Focus on Structure
Orthography
The orthography that became the basis for the modern Northern Saami orthography was developed by Rasmus Rask, a Danish linguist and philologist, in 1832 ("Northern Sámi," "Rasmus Rask"). Rask's orthography was based on the "principle of one letter per sound." Different orthographies developed in Sweden, Finland, and Norway, but an orthography was finally standardized in 1979 ("Northern Sámi"). Unfortunately, the diacritical marks used in Northern Saami have made communicating via the Internet somewhat difficult.
Rusk's original orthography inspired many other linguists to develop their own. Among the various orthographies used in Norway prior to standardization are Nils Vibe Stockfleth's (published in 1840) and Jens Andreas Friis' (used in a Saami Bible published in 1895 and in several Saami publications). Below is Matthew 12.1-8 first in English, then translated into Northern Saami using these various orthographies.
English
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I WILL HAVE MERCY, AND NOT SACRIFICE, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Nils Vibe Stockfleth
Damanaga aige de Jesus bældo čađa vagjoli sabbaten; mutto su mattajægjek bårrastuvvamen legje, ja gårne åivid si gasskegåtte, ja bårragåtte. Mutto go pharisæalaǯak dam oaidne, de si celkke sunji: gæč, du mattajegjidak dakkek, mi i læk låvalaš dakkat sabbaten. Mutto sån digjidi celki: æppetgo låkkam læk, maid David daǥai, go nælgost læi, ja su matke guoimek? Moft sån Ibmel tempel sisa manai, ja geččujume laibid bårai, maid bårrat i læm sunji låvalaš, ige su matke guibmidi, mutto dušše fal papaidi? Daihe æppetgå diu lagast låkkam læk, atte papak sabbaten sabbat eppebasotek tempel sist, ja ašetæmek almken læk? Mutto mån digjidi cælkam, dast sån læ, gutte stuorrab læ go gempel. Mutto jås di lifčidek diettam mi dat læ: armogasvuođa aigom, mutto åfferid im, de æppet læm dubmim ašetes olbmuid. Dastgo olbmu bardne hærra læ maida sabbat bagjel.
Jens Andreas Friis
Damanaga aige vaʒi Jesus bældo čađa sabbaten; mutto su mattajægjek borastuvvagotte, ja ribme gasket gordne-oivid ja borrat. Mutto go Farisealaǯak dam oidne, de celkke si dudnji: Gæča, du mattajægjek dakkek dam, mi i læk lobalaš dakkat sabbaten. Mutto son celki sigjidi: Epetgo di læk lokkam, maid David daǥai, dalle go son nælggogođi, dalle go son ja si, guđek legje su mielde, legje nælggomen)? Moft son manai Ibmel vieso sisa ja borai geččujume laibid, maid sudnji i læm lobalaš borrat, ige sigjidi, guđek legje lokkam laǥast, atte papak æppebasotek sabbata tempelist ašetæmek? Mutto mon cælkam digjidi, atte son læ dast jos di dieđašeidek, mi dat læ: Mon lokom arkalmastemvutti ja im oaffaridi, de epet di livče dubmin ašetes olbmuid. Dastgo olbmu bardne læ hærra maidai sabbat bagjel.
1979 Standardized Orthography
Dan áiggi Jesus lei oktii vázzimin gordnebealdduid čađa sábbáhin. Su máhttájeaddjit ledje nelgon ja čoaggigohte gordneoivviid ja borre. Farisealaččat oidne dán ja dadje sutnje: «Geahča! Du máhttájeaddjit dahket dan mii ii leat lobálaš sábbáhin!» Muhto son vástidii: «Ehpet go dii leat lohkan maid Dávvet dagai go son ja su olbmát ledje nealgumin? Son manai Ipmila vissui ja borai oaffarláibbiid maid sus ii lean lohpi borrat ii ge su olbmáin, muhto duššefal báhpain. Dahje ehpet go leat lohkan lágas ahte báhpat juohke sábbáha barget tempelis ja nu rihkkot lága, ja dattege leat sivaheamit? Mun cealkkán: Dá lea dat mii lea stuorit go tempel. Jos dii livččiidet ádden maid dát sátni mearkkaša: Váibmoláđisvuođa mun dáhtun, in ge oaffara, de ehpet livčče dubmen sivahemiid. Dasgo Olbmobárdni lea sábbáha hearrá ("Northern Sami Orthography").
Vocabulary
Over thousands of years, the Saami language has developed a highly specialized vocabulary. The Saami have many words to describe their reindeer herds, snow, vegetation, and wind conditions. There are approximately 300 words for snow and ice alone. The word, guoldo, for example, means a "cloud of snow which blows up from the ground when there is a hard frost without very much wind." These descriptors can be even more specific by describing how the snow will affect transportation or vegetation ("The Language of Snow").
Northern Saami also has an extensive vocabulary of words describing the size, shape, and color of their reindeer of which the list below is a small sample (Magga).
- baggi “one who is small and fat, a small animal (esp. reindeer) with a large belly”
- beavrrit “reindeer with longer legs and a slimmer build than usual”
- busat “who has large testicles or (of reindeer) only one, very large, testicle”
- čálggat “young animal who is so far advanced that he can accompany his mother even in difficult conditions”
- čeagŋi “short-legged animal”
- darsi “fatty, a short fat person etc. (…esp. of a fat reindeer with short, branchy antlers)”
- jáhnit, julsu “big fat male reindeer”
- goanzi “a tall, ungainly creature (also of a long-legged animal)”
- gissor “small draught reindeer”
- leaggán “hollow-backed”
- leamši “short, fat female reindeer”
- njoalppas “with sloping hind quarters”
- rávnnot “draught or pack reindeer which remains in good condition for a long time”
- rávža “miserable, emaciated reindeer without a proper coat”
- roaibu “reindeer which is so emaciated that its bones protrude”
- roaivi “thin old reindeer”
- roanžžas “tall, thin and emaciated”
- roašku “big thin reindeer”
- riebbi “reindeer calf or lamb with a disproportinately large belly”
- silan “a lean feeble one that soon tires”
- skoaldu “reindeer with a big head and a long nose”
- spoairu “long-legged, thin reindeer”
Loanwords
The Saami language includes many loanwords acquired from diverse languages : čuođi, or one hundred, was likely borrowed from an Iranian language; daktere (daughter) and suvon (a well-trained dog) were borrowed from Baltic-Slavic languages; airu (oar) and guós'si (guest) were borrowed from Germanic languages (Simms). Though the Saami may seem to be an isolated people, throughout their long history, these loanwords point to contact with many different peoples. The majority of Northern Saami loanwords, however, come from Finnish and Norwegian, the dominant languages of their respective countries.
Trilingual sign at the border of Finland and Norway. From top to bottom, the languages are Finnish, Swedish, and Northern Saami. Creative Commons.