Karaim

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A language of Lithuania

ISO 639-3

kdr

Alternate Names

Turkic Karaite

Population

75 in Lithuania (2014 UNSD). Ethnic population: 270. Total users in all countries: 84.

Location

Vilniaus county: Trakai district municipality; scattered in a few other places.

Language Maps

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Language Status

8a (Moribund).

Classification

Turkic, Western, Ponto-Caspian

Dialects

Trakay (Trakai). Reportedly similar to Karachay [krc] and Kumyk [kum].

Language Development

Dictionary. Texts. OT: 1842.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Karaim

Writing

Cyrillic script [Cyrl], used in Crimea. Latin script [Latn], used in Lithuania.

Other Comments

No remaining speakers in Israel. Jewish.

Also spoken in:

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Russian Federation

Language nameKaraim

Population Full

3 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 210 (2010 census).

Alternate Names

Karaite

Status

8b (Nearly extinct).

Language Use

Elderly only.

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Ukraine

Language nameKaraim

Population Full

6 in Ukraine (Salminen 2007). Ethnic population: 1,200 (2001 census).

Location

Lviv region: Luts’k town; Chernivtsi region: Halych town.

Alternate Names

Karaite

Dialects

Karaim, Trakai (Trakay), Halych (Galits).

Status

8b (Nearly extinct). Recognized language (2004, Law, Status of Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine, Article 1(5)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. No speakers remaining in Israel. Lutzk-Halych dialect Russian-English dictionary being compiled (2006 V. Mireyev). Jewish.

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Ethnologue

Karaim

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A language of Lithuania

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