SafekipediaNorthern Karelian dialect
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Northern Karelian is one of the two dialects of Karelian Proper. It is spoken mainly in White Karelia, and also in the villages of Hietajärvi, Kuivajärvi and Rimpi in the Kainuu region of Finland. This dialect is very easy for people who speak the Finnish language to understand.
Northern Karelian has some special sounds that make it different from other Karelian dialects. It includes voiceless sounds like p, t, k, s, and š. The letter š, which makes the “sh” sound like in “see,” is used more often in Northern Karelian than in other Karelian dialects. These unique features help set Northern Karelian apart from its close relative, South Karelian.
Location
Northern Karelian is spoken in the northernmost parts of the Republic of Karelia, an area known as White Karelia. It is also the traditional language in the villages of Hietajärvi, Kuivajärvi, and Rimpi in the Kainuu region of Finland. The language is used in several parishes including Kiestinki, Kontokki, Paanajärvi, Suomussalmi, Uhtua, and Vuokkiniemi.
Examples
The following example is from Petroskoi in 1995:
Southern, Northern and Livvi dialects compared:
| North Karelian | Finnish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ennein vanhah karjalaiset varattih riähkyä. | Ennen vanhaan karjalaiset varoivat tekemästä syntiä. | In the old days, Karelians were careful not to sin. |
| Livvi | Southern | Northern | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| pakkaskuu | pakkaiskuu | pakkaiskuu | January |
| tuhukuu | tuuččakuu | tuiskukuu | February |
| kevätkuu | kevätkuu | kevätkuu | March |
| sulakuu | sulakuu | šulakuu | April |
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Northern Karelian dialect, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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