Definition

Noun: 1. A Finnic language: A Uralic language spoken by the Veps people, primarily in the Republic of Karelia, Leningrad Oblast, and Vologda Oblast in Russia. It is closely related to Finnish and Karelian. 2. A member of the Veps people: An individual belonging to the Veps (also spelled Vepsa), a Finnic ethnic group indigenous to the area southeast of the Gulf of Finland in northwestern Russia.

Usage Examples

• As a language:
  • Linguists are studying the structure of Vepse to understand its relationship to other Finnic languages.
  • Efforts are being made to preserve Vepse, which is considered an endangered language.
• As a person:
  • My neighbor is a Vepse who still practices traditional woodworking.
  • The museum exhibit highlights the culture of the Vepse.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used attributively (like an adjective) to describe things related to the Veps people or their language.
  • She is a scholar of Vepse folklore.
  • They attended a Vepse cultural festival.

Variants and Related Words

• Veps (noun): The more common English spelling for both the people and the language. "Vepse" is an alternative transliteration.
• Vepsian (noun & adjective): Another English term used to refer to the people, the language, or as an adjective (e.g., ).
• Vepsä (noun): The endonym, or the name the people use for themselves in their own language.

Synonyms

• (For the language): Vepsian, Veps language.
• (For the person): Veps, Vepsian.

Notes on Meaning

The two primary meanings are intrinsically linked: the language is defined by the people who speak it, and the people are often identified by their language. The context of the sentence usually makes it clear whether "Vepse" refers to the language or an individual person.

Noun

1. a Finnic language spoken by the Veps
2. a member of a Finnish people of Russia