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Uralic is a language family located in Northern Eurasia, in the countries of Finland, Estonia, Hungary (where Uralic languages are spoken by the majority of the population), in other countries Uralic languages are spoken by a minority of the population, these languages are spoken in far-northern Norway (in most of the Finnmark region and other regions of the far-north), in far-northern Sweden (in some areas of Norrland), and Russia (where Uralic languages are also spoken by a minority of its population, although there is a significant number of speakers in some Federal subjects - republics and autonomous districts or autonomous okrugs of Northern Russia, these languages are spoken in Udmurtia, Komi Republic, Mordvinia, Mari-El, Karelia, in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Taymyr Autonomous Okrug and also in the former area of Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug, now part of the Perm Krai, other areas where Uralic languages are spoken in Russia are for example the Kola Peninsula). In Latvia, in some of the far-northern coastal areas of Courland (Kurzeme) region, a dead Uralic language was spoken: Livonian.

Uralic languages are spoken by about 25 million people. The main Uralic languages in number of speakers are Hungarian (12-13 million), Finnish (5.4 million) and Estonian (1.1 million), that are also national and official languages of sovereign states.

Geographical distribution of the Uralic languages

Hypothetical ancestors

Major proposals for hypothetical relations to other language families and their proto-languages, none of which have gained wide acceptance:

Ancestral

Proto-Uralic

Samoyedic

Current distribution of the Samoyedic languages

Proto-Samoyedic (ancestral)
- Nganasan (Tavgy, Tavgi, Tawgi, Tawgi-Samoyed) (Njaʔ / Ŋanasan Næ’)
  - Avam
  - Vadey
- Mator (Motor, Taigi, Karagas) (extinct)
  - Mator proper / Motor
  - Taygi
  - Karagas
- Core Samoyedic
  - Nenets-Enets
    - Nenets (Yurak)
      - Forest Nenets (Nešaŋ wata)
      - Tundra Nenets (N’enytsia Wada / Nenyotsya’’ Wada)
    - Transitional Nenets-Enets
      - Yurats (extinct)
    - Enets (Yenets, Yenisei-Samoyed)
      - Forest Enets (Bay Ona’ Bazaan)
      - Tundra Enets (Madu Ona’ Bazaan)
  - Selkup-Kamas
    - Selkup (Ostyak-Samoyed) (Šöl’ Qumyt Əty)
      - Taz Selkup
      - Tym Selkup
      - Ket Selkup (not to be confused with Ket)
    - Kamassian (Kamas, Koibal) (formerly spoken by the Kamasins in the Sayan Mountains, South Central Siberia) (extinct)
      - Kamas/Kamassian
      - Koibal/Koybal (Samoyedic Uralic Koybal) (Koibal people shifted to a Turkic language - Khakas)

Ob-Ugric

Dialects of Mansi:

Northern Mansi

Western and Southern Mansi

Eastern Mansi

Dialects of Khanty:

Obdorsk (Salekhard) dialect

Ob dialects

Southern (Irtysh) Khanty

Surgut dialects

Far Eastern (Vakh-Vasyugan) dialects

Proto-Ob-Ugric (ancestral)
- Mansi (Vogul) (a group of related languages, not a single language)
  - Southern Mansi (all extinct)
    - Chusovaya (spoken in the western slopes of the Ural Mountains, to the east of Kama river, in the European side)
    - Tagil
    - Tura
    - Tavda (Tavdin)
  - Core Mansi
    - Central Mansi
      - Western Mansi (extinct)
        Vishera (spoken in the western slopes of the Ural Mountains, to the east of Kama river, in the European side)
        
        Pelym
        
        North Vagilsk
        
        South Vagilsk
        
        Lower Lozva
        
        Middle Lozva
      - Eastern Mansi (Kondin)
        Lower Konda
        
        Middle Konda
        
        Upper Konda
        
        Jukonda
    - Northern Mansi (Maan's’i Latyŋ) (base of the standard and literary Mansi language)
      - Upper Lozva
      - Sosva
      - Sygva
      - Ob
- Khanty (Ostyak) (Hantĭ jasaŋ / Khantõ Yasõŋ / Kantõk Yasõŋ) (a group of related languages, not a single language)
  - Western Khanty
    - Northern Khanty
      - Obdorsk/Obdorian (Salekhard Khanty)
      - Berjozov (Synja, Muzhi, Shurishkar), Kazym, Sherkal (Ob dialects)
    - Transitional Northern-Southern Khanty
      - Atlym-Nizyam Khanty
        Atlym
        
        Nizyam
    - Southern Khanty (Irtysh Khanty) (extinct)
      - Upper Demjanka
      - Lower Demjanka
      - Konda
      - Cingali
      - Krasnojarsk
  - Transitional Western-Eastern Khanty
    - Salym Khanty
  - Eastern Khanty
    - Surgut Khanty
      - Jugan
      - Malij Jugan
      - Pim
      - Likrisovskoe
      - Tremjugan / Tromagan
    - Far Eastern Khanty
      - Vakh
      - Vasjugan
      - Verkhne-Kalimsk
      - Vartovskoe

Magyar

The Hungarian dialects in Hungary and other countries according to an older Hungarian distribution

Proto-Hungarian (Proto-Magyar)
- Old Hungarian (ancestral)
  - Hungarian (Magyar) (Magyar Nyelv)
    - Northeast Hungary (Északkeleti)
    - Palóc (Northwest) (Hungarian dialect with Cuman = Polovtsian, Khazar, Kabar and Pecheneg Turkic substrates, especially in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, in Jászság there is a Hungarian dialect with an Ossetian Sarmatian substrate)
    - Tisza–Körös (Tiszai)
    - Southern Great Plain
    - Southern Transdanubian
    - Central Transdanubian – Little Hungarian Plain
    - Western Transdanubian
    - Transylvanian Plain
    - Székely (East Transylvanian)
    - Csángó (West Moldavian Hungarian)

Permic

Geographical distribution of Permic languages.

Proto-Permic (ancestral)
- Udmurt (Votyak) (Udmurt kyl)
  - Southern Udmurt
  - Northern Udmurt (spoken along Cheptsa River)
  - Besermyan (spoken by the strongly Turkified Besermyans)
- Komi (Komi kyv)
  - Komi-Permyak (Perem Komi kyv)
    - Southern
      - /v/ type
        Kudymkar-Inva
        
        Lower Inva
      - Southern (/l/ type)
        On
        
        Nerdva
    - Northern
      - /l/ type
        Upper Lupya
        
        Mysy (former rural council)
        
        Kosa-Kama
        
        Kochevo
        
        Zyuzdino (Afanasyevo)
        
        Yazva
  - Komi-Yodzyak (Yodzyak, Komi-Jazva, Vishera) (Komi-Yodz kyl)
  - Komi-Zyryan (Komi, Komi-Zyrian, Zyrian) (basis of the standard literary language) (Komi kyv)
    - Old Komi (written in the Old Permic script) (extinct)
    - Syktyvkar
    - Lower Vychegda
    - Central Vychegda
    - Luza-Letka
    - Upper Sysola
    - Upper Vychegda
    - Pechora
    - Izhma (spoken by the Izhma Komi)
    - Vym
    - Udora

Mari

The four main dialects of Mari.

Hill Mari

North-Western Mari

Meadow Mari

Eastern Mari

(Mari dialect continuum)

Proto-Mari (ancestral)
- Mari (Cheremis) (Marii jõlme) (a group of related languages, not a single language)
  - Eastern-Meadow Mari
    - Eastern Mari
    - Meadow Mari (Olykmarla)
      - Meadow Mari Proper
      - Sernur-Morkin
      - Volga
      - Yoshkar-Olin
  - Transitional Meadow Mari-Hill Mari
    - Northwestern Mari (Jůtnṳ̊mäl-käsvel Mare jÿlmÿ)
      - Yaransk dialect (the largest by number of speakers and spread territory, Northwestern Mari standardized variety)
        Kiknur subdialect
        
        Tuzha subdialect
        
        Sanchursk subdialect
      - Tonshaevo dialect
      - Lipsha dialect
      - Sharanga dialect
  - Hill Mari / Western Mari (Kyryk Mary jÿlmÿ)
    - Kozymodemyan
    - Yaran

Mordvinic

Mordvinic languages in Mordovia

Moksha

Erzya

Proto-Mordvinic (ancestral)
- Erzya (Erzänj kelj)
  - Central group (E-I)
  - Western group (E-II)
  - Northern group (E-III)
  - Southeastern group (E-IV)
  - Far Western group (E-V)
- Moksha (Mokšenj kälj)
  - Central group (M-I)
  - Western group (M-II)
  - South-Eastern group (M-III)

Finnic

Geographical distribution of Finnic languages.

Map of Finnish dialects

North Estonian and South Estonian languages.

(Finnic dialect continuum)

Proto-Finnic (ancestral)
- Inland Finnic
  - South Estonian (Lõuna Eesti kiil)
    - Eastern South Estonian
      - Kraasna (extinct)
      - Ludza (extinct)
      - Seto
      - Võro
    - Leivu (extinct)
    - Mulgi
    - Tartu
- Coastal Finnic
  - Gulf of Riga Finnic
    - Livonian (Līvõ kēļ / Rānda keel) (extinct)
      - Courland Livonian (extinct) (with revival attempts)
      - Salaca Livonian (extinct)
  - Gulf of Finland Finnic
    - Central Finnic
      - Estonian (North Estonian) (Eesti keel)
        Central Estonian (basis of Standard Estonian but not identical)
        
        Eastern Estonian
        
        Insular Estonian
        
        Western Estonian
      - Northeastern coastal Estonian (?) (Kirderannikumurre)
        Alutaguse dialect
        
        Coastal
      - Votic (Vad’d’a tšeeli / Mā tšeeli / Vadyan cheeli / Vadyaa cheli) (nearly extinct)
        Eastern Votic (extinct)
        
        Western Votic
        
        Krevinian (extinct)
    - Northern Finnic
      - Finnish (Suomi / Suomen kieli)
        Standard Finnish - Yleiskieli
        
        Fingelska
        
        Colloquial Finnish - Puhekieli - spoken language
        Western dialects
        Southwestern dialects (Lounaismurteet)
        Southern dialect group
        
        Northern dialect group
        
        Southwestern transitional dialects
        Pori region dialects
        
        Ala-Satakunta dialects
        
        dialects of Turku highlands
        
        Somero region dialects
        
        Western Uusimaa dialects
        
        Tavastian dialects (Hämäläismurteet)
        Ylä-Satakunta dialects
        
        Heart Tavastian dialects
        
        Southern Tavastian dialects
        
        Southeastern Tavastian dialects
        Hollola dialect group
        
        Porvoo dialect group
        
        Iitti dialect group
        
        Southern Botnian (Ostrobothnian) dialects (Eteläpohjalaiset murteet)
        
        Middle and Northern Botnian (Ostrobothnian) dialects (Keski- ja Pohjoispohjalaiset murteet)
        Middle Botnian (Ostrobothnian) dialects
        
        Northern Botnian (Ostrobothnian) dialects
        
        Peräpohjola dialects (Peräpohjalaiset murteet) Far-Northern dialects
        Tornio dialects ("Meänkieli" in Sweden) (Tornedalian / Tornedalian Finnish)
        
        Kemi dialects
        
        Kemijärvi dialects
        
        Jällivaara dialects ("Meänkieli" in Sweden) (Tornedalian / Tornedalian Finnish)
        
        Ruija dialects ("Kven language" in Northern Norway) (Kven Finnish) (Kvääni / Kväänin kieli / Kainu / Kainun kieli)
        
        Eastern dialects
        Savonian dialects (Savolaismurteet)
        Northern Savonian dialects
        
        Southern Savonian dialects
        
        Middle dialects of Savonlinna region
        
        Eastern Savonian dialects or the dialects of North Karelia
        
        Kainuu dialects
        
        Central Finland dialects
        
        Päijänne Tavastia dialects
        
        Keuruu-Evijärvi dialects
        
        Savonian dialects of Värmland (Sweden) (once spoken by the Forest Finns - Metsäsuomalaiset)
        
        Southeastern dialects (Kaakkoismurteet)
        Proper Southeastern dialects
        
        Middle dialects of Lemi region
        
        Ingrian dialects (in Russia)
      - Ingrian (Ižoran keel)
        Hevaha (extinct)
        
        Lower Luga
        
        Kukkozi dialect (?) (nearly extinct)
        
        Orodezhi (Upper Luga) (extinct)
        
        Soikkola dialect
      - Karelian (Karjala / Kariela / Karjalan kielii) (not to be confused with the Karelian dialects of Finnish although there is some dialect continuum between the two)
        Livvi (Olonets Karelian) (Livvi / Livvin kieli)
        
        Karelian proper (Karjala / Kariela / Karjalan kielii)
        Northern Karelian (Viena)
        
        Southern Karelian
      - Ludic–Veps
        Ludic (Lüüdi / Lüüdi kiel)
        Northern Ludic
        
        Central Ludic
        
        Kuuďärv Ludic
        
        Veps (Vepsän kelʹ / Vepsän keli)
        Northern Veps (Onega Veps)
        
        Central Veps
        
        Southern Veps

Sami

Recent distribution of the Sami languages: 1. Southern Sami, 2. Ume Sami, 3. Pite Sami, 4. Lule Sami, 5. Northern Sami, 6. Skolt Sami, 7. Inari Sami, 8. Kildin Sami, 9. Ter Sami. Darkened area represents municipalities that recognize Sami as an official or minority language.

(Sami dialect continuum)

Proto-Sami (ancestral)
- Eastern Sami
  - Mainland
    - Inari Sami (Anarâškielâ)
    - Kemi Sami (extinct)
    - Skolt Sami (Sääʹmǩiõll / Nuõrttsääʹmǩiõll)
    - Akkala Sami (extinct) (Sám kiöl)
    - Kainuu Sami (extinct)
  - Peninsular (Kola Sámi)
    - Kildin Sami (Kiillt Saam' kiill)
    - Ter Sami (Saa´mekiil)
- Western Sami languages
  - Northwestern
    - Northern Sami (Davvisámegiella)
      - Torne Sami
      - Finnmark Sami
      - Sea Sami
    - Northwestern proper
      - Lule Sami (Julevsámegiella)
        Northern dialects: Sörkaitum, Sirkas and Jåkkåkaska in Sweden, Tysfjord in Norway
        
        Southern dialects: Tuorpon in Sweden
        
        Forest dialects: Gällivare and Serri in Sweden
      - Pite Sami (Bidumsámegiella)
        Northern dialects: Luokta-Mávas in Sweden
        
        Central dialects: Semisjaur-Njarg in Sweden
        
        Southern dialects: Svaipa in Sweden
  - Southwestern
    - Ume Sami (Ubmejesámiengiälla)
      - Northwestern
      - Southeastern
    - Southern Sami (Åarjelsaemien gïele)
      - Åsele dialect (Northern dialect)
      - Jämtland dialect (Southern dialect)

Unclassified Uralic languages (all extinct)

Uralic languages whose relationship to other languages in the family is unclear

Merya (spoken by the Merya, may have been a western branch of the Mari or close to the Mordvinic languages, may have been a transitional language between the Volga and the Baltic Finns)
Meshcherian (spoken by the Meshchera, may have been related to the Mordvinic languages or to the Permic languages)
Murom (spoken by the Muroma, may have been a language close to the Merya and a transitional language between the Volga and the Baltic Finns)

References

Abondolo, Daniel M. (editor). 1998. The Uralic Languages. London and New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-08198-X.
Collinder, Björn. 1955. Fenno-Ugric Vocabulary: An Etymological Dictionary of the Uralic Languages. (Collective work.) Stockholm: Almqvist & Viksell. (Second, revised edition: Hamburg: Helmut Buske Verlag, 1977.)
Collinder, Björn. 1957. Survey of the Uralic Languages. Stockholm.
Collinder, Björn. 1960. Comparative Grammar of the Uralic Languages. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell
Comrie, Bernhard. 1988. "General Features of the Uralic Languages." In The Uralic Languages, edited by Denis Sinor, pp. 451–477. Leiden: Brill.
Décsy, Gyula. 1990. The Uralic Protolanguage: A Comprehensive Reconstruction. Bloomington, Indiana.
Hajdu, Péter. 1963. Finnugor népek és nyelvek. Budapest: Gondolat kiadó.
Helimski, Eugene. Comparative Linguistics, Uralic Studies. Lectures and Articles. Moscow. 2000. (Russian: Хелимский Е.А. Компаративистика, уралистика. Лекции и статьи. М., 2000.)
Laakso, Johanna. 1992. Uralilaiset kansat ('Uralic Peoples'). Porvoo – Helsinki – Juva. ISBN 951-0-16485-2.
Korhonen, Mikko. 1986. Finno-Ugrian Language Studies in Finland 1828-1918. Helsinki: Societas Scientiarum Fennica. ISBN 951-653-135-0.
Napolskikh, Vladimir. The First Stages of Origin of People of Uralic Language Family: Material of Mythological Reconstruction. Moscow, 1991. (Russian: Напольских В. В. Древнейшие этапы происхождения народов уральской языковой семьи: данные мифологической реконструкции. М., 1991.)
Rédei, Károly (editor). 1986–88. Uralisches etymologisches Wörterbuch ('Uralic Etymological Dictionary'). Budapest.
Wickman, Bo (1988). "The History of Uralic Languages". In Sinor, Denis (ed.). The Uralic Languages: Description, History, and Foreign Influences. Leiden: Brill. pp. 792–818. ISBN 978-90-04-07741-6. OCLC 16580570.