Uralic languages facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uralic
Geographic distribution:	Eastern and Northern Europe, North Asia, Siberia
Linguistic classification:	One of the world's major language families (possibly Uralo-Siberian family)
Proto-language:	Proto-Uralic
Subdivisions:	Finnic Hungarian Khanty Mansi Mari Mordvinic Permic Sami Samoyedic
ISO 639-5:	urj
Finnic      Sami      Mordvinic      Mari      Permic      Ugric      Samoyedic

The Uralic languages are a group of languages that are related to each other. They were first spoken in Eastern Europe and Asia. Many experts believe they started in eastern Siberia, near Lake Baikal.

Today, there are two main branches of Uralic languages: the Samoyedic languages and the Finno-Ugric languages.

Where Uralic Languages Began

The very first Uralic languages and the people who spoke them likely came from eastern Siberia or Northeast Asia. These early people were similar to other groups in Siberia and East Asia, including the Inuit people.

About 3,000 years ago, these groups started moving. They traveled from central Siberia towards the Baltic region in northeastern Europe. As they moved, they met and mixed with many local tribes. Studies of genes and ancient people show that the early Uralic people looked like various groups from Siberia and East Asia.

How Uralic Languages Are Connected to Others

The distribution of the Uralo-Siberian family.

Some language experts and scientists think that Uralic languages are related to other languages in Siberia. They might even be connected to some languages spoken by Native Americans in the north.

This bigger group of languages is sometimes called Uralo-Siberian. It could include Uralic languages, along with Yukaghir, Eskimo–Aleut (which includes Inuit languages), and possibly Nivkh and Chukotko-Kamchatkan languages.

List of Uralic Languages

Here are some of the languages that belong to the Uralic family:

• Finno-Ugric languages
  • Hungarian
  • Khanty
  • Mansi
  • Estonian
  • Finnish
  • Karelian
  • Livonian
  • Votic
  • Ingrian
  • Saami
  • Erzya
  • Moksha
  • Mari
  • Udmurt
  • Komi
• Samoyedic languages
  • Nenets

Images for kids

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  Uralic languages (Meänkieli, Kven and Ludic are debated)

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  This 1549 map by Sigismund von Herberstein shows "Yugra from where the Hungarians originated" east of the Ob River. This shows how people long thought Hungarians came from the Uralic/Siberian area. The Ural Mountains are called Montes dicti Cingulus Terræ ("The mountains called the Girdle of the Earth").

See also

In Spanish: Lenguas urálicas para niños