Languages of Azerbaijan
See language map.[See also SIL publications on the languages of Azerbaijan.]
Azerbaijan. 8,352,000. National or official language: North Azerbaijani. Literacy rate: 98%. Immigrant languages: Assyrian Neo-Aramaic (1,230), Belarusian (5,210), Dargwa (860), Erzya (1,150), Karachay-Balkar (180), Lak (1,210), Lishán Didán (100), Lomavren, Osetin (2,520), Polish (1,260), Pontic, Romanian (1,400), Russian (475,000), South Azerbaijani (248,000), Tabassaran (280), Tatar (31,800), Turkish (18,000), Ukrainian (32,000), Western Farsi (1,200). Information mainly from T. Sebeok 1963; A. Grjunberg 1963; Q. Voroshil 1972; A. Kibrik 1991. The number of individual languages listed for Azerbaijan is 16. Of those, all are living languages.
| Armenian | [hye]
152,000 in Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Alternate names: Armjanski, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri.
Dialects: Western Armenian.
Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
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| Avar | [ava]
44,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census). Northwest, Zaqatala and Balakan regions.
Alternate names: Avaro, Dagestani.
Dialects: Zaqatala (Zakataly, Char).
Classification: North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Avar-Andic, Avar
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| Azerbaijani, North | [azj]
6,100,000 in Azerbaijan (2007). 4,000,000 monolinguals. Population total all countries: 7,473,270. Ethnic population: 6,224,490. Also in Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation (Asia), Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
Alternate names: Azerbaijan, Azerbaydzhani, Azeri Turk.
Dialects: Quba, Derbend, Baku, Shamakhi, Salyan, Lenkaran, Qazakh, Airym, Borcala, Terekeme, Qyzylbash, Nukha, Zaqatala (Mugaly), Qabala, Yerevan, Nakhchivan, Ordubad, Ganja, Shusha (Karabakh), Karapapak. Slight dialect differences. Qazakh is not related to Kazakh [kaz]. Significant differences from South Azerbaijani [azb] in phonology, lexicon, morphology, syntax, and loanwords.
Classification: Altaic, Turkic, Southern, Azerbaijani
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| Budukh | [bdk]
1,000 (1990). Ethnic population: 1,000 (1990 A. Kibrik). Quba region.
Alternate names: Budug, Budugi, Budux, Bukukhi.
Dialects: Budukh, Yergyuch.
Classification: North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Lezgic, Nuclear Lezgic, South Lezgic
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| Georgian | [kat]
16,300 in Azerbaijan (2000).
Classification: Kartvelian, Georgian
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| Judeo-Tat | [jdt]
24,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census). Northeast, Quba region, Baku, and Derbent (Russian Federation).
Alternate names: Bik, Dzhuhuric, Jewish Tat, Judeo-Tatic, Juhuri, Juwri.
Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Tat
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| Khalaj | [kjf]
Population total all countries: 42,100. Also in Iran.
Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern
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| Khinalugh | [kjj]
1,500. Quba.
Alternate names: Khinalug, Khinalugi, Xinalug.
Dialects: The most divergent Lezgian (Lezgic) language.
Classification: North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Khinalugh
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| Kryts | [kry]
6,000 (1975 SIL). Quba.
Alternate names: Dzek, Dzhek, Dzheki, Katsy, Kryc, Kryz, Kryzy.
Dialects: Kryts, Dzhek, Xaput (Khaput), Yergyudzh, Alyk. Dialects quite distinct; perhaps separate languages.
Classification: North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Lezgic, Nuclear Lezgic, South Lezgic
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| Kurdish, Northern | [kmr]
20,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census). Basargechar, Minkend, Kubatly, Zangelan, especially Kelbajar and Lachin. Many displaced.
Alternate names: Kurdî, Kurmancî, Kurmanji.
Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish
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| Lezgi | [lez]
364,000 in Azerbaijan (2007). Qusar and Zachmaz provinces, near Russian Federation border on the northeast; southern slopes of main Caucasus chain.
Alternate names: Kiurinty, Lezghi, Lezgian, Lezgin.
Dialects: Quba.
Classification: North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Lezgic, Nuclear Lezgic, East Lezgic
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| Rutul | [rut]
110 in Azerbaijan. Ethnic population: 885 (1989 census).
Classification: North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Lezgic, Nuclear Lezgic, West Lezgic
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| Talysh | [tly]
800,000 in Azerbaijan (1996). Population total all countries: 914,550. Caspian coast south of Viliazh-Chai River. May be in Central Asia and Siberia. Also in Iran, Russian Federation (Asia).
Alternate names: Talesh, Talish, Talyshi.
Dialects: Astara, Lenkoran, Lerik, Massali. Northern Talyshi in Azerbaijan and Iran. Dialects in Azerbaijan are similar. Dialects in Iran may be separate languages. Similar to Harzani [hrz].
Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Talysh
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| Tat, Muslim | [ttt]
18,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census). Population total all countries: 28,300. Ethnic population: 22,041 in Azerbaijan (1990 A. Kibrik). Widelspread in the mountainous area around Qonaqkend, but may be declining around Baku. Also in Iran, Russian Federation (Europe).
Alternate names: Muslim Tat, Mussulman Tati, Tati.
Dialects: Quba, Devechi, Qonaqkend, Qyzyl Qazma, Aruskush-Daqqushchu (Khyzy), Absheron, Balakhani, Surakhani, Lahyj, Malham. Difficult intelligibility of Judeo-Tat [jdt]. Similar to Farsi [pes]. Balakhani are recent exiles from Iran, and their language is very similar to Farsi. The Lahyj dialect may be a separate language.
Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Tat
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| Tsakhur | [tkr]
13,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census). Population total all countries: 22,843. Ethnic population: 13,318 in Azerbaijan (1989 census). Northwest. Also in Russian Federation (Europe), Uzbekistan.
Alternate names: Caxur, Sakhur, Tsakhury, Tsaxur.
Classification: North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Lezgic, Nuclear Lezgic, West Lezgic
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| Udi | [udi]
4,200 in Azerbaijan (1995). Population total all countries: 8,440. Oghuz town, Qabala, Nic, and Mirzabeyli villages. Also in Georgia, Russian Federation (Asia), Turkmenistan.
Alternate names: Udin, Uti.
Dialects: Oghuz (Vartashen), Nidzh (Nij, Nic, Nizh), Oktomberi. Oktomberi dialect is more different from Nic Udi than Oghuz Udi is. One of the most divergent Lezgian (Lezgic) languages.
Classification: North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Lezgic, Udi
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