Tajiki

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A language of Tajikistan

ISO 639-3
tgk
Alternate Names
Galcha, Tadzhik, Tajik, Tajiki Persian, Tojiki
Population

3,340,000 in Tajikistan (1991). Population total all countries: 4,479,650.

Location

Also in Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan.

Language Maps
Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1994, Constitution, Article 2).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
Dialects

4 groups of small dialects; no distinct boundaries. Dialect blending into Dari Persian [prs] in Afghanistan.

Language Use

Most also use Northern Uzbek [uzn] or Russian [rus].

Language Development
Radio programs. Bible: 1992.
Writing
Arabic script, used until 1928. Cyrillic script, used since 1940, primary usage. Hebrew script, used by Bukharan Jews. Latin script, used from 1928–1940.
Other Comments

Russian sources refer to Persian dialects in Afghanistan as Tajiki. So-called Tajiki in China is actually Shugni [sgh] or Wakhi [wbl]. Some Tajiki-speaking Gypsy communities in Russian central Asia. Muslim (Sunni).

Also spoken in:

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