Buriat, Russia

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A language of Russian Federation

ISO 639-3
bxr
Alternate Names
Buriat-Mongolian, Buryat, Northern Mongolian
Population

219,000 (2010 census). Ethnic population: 461,000 (2010 census).

Location

Republic of Buryatiya, Irkutskaya Oblast’, Zabaykalsky; Siberia, east of Lake Baikal, bordering on Mongolia.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing). Statutory language of provincial identity in Buriat Republic (1993, Constitution, Article 68(2)).

Classification
Mongolic, Eastern, Oirat-Khalkha, Khalkha-Buriat, Buriat
Dialects

Ekhirit-Bulagat, Selengin, Unga, Ninzne-Udinsk, Barguzin, Tunka, Oka, Alar, Bohaan, Bokhan. Less influenced by Russian [rus] east of Lake Baikal; more similar to Mongolia. Literary dialect differs considerably from those in Mongolia and China, which are influenced by other languages. Khori is the main dialect in the Russian Federation. Speakers in Russian Federation appear to understand each other well. A member of macrolanguage Buriat [bua].

Language Use

Children in rural areas usually learn Buriat, but in cities Russian [rus] is often spoken even between Buriat speakers (Salminen 2007). Home, community. All ages. Neutral attitudes. Most also use Russian [rus], especially younger people in the cities. Used as L2 by Evenki [evn].

Language Development
Those on both sides of Lake Baikal are fully literate in the literary variety. Newspapers. Bible: 1846.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Buriat, Russia
Writing

Cyrillic script [Cyrl].

Other Comments

Heavily influenced by Russian [rus]. Buddhist, traditional religion.

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