North Samoyedic languages

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July 1, 2026

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The North Samoyedic languages are a subgroup of the Samoyedic languages, which are part of the larger Uralic language family spoken in Siberia and the Russian Arctic. The North Samoyedic subgroup includes three languages: Nenets, Enets, and Nganasan. These languages, along with South Samoyedic languages, were not written until the 1930s and are now primarily used for limited educational purposes.12

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Arctic
Linguistic affiliations
The North Samoyedic languages are spoken by the Nenets, Enets, and Nganasan, although the Nenets’ language has been much influenced by contact with the Komi. The South Samoyedic division is represented by the Selkup language and by the practically extinct Kamas language. The Kamas inhabit the…
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The North Samoyedic languages are spoken by the Nenets, Enets, and Nganasan, although the Nenets’ language has been much influenced by contact with the Komi. The South Samoyedic division is represented by the Selkup language and by the practically extinct Kamas language. The Kamas inhabit the…
Read More