Zazaki, Southern

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A language of Turkey

ISO 639-3
diq
Alternate Names
Dimilî, Southern Zaza, Zaza, Zazaca
Autonym
Dimlî, Zazakî
User Population

1,280,000 (2019), decreasing. 3,000,000–4,000,000 speakers of Southern Zazaki and Northern Zazaki [kiu] in Turkey and other countries (Paul 2009). A few elderly monolinguals.

Location

Bingöl, Diyarbakir, and Elazig provinces: primarily Bingöl, Cermik, Dicle, Egil, Gerger, Palu, and Hani cities.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Zaza-Gorani
Dialects

Sivereki, Kori, Hazzu (Hazo), Motki (Moti), Dumbuli (Dumbeli), Eastern Zazaki (Central Zazaki). Dialects differ slightly, but mutually intelligible. A member of macrolanguage Zaza [zza].

Language Use

In urban areas children still learn only L1 at home. Home, neighborhood, friends. Some young people, all adults. Positive attitudes, increasingly. Most also use Turkish [tur]. Some also use Northern Kurdish [kmr]. Used as L2 by Domari [rmt], Northern Kurdish [kmr].

Language Development

Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 2021.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Zazaki, Southern
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Muslim.