View source for Finno-Ugric

The '''Finno-Ugric''' (sometimes '''Finno-Ugrian''') group of languages form a branch of the [[Uralic]] family, a sub-family of [[Indo-European]]. The family is widely dispersed: the two main branches in western Europe (west of the Ural Mountains) are first, 
*the '''Finnic''' languages,
**'''Finnish''', the language of Finland, though spoken by minorities in such neighbouring countries as Sweden and Russia;
**'''Estonian''', the language of [[Estonia]], spoken also in Russia and around the eastern Baltic;
**'''Lappish''' or '''Lapp''', spoken largely within the Arctic Circle.
*Further south in Europe (and clearly distinct, geographically speaking, from the Finnic languages, are the '''Ugric''' or '''Ugrian''', which take their name from one used by Russian writers for a tribe of people:
**the most important is '''Hungarian''', known to its speakers as '''Magyar'''. (Their word for their country is '''''Magyarország'''''.) [[Everett-Heath]] notes: "The present name is derived from ''On Ogur'' ‘Ten Arrows’, the name of a group of tribes (seven Magyar and three Kavar) living along the north shore of the Black Sea before they moved to modern Hungary during the 9th century."
***The eastern group of Finno-Ugric languages are spoken mostly within the former Soviet Union. The group includes
****A sub-group found near the River Ob, including Ostyak (or Khanty) and Vogul (or Mansi)
****A sub-group found in and around the Kola Peninsula, including Karelian, Veps, Ingrian and Votic
****A sub-group around the River Volga, including Mordvin, Mari (or Cheremis), Udmurt (or Votyak) and Komi (or Zyryan).

[[Category:language families]]
[[Category:etymology]]