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<P align= justify >The [[North Saami … <P align= justify >The [[North Saami language|North Saami]] name for the lemming (Lemmus lemmus) <I>goddesáhpán</i> is a compound word, the first element of which is [[Wild reindeer|<i>goddi</i>]] wild reindeer, and the second element sáhpán, which means a mouse or a similar animal such as a mole or a shrew. The name reindeer-mouse is said to come from the fact that reindeer sometimes eat lemmings.</p>
<P align= justify > Similarly formed compounds for the lemming are found in all the eastern Saami languages, e.g. [[Inari Saami language|Inari Saami]] <I>koddesäplig</i> and [[Skolt Saami language|Skolt]] <I>kå´ddsä´ppli</i>. Eastern Saami forms like <I>säplig</i> mouse are not direct cognates of the North Saami sáhpán: a corresponding form would be <I>*sáhppilat</i> or <I>*sáhppala</i>t. The latter form does seem to appear in Knud Leem s dictionary (1768), in which the word <I>sappalak (pl. sappalag ak)</i> is given the meaning Fugle-Ært, Muse-Ært, i.e. tufted vetch (lit. Mouse vetch ) or some similar leguminous plant. The original name of the plant may have been a compound word like<I> *sáhpálaga-eärta</i>, or a diminutive derived form like <I>*sápálaga</i> (cf. Leem sappalag atzh en liden Fugel-Ært, Muse-Ært, i.e. a small tufted vetch or the like).</p>
<P align= justify > The form <I>sáhpán</i> is found only in North Saami, and it is possible that its suffix comes from a word of similar meaning:<I> cieban</i> rodent. This word with its n suffix (< Protoc-Saami <I>*nje</i>, cf. Lindahl and Ohrling's Swedish-Saami Dictionary: <I>tsäpanje</i> something that gnaws, a rat) is a substantive derived from the verb <I>ciehpat</i> to gnaw, nibble, chop up. In this case it is feasible that the (North and) eastern Saami <I>sáhpp^
Ailat, säplig</i> could be derived from the noun <I>sáhppi</i> bile; berry juice, and thus the word would originally mean some animal that was the colour of bile.</p>
<P align= justify > On the other hand, it is also possible that <I>sáhpán</i> and <I>säplig</i> were (like <I>cieban</i>) derivatives of a verb root <I>*sáhppi-, sáhppá-</i>, which later became extinct. In addition to gnawing, one of the characteristics of mice (and other similar small mammals) is rapid movement. If the original meaning of the word <I>sáhpán</i> had been twitcher, streaker or something of the sort, its assumed descriptive root could be related to Finnish words like <I>säpättää, säpätellä</i> to move vigorously (e.g. the hand), which are found in Lönnrot's Finnish-Swedish Dictionary (1866: 80).</p>
<P align= justify > Contrary to some claims, the word <I>(kodde)säplig</i> probably has no direct relationship with the Finnish <i>sopuli</i> lemming, (in older written Finnish) also sable. The closest forms to the Finnish word are the Russian <I>sobol</i> sable and the (archaic) Swedish <I>sobelmus </i> lemming. This Swedish compound word (lit. sable mouse) is a result of the fact that the coat of the lemming resembles that of the sable in colour.</p>les that of the sable in colour.</p> +
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