The Veps language is one of many near-relatives of the Finnish language which is faced with the prospect of language death. Estimates put the number of speakers at around 3,000. The language is no longer being passed from one generation to the next, nor does it have an established position in the school curriculum, electronic media or urban society. Nonetheless the contemporary world also determines Vepsian life. What’s happening with the language?

In August 2013, our research group and students took a trip to the Erzya villages in the Republic of Mordovia, setting foot on the land where the language is used and where fresh data could be acquired. We were modestly hoping to find friendly language guides, but instead we were received like guests of honour. The script was changed, and our 20-strong group turned into a delegation. There were endless festivities. Amidst all the parties, we also longed to have time for everyday work, and in the end we ended up getting both.

What is left when a speech community has fallen completely silent, when no-one speaks the language as their mother tongue? It was precisely this question that professor Riho Grünthal set out to answer in his investigation of what remains of the Livonian language tradition spoken in the Kurzeme district, in northwest Latvia. The answer raised further questions, as so often happens in research.

Studying and working at the University has felt like a never-ending party. It is a diverse and dynamic organisation, society in miniature with networks of various age groups. During my study years, I immediately plunged into a network of older students in my freshman year, into a completely different reality. I even found my spouse in the world of the university, as did many others.