| Population |
8,400,000 in China (2000 census). Most are monolingual. 4,700,000 Central Uyghur, 1,150,000 Hotan, 25,000 Lop. Population total all countries: 8,788,690. |
| Region |
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Also in Afghanistan, Australia, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Turkey (Asia), United States, Uzbekistan. |
| Language map |
China
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| Alternate names |
Uighuir, Uighur, Uiguir, Uigur, Uygur, Weiwuer, Wiga |
| Dialects |
Central Uyghur, Hotan (Hetian), Lop (Luobu). The Akto Türkmen speak a dialect of Uyghur with 500 different seldom-used words. There are 2,000 in 2 villages, Kösarap and Oytak in Akto County, south of Kashgar, Xinjiang. Dolan is a dialect spoken around the fringes of the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang. Chinese linguists recognize 3 dialects. Others have used the following dialect names: Kashgar-Yarkand (Kashi-Shache), Yengi Hissar (Yengisar), Khotan-Kerya (Hotan-Yutian), Charchan (Qarqan, Qiemo), Aksu (Aqsu), Qarashahr (Karaxahar), Kucha (Kuqa), Turfan (Turpan), Kumul (Hami), Ili (Kulja, Yining, Taranchi), Urumqi (Urumchi), Lopnor (Lopnur), Dolan, Akto Türkmen. There are significant dialect differences between China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. |
| Classification |
Altaic, Turkic, Eastern |
| Language use |
Official regional language. Widely used in print media in Kashgar. Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Positive attitude. Young people and intellectuals also use Chinese [cmn]; a few also use English or Russian. |
| Language development |
Literacy rate in L2: 91%. Literacy based on Central Uyghur as spoken in the area between Yili (Ili) and Urumqi. Newspapers. Radio programs. TV. Grammar. Bible: 1950. |
| Writing system |
Arabic script, used in Afghanistan. Cyrillic script, used in Kazakhstan. Latin script, used in Turkey. |
| Comments |
Most classified as Uyghur nationality; other official nationalities, such as Kyrghyz, also speak Uyghur. Those in the north are more influenced by modern Chinese culture. SOV; postpositions; genitives, adjectives, numerals, relatives before noun heads; question words initial; a few prefixes; 3 suffixes on nouns; 6 suffixes on verbs; word order distinguishes subjects and indirect objects, topic and comment; 8 noun cases shown by suffixes; verb suffixes mark subject person, number, 2nd person marks plural and 3 levels of respect; passive, reflexive, reciprocal and causative; comparatives; CV, CVC, CVCC syllables; nontonal. Agriculturalists: grain, fruit, grapes, vegetables, cotton; traders; craftsmen; animal husbandry. Muslim (Sunni). |
