Olonets Karelian language
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Olonets Karelian (East Karelian, Livvi, Livvic language) is the variety of Karelian language spoken by Olonets Karelians (self-appellation livvi, livgilaizet), traditionally inhabiting the area between Ladoga and Onega lakes, northward of Svir River. The name "Olonets Karelians" is derived from the territory inhabited, Olonets Krai, named after the town of Olonets, named after the Olonka River.
Before World War II, Olonets Karelian was spoken both in Russia and in Finland, in the easternmost part of Finnish Karelia. After Finland was forced to cede large parts of Karelia to the USSR after the war, the Finnish Olonets Karelian population was resettled in Finland. Today there are still native speakers of Olonets Karelian living scattered throughout Finland, but all areas in which Olonets Karelian remain a community language are found in Russia.
Speakers of Olonets Karelian may be found mainly in Olonetsky, Pryazhinsky, Pitkyarantsky, and partly Suoyarvsky districts of the Republic of Karelia.[1]
Olonets Karelian long remained relatively uninfluenced by the Russian language despite the influx of Russians following the founding of Saint Petersburg in 1703.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Karelian Language", at the website about livvic culture
[edit] External links
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