Ainu

Print

Primary tabs

A language of China

ISO 639-3
aib
Alternate Names
Aini, Aynu, Ejnu, Eynu, Šäyxil, “Abdal” (pej.)
User Population

12,000 (Shearer and Sun 2017).

Location

Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region: Hetian, Luopu, Moyu, Shache, Shulekuche, and Yingjisha counties; Yengixar (Shule) town, Hanalik and Paynap villages in Kashgar area, and Gewoz village near Hoban.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened). Language of recognized nationality: Uygur.

Classification
Turkic, Eastern
Dialects

Has the same grammar as Uyghur [uig] but much Persian [pes] vocabulary. Some consider it a dialect of Uyghur, others an Iranian language heavily influenced by Uyghur.

Typology

SOV; noun head initial; classifiers follow numerals; inflectional language; case-marking (6 cases); voice; tense and aspect; causatives; 21 consonants and 13 vowels.

Language Use

Home. Some young people, all adults. Also use Uyghur [uig], with outsiders.

Language Development

Dictionary.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Ainu
Other Comments

Do not intermarry with ethnic Uyghur. Ainu [ain] in Japan is a different, unrelated language. Muslim.