Ethnologue 14 report for language code:BLG

BULGARIAN: a language of Bulgaria

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: BLG

ISO 639-1: bg

ISO 639-2: bul

Population

7,986,000 in Bulgaria, 85% of the population (1986). Population total all countries 9,000,000 (1999 WA).

Region

Also spoken in Canada, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Moldova, Romania, Turkey (Europe), Ukraine, USA, Yugoslavia.

Alternate names

BALGARSKI

Dialects

PALITYAN (PALITIANI, BOGOMIL).

Classification

Indo-European, Slavic, South, Eastern.

Comments

Palityan is functionally intelligible with Standard Bulgarian. The Sopa are of Petecheneg origin and speak Bulgarian. National language. Grammar. SVO. Christian. Bible 1864-1923.

Also spoken in:

Greece

Language name	BULGARIAN
Population	30,000 in Greece (1998 Greek Helsinki Monitor).
Dialects	POMAK (POMAKCI, POMAKIKA).
Comments	Pomak is close to Serbian and Bulgarian; geographical dialect shading toward each. Bilingualism in Turkish, Greek. They speak Pomak at home. Also referred to locally as 'Macedonian' and 'Vlach'. The term 'Vlach' is applied variously to varieties of Bulgarian, Romani, and Romanian in Romania, Greece, Albania, and Yugoslavia. Many Greek loan words and others from the dead language, Thraco-Illyrian. Viewed as Turks in Greece. Muslim. Bible 1864-1923. See main entry under Bulgaria.

Moldova

Language name	BULGARIAN
Population	361,000 in Moldova (1979 census), 68% speak it as mother tongue.
Comments	Christian. Bible 1864-1923. See main entry under Bulgaria.

Romania

Language name	BULGARIAN
Population	10,439 (1966 census).
Dialects	PALITYAN (PALITIANI, BOGOMIL).
Comments	The Palityan dialect is apparently intelligible with other Bulgarian dialects. In Romania it is a recognized minority language. Christian. Bible 1864-1923. See main entry under Bulgaria.

Turkey (Europe)

Language name	BULGARIAN
Population	270,000 in Turkey, including refugees from Bulgaria (1993 Johnstone).
Alternate names	POMAK
Dialects	POMAK.
Comments	93% bilingual in Turkish. Spoken by Muslim Pomaks in Turkey and Greece. Sunni Muslim. Bible 1864-1923. See main entry under Bulgaria.

Yugoslavia

Language name	BULGARIAN
Comments	Catholic Bulgarians are in Yugoslav and Romanian Banat. Bible 1864-1923. See main entry under Bulgaria.