Dual number in the North Saami dialect of Ofoten and Sør-Troms

Abstract: This study deals with grammatical number in the North Saami dialect of Ofoten and Sør-Troms, Norway. Five informants were interviewed and the material was collected both through free speech and elicitation. The study shows that in this dialect, plural forms are used when referring to two individuals. One of the informants is able to produce personal pronouns in the dual, but even this informant usually uses plural forms when referring to two individuals. The material from Ofoten and Sør-Troms is also compared with material from the Guovdageaidnu, Gárasavvon and Čohkkiras dialects. In that material, three informants were interviewed. Furthermore, two previously undescribed reciprocal pronoun constructions are presented.