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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Armenia > Armenian

Armenian

A language of Armenia

ISO 639-3: hye

Population	3,140,000 in Armenia (2001 census). Population total all countries: 6,376,520.
Region	Widespread. Also in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Palestinian West Bank and Gaza, Romania, Russian Federation (Europe), Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey (Europe), Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan.
Alternate names	Armjanski Yazyk, Ena, Ermeni Dili, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri
Dialects	Eastern Armenian, Erevan (Eriwan), Tbilisi (Tiflis), Karabagh, Shamakhi (Schamachi), Astrakhan (Astrachan), Dzhulfa (Dschugha, Dschulfa), Agulis, Khvoy-Salmst (Choi-Salmst), Urmia-Maragheh (Urmia-Maragha), Artvin (Artwin), Karin (Erzurum, Erzerum), Mus (Musch), Van (Wan), Tigranakert (Diyarbakir, Diarbekir), Kharberd (Charberd, Erzincan, Erzenka), Shabin-Karahissar (Schabin-Karahissar), Trabzon (Trapezunt), Hamshen (Hamschen), Malatya (Malatia), Kilikien, Syria (Syrien), Arabkir, Ararat, Akn, Sebaste, Ewdokia (Tokat), Smyrna (Izmir), North Komedia, Constantinople (Konstantinopel, Istanbul), Rodosto, Crimea (Krim), Ashkharik. Dialects in all countries reportedly inherently intelligible. Eastern Armenian (4,341,000) in Armenia and its Turkish and Iranian borderlands; Western Armenian (879,612) used elsewhere and only understood by some in Iran. In Syria, people in Kessaberen (northeastern mountain village of Kessab) and Musa Dagh village (now relocated to Lebanon) speak related varieties which other Western Armenian speakers do not understand. Most Kessaberen users now learn Western Armenian. Western (Turkish) Armenian and Ararat (Russian) are easily intelligible.
Classification	Indo-European, Armenian
Language use	National language. 91% of the ethnic group in former USSR spoke it as L1 (1979 census). All ages. Also use Russian.
Language development	Fully developed. Bible: 1883–1994.
Writing system	Armenian script.
Comments	Users refer to it as Haieren. SVO. Christian.

Also spoken in:

Azerbaijan

Language name	Armenian
Population	152,000 in Azerbaijan.
Region	Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Language map	Azerbaijan
Alternate names	Armjanski, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri
Dialects	Western Armenian.
Comments	Christian, Monophysite.

Cyprus

Language name	Armenian
Population	2,740 in Cyprus (1987).
Alternate names	Armjanski, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri
Dialects	Western Armenian.
Language use	Most also use Greek [ell]. Elderly also use Turkish [tur].
Comments	Urban population. Christian.

Hungary

Language name	Armenian
Population	290 in Hungary (2001 census).

Iran

Language name	Armenian
Population	171,000 in Iran (1993).
Region	Northern Iran, Azerbaijan provinces, Khoi, Shahpur, Ahar, Tabriz, Tehran, Esfahan, Shiraz areas.
Alternate names	Armani, Armjanski, Erâmani, Ermenice, Haieren, Somekhuri
Dialects	Eastern Armenian, Agulis, Astrakhân, Jolfâ (Dzhulfa), Karabagh Shamakhi, Khoi-Salmst (Khvoy), Urmia-Maragheh.
Language use	Vigorous. Home, church, school. All ages. Also use Western Farsi [pes] or South Azerbaijani [azb].
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: 80%. Taught in Armenian private schools.
Comments	Merchants. Christian.

Iraq

Language name	Armenian
Population	60,000 in Iraq.
Dialects	Western Armenian.
Comments	Christian.

Israel

Language name	Armenian
Population	3,000 in Israel (1971).
Region	Jerusalem.
Alternate names	Armjanski, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri
Dialects	Western Armenian.
Language use	Also use South Levantine Arabic [ajp].
Comments	The Eastern Armenian dialect of Armenian [hye] is spoken in Armenia, Turkey, and Iran; the Western dialect of Armenian [hye] in other countries, including Israel. Christian.

Jordan

Language name	Armenian
Population	8,000 in Jordan (1971).
Language map
Dialects	Western Armenian.
Comments	Christian.

Lebanon

Language name	Armenian
Population	235,000 in Lebanon (1986).
Alternate names	Armanski, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri
Dialects	Western Armenian.
Language use	Language of wider communication.
Comments	‘Haieren’ is their self name. Christian.

Syria

Language name	Armenian
Population	320,000 in Syria (1993).
Language map	Jordan and Syria
Alternate names	Armjanski, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri
Dialects	Western Armenian.
Language use	Language of wider communication.
Comments	Christian.

Turkey (Europe)

Language name	Armenian
Population	40,000 in Turkey (1980). 1,022 monolinguals (1965 census). Ethnic population: 70,000 in Turkey (1980).
Region	Many in Istanbul; and scattered in east Turkey. The Hemshin (Hamshen) are Armenian Muslims, living near the Laz [lzz].
Alternate names	Armjanski, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri
Dialects	Eastern Armenian.
Language use	Also use Turkish [tur].
Comments	Christian.