Words for Snow and Ice in Arctic Languages

Are you learning or thinking of learning one (or more!) of the languages featured in the UCL Art Museum showcase Not Just Words: Learning languages through art and objects? Would you like to practise with our language tutors and fellow learners?

In this session, join Dr Riitta Valijärvi, Associate Professor of Finnish and Minority Languages, for a taster workshop featuring words for snow and ice in a selection of Arctic languages.

We will begin with a discussion about culture-specific vocabulary across languages, followed by plenty of examples from languages like Finnish, Swedish, North Sámi, Greenlandic, and Nenets. We will touch on language families, climate change and English vocabulary, with visual and interactive elements.

This taster is part of a series of events - including a pop-up exhibition at UCL Art Museum on Nordic landscapes and an evening panel discussion on 'Storied Arctics, Arctic Voices' - organised by UCL Scandinavian Studies to celebrate International Polar Bear Day on 27 February 2024. 

View the full list of 'Not Just Words' language sessions