Gilaki

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A language of Iran

ISO 639-3
glk
Alternate Names
Gelaki, Gilani, Guilaki, Guilani
Autonym
گیلکی‎ (Gīlakī)
User Population

2,490,000 (2019), decreasing. 2,000 Galeshi. Ethnic population: 4,480,000 (2019).

Location

Gilan province: coast south of Caspian and Talish sea.

Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Caspian
Dialects

Galeshi (Rural Deylami), Rashti, Rudbari (Urban Deylami), Some’e Sarai, Lahijani, Langerudi, Rudsari, Bandar Anzali, Fumani. Reportedly similar to Mâzanderâni [mzn].

Typology

SOV; case-marking (3 cases); 22 consonant and 9 vowel phonemes.

Language Use

Home, market, work. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Iranian Persian [pes].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: High in Persian [pes]. Taught as subject in some secondary schools; maximum 2 hours per week on Gilaki culture and literature. Literature. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 2012.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Gilaki
Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Arabic script, Nastaliq variant [Aran].

Other Comments

Heavy influence from Farsi. Muslim.