List of endangered languages in Russia
| Language Endangerment Status | |
|---|---|
| Extinct (EX) | |
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| Endangered | |
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| Safe | |
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Other categories | |
Related topics | |
UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger categories | |
An endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling out of use, generally because it has few surviving speakers. If it loses all of its native speakers, it becomes an extinct language. A language may be endangered in one area but show signs of revitalisation in another, as with the Irish language.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization defines five levels of language endangerment between "safe" (not endangered) and "extinct":[1]
- Vulnerable – "most children speak the language, but it may be restricted to certain domains (e.g. home)"
- Definitely endangered – "children no longer learn the language as mother tongue in the home"
- Severely endangered – "language is spoken by grandparents and older generations; while the parent generation may understand it, they do not speak it to children or among themselves"
- Critically endangered – "the youngest speakers are grandparents and older, and they speak the language partially and infrequently"
- Extinct – "there are no speakers left; included in the Atlas if presumably extinct since the 1950s"
The list below includes the findings from the third edition of Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger (2010; formerly the Red Book of Endangered Languages), as well as the online edition of the aforementioned publication, both published by UNESCO.[2]
| Language | Status | Language Family | Nations | ISO 639-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abaza language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northwest Caucasian | Russia, Turkey | abq |
| Abkhaz language[1] | Vulnerable | Northwest Caucasian | Georgia, Russia, Turkey | abk |
| Adyghe language (West Circassian)[1] | Definitely endangered | Northwest Caucasian | Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Macedonia, Russia, Syria, Turkey | ady |
| Agul language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Lezgic) | Azerbaijan, Russia | agx |
| Akhvakh language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Andic) | Azerbaijan, Russia | akv |
| Aleut language (Western, Commander Islands)[1] | Critically endangered | Eskaleut (Aleut) | Russia, United States | ale |
| Alutor language[1] | Severely endangered | Chukotko-Kamchatkan | Russia | alu |
| Andi language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Andic) | Russia | ani |
| Archi language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Lezgic) | Russia | aqc |
| Avar language[1] | Vulnerable | Northeast Caucasian (Avar) | Azerbaijan, Russia | ava |
| Bagvalal language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Andic) | Russia | kva |
| Baraba Tatar dialect[1] | Severely endangered | Turkic (Kipchak) | Russia | |
| Bashkir language[1] | Vulnerable | Turkic (Kipchak) | Russia | bak |
| Belarusian language[1] | Vulnerable | Indo-European (East Slavic) | Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine | bel |
| Bezhta language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Tsezic) | Russia | kap |
| Bohtan Neo-Aramaic dialect[1] | Severely endangered | Afro-Asiatic (Semitic) | Georgia, Russia | bhn |
| Botlikh language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Andic) | Russia | bph |
| Buryat language[1] | Severely endangered | Mongolic | China, Mongolia, Russia | bua |
| Central Selkup language[1] | Critically endangered | Uralic (Samoyedic) | Russia | |
| Central Siberian Yupik language[1] | Severely endangered | Eskaleut | Russia, United States | ess |
| Chamalal language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Andic) | Russia | cji |
| Chechen language[1] | Vulnerable | Northeast Caucasian | Russia | che |
| Chelkan language[3] | Severely endangered | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | |
| Chukchi language[1] | Severely endangered | Chukotko-Kamchatkan | Russia | ckt |
| Chulym language[1] | Critically endangered | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | clw |
| Chuvash language[1] | Vulnerable | Turkic | Russia | chv |
| Dargwa language[1] | Vulnerable | Northeast Caucasian (Dargin) | Russia | dar |
| Dolgan language[1] | Definitely endangered | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | dlg |
| Eastern Khanty language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic | Russia | |
| Eastern Mansi language[1] | Critically endangered | Uralic | Russia | |
| Eastern Mari language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Mari) | Russia | mhr |
| Erzya language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Mordvinic) | Russia | myv |
| Even language[1] | Severely endangered | Tungusic (Northern) | Russia | eve |
| Evenki language[1] | Severely endangered | Tungusic (Northern) | China, Russia | evn |
| Forest Enets language[1] | Critically endangered | Uralic (Samoyedic) | Russia | enf |
| Forest Nenets language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic (Samoyedic) | Russia | |
| Forest Yukagir language[1] | Critically endangered | Yukaghir | Russia | yux |
| Godoberi language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Andic) | Russia | gdo |
| Hinukh language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Tsezic) | Russia | gin |
| Homshetsi dialect[1] | Severely endangered | Indo-European (Armenian) | Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Turkey | |
| Hunzib language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Tsezic) | Georgia, Russia | huz |
| Ingrian language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic (Finnic) | Russia | izh |
| Ingush language[1] | Vulnerable | Northeast Caucasian (Nakh) | Russia | inh |
| Itelmen language[1] | Critically endangered | Chukotko-Kamchatkan | Russia | itl |
| Judeo-Tat[1] | Definitely endangered | Indo-European (Indo-Iranian) | Azerbaijan, Israel, Russia | jdt |
| Kabardian[1] | Vulnerable | Northwest Caucasian (Circassian) | Jordan, Russia, Syria, Turkey | kbd |
| Kalmyk language[1] | Definitely endangered | Mongolic | Russia | xal |
| Karachay-Balkar language[1] | Vulnerable | Turkic (Kipchak) | Russia | krc |
| Karata language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Andic) | Russia | kpt |
| Karelian language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Finnic) | Finland, Russia | krl |
| Ket language[1] | Severely endangered | Yeniseian | Russia | ket |
| Khakas language[1] | Definitely endangered | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | kjh |
| Khamnigan Mongol language[1] | Definitely endangered | Mongolic | China, Mongolia, Russia | ykh |
| Khwarshi language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Tsezic) | Russia | khv |
| Kildin Saami language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic (Sámi) | Russia | sjd |
| Kili language[1] | Severely endangered | Tungusic (Northern?) | Russia | |
| Komi language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Permic) | Russia | kpv |
| Koryak language[1] | Severely endangered | Chukotko-Kamchatkan | Russia | kpy |
| Kumandin language[4] | Critically endangered | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | |
| Kumyk language[1] | Vulnerable | Turkic (Kipchak) | Russia | kum |
| Lak language[1] | Vulnerable | Northeast Caucasian | Russia | lbe |
| Latgalian language[1] | Vulnerable | Indo-European (Baltic) | Latvia, Russia | ltg |
| Lezgian language[1] | Vulnerable | Northeast Caucasian (Lezgic) | Azerbaijan, Russia | lez |
| Ludic language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic (Finnic) | Russia | lud |
| Moksha language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Mordvinic) | Russia | mdf |
| Nanai language[1] | Severely endangered | Tungusic (Southern) | China, Russia | gld |
| Naukan Yupik language[1] | Critically endangered | Eskaleut | Russia | ynk |
| Negidal language[1] | Critically endangered | Tungusic (Northern) | Russia | neg |
| Nganasan language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic (Samoyedic) | Russia | nio |
| Nivkh language[1] | Severely endangered | Isolate | Russia | niv |
| Nogai language[1] | Definitely endangered | Turkic (Kipchak) | Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan | nog |
| Northern Sámi[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Sámi) | Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden | sme |
| Northern Altai language[1] | Severely endangered | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | atv |
| Northern Khanty language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic | Russia | |
| Northern Mansi language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic | Russia | |
| Northern Selkup language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic (Samoyedic) | Russia | |
| Olonetsian language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Finnic) | Finland, Russia | olo |
| Oroch language[1] | Critically endangered | Tungusic (Northern) | Russia | oac |
| Orok language[1] | Critically endangered | Tungusic (Southern) | Japan, Russia | oaa |
| Ossetian language[1] | Vulnerable | Indo-European (Indo-Iranian) | Georgia, Russia | oss |
| Pontic Greek language[1] | Definitely endangered | Indo-European (Hellenic) | Armenia, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine | pnt |
| Romani language[1] | Definitely endangered | Indo-European (Indo-Aryan) | Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom | rom |
| Rutul language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Lezgic) | Azerbaijan, Russia | rut |
| Seto dialect | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Finnic) | Estonia, Russia | |
| Shor language[1] | Severely endangered | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | cjs |
| Siberian Tatar language[1] | Definitely endangered | Turkic (Kipchak) | Russia | sty |
| Skolt Sámi language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic (Sámi) | Finland, Russia | sms |
| Southern Altai language[1] | Definitely endangered | Turkic (Kipchak) | Russia | alt |
| Southern Selkup language[1] | Critically endangered | Uralic (Samoyedic) | Russia | |
| Soyot language[5] | Extinct, partly revitalized | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Mongolia, Russia | |
| Tabasaran language[1] | Vulnerable | Northeast Caucasian (Lezgic) | Russia | tab |
| Taz dialect[1] | Severely endangered | Sino-Tibetan (Sinitic) | Russia | |
| Teleut language[6] | Critically endangered | Turkic (Kipchak) | Russia | |
| Ter Sámi language[1] | Critically endangered | Uralic (Sámi) | Russia | sjt |
| Tindi language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Andic) | Russia | tin |
| Tofa language[1] | Critically endangered | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | kim |
| Türkpen[1] | Definitely endangered | Turkic (Oghuz) | Russia | |
| Tsakhur language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Lezgic) | Azerbaijan, Russia | tkr |
| Tsez language[1] | Definitely endangered | Northeast Caucasian (Tsezic) | Russia | ddo |
| Tundra Enets language[1] | Critically endangered | Uralic (Samoyedic) | Russia | enh |
| Tundra Nenets language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Samoyedic) | Russia | |
| Tundra Yukagir language[1] | Critically endangered | Yukaghir | Russia | ykg |
| Tuvan language[1] | Vulnerable | Turkic | China, Mongolia, Russia | tyv |
| Udege language[1] | Critically endangered | Tungusic (Northern) | Russia | ude |
| Udmurt language[1] | Definitely endangered | Uralic (Permic) | Russia | udm |
| Ulch language[1] | Critically endangered | Tungusic | Russia | ulc |
| Veps language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic (Finnic) | Russia | vep |
| Votic language[1] | Critically endangered | Uralic (Finnic) | Russia | vot |
| Western Mari language[1] | Severely endangered | Uralic | Russia | mrj |
| Yakut language[1] | Vulnerable | Turkic (Siberian Turkic) | Russia | sah |
| Yiddish language (Europe)[1] | Definitely endangered | Indo-European (Germanic) | Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom | ydd |
See also
- List of endangered languages in Europe
- List of endangered languages in Asia
- List of endangered languages in Africa
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc Moseley, Christopher, ed. (2010). Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. Memory of Peoples (3rd ed.). Paris: UNESCO Publishing. ISBN 978-92-3-104096-2. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
- ^ "UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in danger". www.unesco.org. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- ^ Tazranova, A.R. "The Chelkan Language". Endangered Languages of Indigenous Peoples of Siberia. UNESCO. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ^ Bitkeeva, A.N. "The Kumandin Language". Endangered Languages of Indigenous Peoples of Siberia. UNESCO. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ^ Rassadin, V.I. "The Soyot Language". Endangered Languages of Indigenous Peoples of Siberia. UNESCO. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
- ^ Nevskaya, I.A. "The Teleut Language". Endangered Languages of Indigenous Peoples of Siberia. UNESCO. Retrieved 16 July 2021.