Abstract
The author analyses dominant trends in the linguistic situation of Finnish Sami. Her aim is to discuss these trends as a component of indigenous peoples’ problems with linguistic inequality. The crucial question is whether the changing international status of indigenous people will lead to concrete political decisions in Finland. Three factors contribute to Sami language shift: an overall decline in the status of native language, an assimilationist school system, and a lack of functional contexts to use the Sami language. Present school instruction in Sami is too insignificant to counteract the pressure of the mainstream society. Parallel to this is the process of language reification: the written part of the language becomes dehumanised and moves beyond the reach of its users. The author emphasises that the language must not be seen in a position too detached from the Same culture. The close relationship between linguistic, political, social, economic, and territorial rights must be recognised.
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