Ethnologue 14 report for language code:KUR

KURMANJI: a language of Turkey (Asia)

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It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005).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: KUR

ISO 639-1: ku

ISO 639-2: kur

Population

3,950,000 first language speakers (1980), out of 6,500,000 in the ethnic group in Turkey (1993 Johnstone). Population total all countries 7,000,000 to 8,000,000.

Region

The majority are in the provinces of Hakkari, Siirt, Mardin, Agri, Diyarbakir, Bitlis, Bingol, Van, Adiyaman, and Mus. Also many in Urfa, Elazig, Kars, Tunceli, Malatya, Erzurum, Karaman Maras, Sivas, Ankara, and other provinces. Also spoken in 25 other countries including Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, France, Georgia, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden.

Alternate names

NORTHERN KURDISH, KERMANJI, KIRMANJI, KIRDASI, KIRMÂNCHA, BÂHDINÂNI

Dialects

GUWII, HAKKÂRI, JEZIRE (BOTAN, BOHTÂNI, BUHTÂNI), URFI, BÂYAZIDI, SURCHI, QOCHÂNI, BIRJANDI, ALBURZ, SANJÂRI, JUDIKÂNI.

Classification

Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.

Comments

Differences in speaking among dialects, but all use the same written form. Distinct from Kurdi (Southern Kurdish). Not many are very bilingual in Turkish. Ethnic names also include Doudjik, Kizibakh. Language of wider communication. Grammar. Literacy rate in second language: 28%. Roman script used in Turkey; Arabic script in Syria, Iraq, and Iran; Cyrillic script in former USSR. Armenian script not used now. Mountain slope. Traditionally pastoralists, now agriculturalists. Muslim (Sunni and Alevi), some Yezidi, secular. NT 1872.

Also spoken in:

Armenia

Language name	KURMANJI
Population	58,000 in Armenia, including Yezid (1993 Johnstone), 84% speak it as mother tongue (1979).
Alternate names	NORTHERN KURDISH, KERMANJI, KIRMANJI
Comments	Kurmanji is northern, Kurdi is southern. They are distinct languages. Kurmanji schools, texts. Language of wider communication. Cyrillic script. Newspapers, radio programs. Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Christian. NT 1872. See main entry under Turkey.

Azerbaijan

Language name	KURMANJI
Population	20,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census).
Alternate names	NORTHERN KURDISH, KERMANJI, KIRMANJI, KIRDASI, KIRMÂNCHA
Comments	Muslim. NT 1872. See main entry under Turkey.

Iran

Language name	KURMANJI
Population	200,000 in Iran (1983 estimate).
Alternate names	NORTHERN KURDISH, KERMANJI, KIRMANJI
Comments	Teaching Kurmanji is prohibited in Iranian schools (Time 4/1/91). Roman script used in Turkey; Arabic in Syria, Iran, Iraq; Cyrillic in Russia. Armenian script not used now. Muslim. NT 1872. See main entry under Turkey.

Iraq

Language name	KURMANJI
Alternate names	NORTHERN KURDISH, KERMANJI, KIRMANJI
Dialects	HAKARI, JEZIRE (BOTAN).
Comments	A distinct language from Kurdi (Southern Kurdish). Language of wider communication. Roman script used in Turkey; Arabic script in Syria, Iran, and Iraq; Cyrillic script in former USSR. Armenian script is not used now. Muslim. NT 1872. See main entry under Turkey.

Syria

Language name	KURMANJI
Population	938,000 in Syria (1993), 6.3% of the population.
Alternate names	NORTHERN KURDISH, KERMANJI, KIRMANJI
Comments	Differen from Kurdi (Southern Kurdish). Bilingualism in Arabic. A few urbanites and nomads. Kurmanji is prohibited in Syrian schools (Time 4/1/91). Language of wider communication. Arabic script used in Syria, Iran, and Iraq. Roman or Cyrillic used elsewhere. Mainly agriculturalists. Muslim. NT 1872. See main entry under Turkey.