’; ‘coal; ember’; ‘bellows’; ‘pliers’; ‘hammer’; ‘anvil’. The data was collected from dictionaries of the Saami languages.

According to the data analysis, it seems that Saami speakers received their iron-related vocabulary mainly from two directions: Proto-Scandinavian and Finnic/Finnish. The southwestern Saami languages which are today spoken in central Scandinavia and Lule Saami received the vocabulary mainly from Proto-Scandinavian. The more northern and northeastern languages have borrowed words from Finnic/Finnish.

Non-finite-based remote past in Udmurt

Mari Saraheimo — 2024-12-19

The article deals with three constructions in Udmurt based on the past participle, combined with the past tense copula (val_PST1/vi̮lem_PST2). The aim of the study is to describe the functions of the following constructions: 1) the experiential construction + val/vi̮lem, 2) the resultative construction + val/vi̮lem and 3) the past participle + val/vi̮lem. These constructions are examined through the theory of perfects and pluperfects and whether the constructions carry out functions typical of those of a (plu)perfect. The results of the study show that the constructions in question carry out functions typical of pluperfects, such as past relevance perfect, past experiential and counterfactual functions. The construction formed with the past participle is found to be evidentially neutral and by and large corresponding to the first finite remote past, albeit declining in use and stylistically nuanced. The so-called resultative construction, on the other hand, may acquire various meanings depending on the semantics of the verb, among them past resultative action, past relevance perfect, and past continuative. Contrary to previous descriptions, the resultative construction may also occur with an external subject argument. Finally, the constructions also carry out similar discourse-pragmatic functions as their finite counterparts, such as attenuating questions, expressing assertivity, mirativity, and marking a pre-mirative context.

Hiroshi Shoji 1949–2023

Juha Janhunen — 2024-12-19

Dmitri Cygankin 1925–2023

Riho Grünthal — 2024-12-19

Valej (Valentin) Kelʹmakov 1942–2023

Sirkka Saarinen — 2024-12-19

Mati Erelt 1941–2024

Riho Grünthal — 2024-12-19