Russian

A language of Russian Federation

ISO 639-3

Autonym

русский язык‎ (russkij jazyk)

Population

138,000,000 in Russian Federation (Arefyev 2012), all users. 119,000,000 (Arefyev 2012). Total users in all countries: 267,912,330 (as L1: 153,612,510; as L2: 113,273,820).

Language Maps

China

Georgia

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Western Russia, Enlarged Area

Ukraine

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1993, Constitution, Article 68(1)).

Classification

Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East

Dialects

North Russian, South Russian.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; genitives after noun heads; adjectives, numerals before noun heads; question word initial; 1 prefix on a word; recursive addition of suffixes allowed; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); no articles; case-marking (6 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense and aspect; comparatives; 32 consonants, 5 vowels, 4 diphthongs; non-tonal; free stress.

Language Development

Fully developed. Bible: 1680–2011.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Russian

Writing

Braille script [Brai]. Cyrillic script [Cyrl], primary usage.

Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Azerbaijan

Language nameRussian

Population

4,882,000 in Azerbaijan, all users. 122,000 (2011 UNSD). 4,760,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Rutul [rut], Udi [udi].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Azerbaijan

Belarus

Language nameRussian

Population

6,978,000 in Belarus, all users. 6,670,000 (2011 census). Russian [rus] is spoken by most of the population in Belarus as their L1. 308,000 (Arefyev 2012). Ethnic population: 785,000 (2009 census).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1998, Languages Act, Article 2(1)).

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China

Language nameRussian

Population

700,000 in China (Arefyev 2012), all users. 2,940 (Shearer and Sun 2002). Ethnic population: 15,600 (2000 census).

Location

Heilongjiang province: Heihe; Nei Mongol Autonomous Region: E’erguna Enhe Russian autonomous district, Hulunbeier banner; Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region: Changji, Karamay (Kelamayi), Tacheng, and Urumqi; Yili prefecture, Yi’ning.

Alternate Names

Eluosi, Olossu, Russ

Status

5 (Dispersed). Language of recognized nationality: Russian.

Language Use

Neutral attitudes. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn], Uyghur [uig]. Used as L2 by Korean [kor], Mandarin Chinese [cmn], Oroqen [orh], Uyghur [uig], Xibe [sjo].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 96% in any language for Russian nationality (2000 census).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of China

Estonia

Language nameRussian

Population

1,108,000 in Estonia, all users. 383,000 (2013 UNSD). 725,000 (European Commission 2012). Ethnic population: 321,000 (2011 census).

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Baltic Romani [rml], Standard Estonian [ekk].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Estonia

Georgia

Language nameRussian

Population

2,735,000 in Georgia, all users. 405,000 (2014). 2,330,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Assyrian Neo-Aramaic [aii], Svan [sva].

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Israel

Language nameRussian

Population

1,000,000 in Israel (Arefyev 2012), all users. 750,000 (1999 H. Mutzafi).

Location

Hefa, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv districts: Haifa, Jerusalem.

Alternate Names

Russit

Status

5 (Dispersed).

Language Use

Also use Hebrew [heb].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Jewish.

View other languages of Israel

Kazakhstan

Language nameRussian

Population

18,950,000 in Kazakhstan, all users. 3,750,000 (2009 census). 15,200,000 (2001 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 3,790,000 (2009 census).

Location

Widespread.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Constitution, Article 7(2)).

View other languages of Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Language nameRussian

Population

2,825,000 in Kyrgyzstan, all users. 525,000 (2014). 2,300,000 (Arefyev 2012). Ethnic population: 420,000 (2009 census).

Location

Ysyk-Kol region: Lake Ysyk Kol area; widespread.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2010, Constitution, Article 10(2)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of Kyrgyzstan

Latvia

Language nameRussian

Population

2,058,000 in Latvia, all users. 668,000 (2015). 1,390,000 (European Commission 2012).

Alternate Names

Krievu

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Latgalian [ltg].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian, Jewish.

View other languages of Latvia

Lithuania

Language nameRussian

Population

2,648,000 in Lithuania, all users. 218,000 (2014 UNSD). 2,430,000 (European Commission 2012).

Alternate Names

Rusijos

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Language Use

Used as L2 by Lithuanian [lit].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of Lithuania

Moldova

Language nameRussian

Population

1,831,000 in Moldova, all users. 381,000 (2009 UNSD). 1,450,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Moldova

Mongolia

Language nameRussian

Population

1,200,000 in Mongolia, all users. 5,000 (2015). 1,195,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Location

Scattered.

Alternate Names

Okhu-in

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. ‘Mectny Oros’, permanent Russian residents. Widely taught in schools and higher education.

View other languages of Mongolia

Poland

Language nameRussian

Population

6,961,900 in Poland, all users. 21,900 (2013 UNSD). 6,940,000 (European Commission 2012).

Alternate Names

Rosyjski

Status

5 (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Slovenia

Language nameRussian

Population

30,000 in Slovenia (Arefyev 2012), all users.

Status

5 (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Tajikistan

Language nameRussian

Population

40,600 (2012 UNSD). Ethnic population: 34,800 (2010 census).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Rusija

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language, no longer language of record in higher levels of government.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Tajiki [tgk], Yagnobi [yai].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Language nameRussian

Population

900,000 in Turkmenistan (Arefyev 2012), all users. 637,000 (2015 World Factbook).

Location

Ashgabat and other urban centers.

Status

5 (Dispersed).

Language Use

Used as L2 by Turkmen [tuk].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. No longer consistently used for interethnic communciation.

View other languages of Turkmenistan

Ukraine

Language nameRussian

Population

39,100,000 in Ukraine, all users. 14,300,000 (2003 UNSD). 24,800,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Location

Widespread, particularly in east and south.

Alternate Names

Rosiysʹkyy

Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Autonomous Republic of Crimea (2009, No. 1167-VI, Autonomous Republic Crimea Republic Constitution (amended), Articles 10-13).

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Uzbekistan

Language nameRussian

Population

11,800,000 in Uzbekistan (Arefyev 2012), all users. 4,070,000 (2014 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 1,600,000 (2014 World Factbook).

Location

Widespread, mostly urban communities.

Alternate Names

Rossiya

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Karakalpak [kaa], Northern Uzbek [uzn].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Uzbekistan

Ethnologue

Russian

Primary tabs

A language of Russian Federation

Also spoken in:

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