Tat, Muslim

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A language of Azerbaijan

ISO 639-3
ttt
Alternate Names
Muslim Tat, Mussulman Tati, Tati
Population

18,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census). Population total all countries: 28,010. Ethnic population: 22,000 in Azerbaijan (1990 A. Kibrik).

Location

Widespread in mountains near Qonaqkend; Kuba, Davichi, Sizan, Vartashen, Baku cities; Apsheron peninsula: Balakhan, Surakhan; Lakhij, Matrasa, Konakhkend, Afruja, Chichi, Dagkushu, and Genvab villages. Also in Iran, Russian Federation.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting). De facto language of provincial identity in Quba, Shabran, Siazan.

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

Absheron, Aruskush-Daqqushchu (Khyzy), Balakhani, Devechi, Lahyj, Malham, Qonaqkend, Quba, Qyzyl Qazma, Surakhani. Difficult intelligibility of Judeo-Tat [jdt]. Similar to Farsi [pes]. Balakhani are recent exiles from Iran. Lahyj dialect may be a separate language.

Language Use

Rapidly shifting to Azerbaijani (2007). Community. Few children. Positive attitudes. Lahyj use Northern Azerbaijani [azj] as literary language.

Language Development
Taught in primary schools. Poetry. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar.
Writing
Cyrillic script, not used in Iran. Latin script, official usage in Azerbaijan, not used in Iran.
Other Comments

Different from Takestani [tks] of Iran. Muslim (Shi’a).

Also spoken in:

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