Laz

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A language of Turkey

ISO 639-3
lzz
Alternate Names
Chan, Chanuri, Chanzan, Laze, Zan
Population

20,000 in Turkey (Salminen 2007). Population total all countries: 22,000. Ethnic population: 92,000 in Turkey (1980).

Location

Northeast, Rize, Kemer, Atin, Artasen, Vitse, Arkab, Hopa, and Sarp; Artvin, Sakarya, Kocaeli, and Bolu provinces. Also in Belgium, France, Georgia, Germany, United States.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Kartvelian, Zan
Dialects

Officially considered a single language with Mingrelian [xmf], called, Zan, although not mutually inherently intelligible.

Language Use

Rapid language shift to Turkish [tur] (2007). Also use Turkish [tur].

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Laz
Writing
Georgian (Mkhedruli) script, used in Georgia. Latin script.
Other Comments

Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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