Ethnologue 14 report for language code:TCK

TURKMEN: a language of Turkmenistan

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It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005).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

ISO 639-1: tk

ISO 639-2: tuk

Population

3,430,000 in Turkmenistan (1995), 99% of the ethnic group of 3,465,000 (1995). Population total all countries 6,400,000.

Region

Also spoken in Afghanistan, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia (Asia), Tajikistan, Turkey (Asia), USA, Uzbekistan.

Alternate names

TURKOMANS, TURKMENLER, TURKMANIAN, TRUKHMEN, TRUKHMENY, TURKMANI

Dialects

NOKHURLI, ANAULI, KHASARLI, NEREZIM, YOMUD, TEKE (TEKKE), GOKLEN, SALYR, SARYQ, ESARI, CAWDUR.

Classification

Altaic, Turkic, Southern, Turkmenian.

Comments

Some dialects differ from Teke. 50% claim a good knowledge of Russian. The so-called 'Turkmen' in Syria, and possibly Iraq and Jordan, actually speak an ancient form of Turkmen; so-called 'Turkmen' in Tibet may speak a different Turkic language. National language. Dictionary. Grammar. Cyrillic script. Radio programs. Sand desert, narrow oases. Agriculturalists: cotton; stock breeders: sheep; carpet weavers; traditionally pastoralists: sheep; Gas, oil workers. Sunni Muslim. Bible portions 1880-1982.

Also spoken in:

Afghanistan

Language name	TURKMEN
Population	500,000 in Afghanistan (1995).
Alternate names	TURKOMAN, TRUKMEN, TURKMAN
Dialects	SALOR, TEKE (TEKKE, CHAGATAI, JAGATAI), ERSARI, SARIQ, YOMUT.
Comments	Sharp dialect differences. Probably mainly Ersari dialect in Afghanistan. Bilingualism in Pashtu. Refugee group in Kabul. People called 'Turkomen' in Syria are Azerbaijani speakers. Literacy rate in second language: 15% to 25%. Arabic script. Some better educated persons can read Cyrillic. Newspapers. Nomadic, cultivators, pastoralists, Persian lamb export, Persian rugs. Hanafi Sunni Muslim, occult. Bible portions 1880-1982. See main entry under Turkmenistan.

Iran

Language name	TURKMEN
Population	2,000,000 in Iran (1997), or 3.17% of the population (1997).
Alternate names	TORKOMANI
Dialects	ANAULI, KHASARLI, NEREZIM, NOKHURLI (NOHUR), CHAVDUR, ESARI (ESARY), GOKLEN (GOKLAN), SALYR, SARYQ, TEKE (TEKKE), YOMUD (YOMUT), TRUKMEN.
Comments	Bilingualism in Farsi. Not a literary language in Iran. Many are semi-nomadic. Ethnic groups: Yomut, Goklan. They could read Arabic script. Radio programs. Agriculturalists: cotton, wheat, barley; cattle. Hanafi Sunni and Shi'a Muslim; Goklan and Yomut: Shi'a Muslim. Bible portions 1880-1982. See main entry under Turkmenistan.

Turkey (Asia)

Language name	TURKMEN
Population	925 in Turkey (1982).
Alternate names	TRUKHMEN
Comments	Refugees from Afghanistan; now Turkish citizens. Sunni Muslim. Bible portions 1880-1982. See main entry under Turkmenistan.