Veps language

Infobox Language
name=Veps language
familycolor=Uralic
states=Russia
region=Veps Autonomous Rural district, Republic of Karelia; Vologda Oblast
speakers=6,355 (1989 census [http://www.helsinki.fi/~tasalmin/europe_report.html#Vepsian] )
fam1=Uralic
fam2=Finno-Ugric
fam3=Finno-permic
fam4=Baltic-Finnic
iso2=fiu
iso3=vepThe Veps language (also known as Vepsian), spoken by the Vepsians (also known as "Veps"), belongs to the Baltic-Finnic group of the Finno-Ugric languages.

According to Soviet statistics, 12 500 people were self-designated ethnic Veps at the end of 1989.

According to the location of the people, the language is divided into three main dialects: Northern Veps (at Lake Onega to the south of Petrozavodsk, to the north of river Svir, including the former Veps Autonomous Rural district), Central Veps (in the Saint Petersburg region and Vologda Oblast), and Southern Veps (in the Saint Petersburg region). The Northern dialect seems the most distinct of the three; however, it is still possible for speakers of one dialect group to understand those of another. Speakers of the Northern dialect call themselves “Ludi” ("lüdikad"), or "lüdilaižed".

Grammar

Veps is an agglutinating language.

Nouns

External links

* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=vep Ethnologue report for Veps]
* [http://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/veps.shtml The Peoples of the Red Book: THE VEPS]
* [http://veps.org VEPS.ORG]
* [http://kodima.narod.ru KODIMA.NAROD.RU]
* [http://vepswiki.wikidot.com/ Free Vepsian encyclopedia]