0165–2516/11/0209–0035 Int’l. J. Soc. Lang. 209 (2011), pp. 35–55 © Walter de Gruyter DOI 10.1515/IJSL.2011.020 Reclaiming Sámi languages: indigenous language emancipation from East to West TORKEL RASMUSSEN and JOHN SHAUN NOLAN Abstract The indigenous Sámi languages of the Nordic countries and North-West Russia have gained offcial recognition after a long period of neglect and assimilation policies. In the context of positive changes in state or macro level indigenous policy and especially that regarding language policy, this paper investigates what subsequently happens at the grassroots or micro level. This investigation shows that despite more positive policies, there is a strong sentiment of defeat- ism with regard to Sámi. Sámi speakers face problems because of the lack of implementation of nationally decided laws at the local level, they encounter prejudice and neglect from other people, even in their families, and as a result they often experience diffculty in transmitting Sámi to their children. Never- theless, they also express belief in Sámi and feel a need for this transmission, not only for affective reasons and for the sake of cultural maintenance, but also for instrumental reasons, i.e. to give their children better opportunities in the labor market where knowledge of Sámi is necessary. Keywords: Sámi languages; emancipation; revitalization; language sociol- ogy; language shift reversal. 1. Introduction Sámis often refer to the process of language shift away from their heritage language as a tidal wave or a tsunami. The assimilation wave came in from the ocean. It initially hit the land in the southern areas of Sápmi (‘Sámiland’) and then rolled up the coast to the north. It frst swept the language away from the coastal Sámis. Then it fooded into the fjords erasing the language from most of the Sámi settlements and started to make its way up the valleys and into the tundra. It destroyed a lot in its way, but the altitude slowed down the speed of this linguistic and cultural “wave” of assimilation and a few years after it Brought to you by | Northern Arizona University Authenticated Download Date | 5/25/15 9:24 PM