| Population |
3,381,000 (1982 estimate), 4,806,849 including Buriat and Tuvin (1990 census). 299,000 Chakhar, 317,000 Bairin, 1,347,000 Khorain, 593,00 Karachin, 123,000 Ordos, 34,000 Ejine (1982 census). Population total both countries 3,381,000 or more. |
| Region |
Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces, Urumchi to Hailar. Also spoken in Mongolia. |
| Alternate names |
MONGOL, MONGGOL, MENGGU, SOUTHERN-EASTERN MONGOLIAN, INNER MONGOLIAN |
| Dialects |
CHAHAR (CHAHA'ER, CHAKHAR, QAHAR), ORDOS (E'ERDUOSITE), TUMUT (TUMET), SHILINGOL (UJUMCHIN), ULANCHAB (URAT, MINGAN), JO-UDA (BAIRIN, BALIN, NAIMAN, KESHIKTEN), JOSTU (KE'ERQIN, KHARCHIN, KHARACHIN, KHARCHIN-TUMUT, EASTERN TUMUT), JIRIM (KALAQIN, KHORCHIN, JALAIT, GORLOS), EJINE. |
| Classification |
Altaic, Mongolian, Eastern, Oirat-Khalkha, Khalkha-Buriat, Mongolian Proper. |
| Comments |
Largely intelligible with Halh standard dialect of Mongolia, but there are phonological and important loan differences. Written Chinese is in use. One of the five main official nationalities. The government includes Buriat, Tuvin, Oirat, and other varieties under the Mongolian official nationality. In Xinjiang, the Torgut, Oold, Korbet, and Hoshut peoples are known as the 'Four tribes of Oirat.' Language of wider communication. SOV. Literacy rate in second language: 71%. Standard Inner Mongolian script. Radio programs. Agriculturalists, pastoralists. Buddhist, Lamaist, shamanism. NT 1952. |
