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Baltic-Finnic Peoples

Baltic-Finnic peoples speak Baltic-Finnic languages of the Finno-Ugric language family. Baltic-Finnic languages are further divided into two groups based on their geography and language features.

Southern group of Baltic-Finnic languages

This group includes Estonian, Votian and Livonian languages. According to some viewpoints this group also includes the South-Estonian language which in turn includes Seto and Võro languages that traditionally have been considered dialects of the Estonian language.

Northern group of Baltic-Finnic languages

This group includes Finnish, Izhorian, Karelian and Vepsian languages.

Dialects or Not?

Often Livvi Karelian and Ludic Karelian are considered separate Baltic-Finnic languages. In Sweden, Meänkieli – a type of Finnish spoken in Northern Sweden – has been recognized as a minority language since 2002. Norway has also recognized since 2005 the Kven language (kainun kieli) as an official minority language, having previously considered it a dialect of Finnish.

Written languages

Estonian and Finnish have the status of national languages. Of other Baltic-Finnic languages, Livonian, Vepsian, Karelian, Livvi Karelian and Võro have written languages. Publications are also issued in Meänkieli, Kven, Seto and Votian languages but comprehensive written language standards have not been developed for these languages.

lillepärg

Estonians

First archeological settlements of Estonians date back approximately 10 000 years. The oldest settlement site, near Sindi at the Pärnu river, was inhabited in the …

pliiatsijoonistus

Livonians

Currently there are only a few scores of speakers of the Livonian language, and nobody speaks it as a mother tongue.

Izhorians

Names  Izhorians refer to themselves as inkeroine or izhora, karjalain and more generally maaväki. The word “Izhorian” may originate from the Russian-language name of the Neva river tributary izhora, to which …

Ingrians

Ingrians refer themselves ‘inkeriläinen’ (Ingrian) or ‘Inkerin suomalainen’ (Ingrian Finn) after the historical Ingria.

järvemaastik, kased

Finns

Territories Finns have traditionally lived in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Ingria (in Leningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation). Population Finns are the second largest Finno-Ugric …

Votians

Votians have referred to themselves as vad’d’alaizõd, vai rahvaz, maavätshi, and they are also associated with ethnonyms chud and vod’ mentioned in Russian chronicles and documents since the 9th …

Vepsians

Names Vepsians call themselves ‘vepslaine’, ‘vepsalne’, but also ‘lüdikel’. The latter may be derived from the Russian word ‘lyudi’ (people). Russians refer to Vepsians as Chuds. The name …

Karelians

Territory Karelians’ ancestors lived to the southwest of today’s Republic of Karelia, in the Karelian Isthmus between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga in …