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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Americas > United States > Aleut

Aleut

A language of United States

ISO 639-3: ale

Population  300 in United States (Krauss 1995). Population total all countries: 490. Ethnic population: 1,024 (2000, US census).
Region  Western Aleut on Atka Island (Aleutian Chain); Eastern Aleut on eastern Aleutian Islands, Pribilofs, and Alaskan Peninsula. Also in Russian Federation (Asia).
Language map  United States of America, Alaska and Hawaii
Dialects  Western Aleut (Atkan, Atka, Attuan, Unangany, Unangan), Eastern Aleut (Unalaskan, Pribilof Aleut).
Classification  Eskimo-Aleut, Aleut
Language use  All but 4 can speak English well.
Language development  Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1840–1903.
Writing system  Cyrillic script, Old Church Slavonic variant, no longer in use. Latin script.
Comments  Copper Island Aleut is mixed Aleut-Russian language, or pidgin, spoken on Mednyj Island. Many school texts have been produced.

Also spoken in:

Russian Federation (Asia)

Language name   Aleut
Population  190 in Russian Federation (2002 K. Matsumura); 175 (2002 Russian census). 5 on Bering Island Atkan (Krauss 1995). Ethnic population: 540 (2002 Russian census).
Region  Commander (Komandor) Islands, Bering Island, Nikolskoye settlement.
Language map  Eastern Asian Russia, reference number 1
Alternate names  Unangan, Unangany, Unanghan
Dialects  Beringov (Bering, Atkan).
Language use  Older adults only. Mildly possitive attitude. Most also use Russian.
Language development  Taught in school until the fourth grade.
Comments  From 1820 to 1840 dozens of Aleut families brought from other islands to Komandor Islands. Until 1960s, two villages on Bering and Medny islands. 1950s-1980s children were sent by the state to boarding schools. Christian.