Enets

Enets is the self-designation of this ethnic group the original meaning of which is 'a human being, a man'. In most cases the adjective enej -- onaj is added; i.e. enej enet or 'Enets, a real human being'. In a similar manner the Enets language is called onaj bazaan 'a real, genuine language'. The name Enets was first used by a linguist and ethnologist, G. Prokofiev, in 1937. It is a version of the pronunciation of nenets.

Enets is a Samoyedic language spoken by the Enets people along the lower Yenisei River in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. There are two distinct dialects - Forest Enets and Tundra Enets - which may be considered separate languages. There are only about seventy speakers in total, with slightly more speaking Forest Enets. Most speakers are middle-aged or older, and all speak Russian as a second language. It is closely related to Nenets, which it was formerly regarded as a dialect of, and to Nganasan.