Editing Ludic language (section)

==Classification==
[[File:Ludic flag.svg|thumb|Flag of Ludic Karelian]]
In the Finnish research tradition, Ludic has been considered a transitional dialect area between Karelian and Veps,<ref>{{cite journal|first=Terho|last=Itkonen|year=1971|title=Aunuksen äänneopin erikoisuudet ja aunukselaismurteiden synty|journal=Virittäjä|issue=75|page=182}}</ref> while in the Russian research tradition it is, on [[Ethnography|ethnographic]] grounds, normally considered a dialect of Karelian. A status as an independent language has been proposed in recent times.{{sfn|Pahomov|2011|p=10}} Ludic is characterised by a specific mixture of Karelian-like traits (such as the diphthongisation of the [[Proto-Finnic]] non-open long vowels: e.g. *pää > ''piä'' 'head', *soo > ''suo'' 'swamp', contrast Veps ''pä'', ''so''){{sfn|Pahomov|2011|p=29}} and Veps-like traits (such as an almost complete loss of [[consonant gradation]]).{{sfn|Pahomov|2011|p=32}} Like Veps, Ludic has also partially lost [[vowel harmony]].

===Dialects===
Ludic comprises three main dialect groups:{{sfn|Pahomov|2011|p=10}}

{{tree list}}
* '''Ludic'''
** Northern (Lake) Ludic, at the northwestern shores of [[Lake Onega]]
** Central (River) Ludic, at settlements along river [[Shuya River (Karelia)|Shuya]] and near the city of [[Petrozavodsk]]
** Kuďäŕv (Forest) Ludic, in the [[Mikhaylovskoye, Republic of Karelia|Mikhaylovskoye]] rural locality
{{tree list/end}}

The strongest Karelian resemblance is found in Northern Ludic, while the Kuďäŕv dialect shares the most features with Veps.