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Is Kven a language in Norway?
Why are Kven language centres not being developed in Norway?
Where can I find a Norwegian translation of Kven?
Is Kven the most endangered language in Europe?
language shift. 1. Introduction The Kven language of northern Norway has up to the early years of the 21st century been subject to prejudicial language and cultural policies due to its close ethnolinguistic relationship with Finnish, particularly in the context of Norway’s nationalist language emancipation development.1 Indeed, the Kven
Kven is a member of the Finnic branch of the Uralic language family, and is closely related to Finnish, particularly the Peräpohjola dialects. It is spoken in northern Norway by 5,000-8,000 people. In 2005 it received the status of a minority language under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
Kven language is a Finnic language that is closely related to Meänkieli and Finnish, and therefore these three languages are mutually intelligible for most of their speakers. Kven language was recognized as an independent language in Norway in April 2005.
From the 18th century the Kvens started to comprise a significant part of the population in Northern Norway. In 1845 13.3% of the population in Finnmark, and 3.2% in Troms, considered themselves as Kvens. In 1854 the numbers increased to respectively, 19.9% and 7.0%. The peak was in 1875, with respectively 24.2% and 7.7%.
The Norwegian Kven Association has therefore seen a need to prepare a short status report concerning the most important aspects of Kven language and culture. The situation for the Kven language is critical today, as the last generation of active users of the language is dying out. The status report will form a backdrop for the measures we ...
