Armenian, Western

A language of Armenia

West Armenian

արեւմտահայերէն‎ (arevmdahayerên)

Total users in all countries: 1,569,580.

Aragatsotn province: Aparan and Talin; Gegharkunik province: Gavar (Muş dialect). Shirak province: Aghin, Akhuryan, Artik, Gyumri (Karin dialect).

Language Maps

5* (Developing).

Indo-European, Armenian

Dialects

Karin, Homshetsi, Muş (Mush).

Language Development

Fully developed.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Armenian, Western

Writing

Armenian script [Armn].

Also spoken in:

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Argentina

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

149,000 in Argentina (2018), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Australia

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

10,200 in Australia (2016 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Australia

Brazil

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

47,000 in Brazil (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Brazil

Bulgaria

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

5,620 in Bulgaria (2011 census).

Location

Major cities.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Bulgaria

Canada

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

33,500 in Canada (2016 census).

Location

Ontario: Ottawa and Toronto; Quebec: Montreal; British Columbia: Vancouver.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Cyprus

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

1,410 in Cyprus (2013 UNSD).

Location

Major cities.

Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Language Use

Shifting to Greek [ell]. Also use Turkish [tur], especially older adults.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Urban population. Christian.

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Egypt

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

6,000 in Egypt (Zohry 2005).

Location

Major cities.

Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Language Use

Shifting to Egyptian Spoken Arabic [arz].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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France

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

70,000 in France (2015 J. Leclerc).

Location

Major cities.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Georgia

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

150,000 in Georgia (2016).

Location

Samtskhe-Javakheti region: Akhalkalaki and Akhaltsikhe; Kvemo Kartli region: Tsalka. Abkhazia region (Hamshen dialect).

Dialects

Karin (Erzurum), Artvin (Artwin), Hamshen.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

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Germany

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

26,800 in Germany (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Greece

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

20,000 in Greece (2007).

Location

Scattered, with largest communities in Attica and Thessaly and Central Greece.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Honduras

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

1,300 in Honduras (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Honduras

Hungary

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

440 in Hungary (2011 census). Ethnic population: 3,290 (2011 census).

Location

Budapest; Pest county.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Iraq

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

70,000 in Iraq (2020).

Location

Al Basrah, Baghdad, Dahuk, Kirkuk, and Ninawa governorates.

Language Status

7 (Shifting). Recognized language (2005, Constitution, Article 4(1)).

Language Use

Many shifting to Northern Kurdish [kmr]. Many also use Mesopotamian Spoken Arabic [acm].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of Iraq

Israel

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

4,300 in Israel (Leclerc 2018a).

Location

Jerusalem.

Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Language Use

Shifting to South Levantine Spoken Arabic [ajp].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of Israel

Jordan

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

10,100 in Jordan (2019).

Location

Widespread.

Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Language Use

Shifting to South Levantine Spoken Arabic [ajp].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

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Kazakhstan

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

16,000 in Kazakhstan (Leclerc 2017e).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Kuwait

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

7,800 in Kuwait (2020 Joshua Project).

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Kuwait

Latvia

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

1,680 in Latvia (2018).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Lebanon

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

336,000 in Lebanon (2020).

Location

Beqaa province: Zahle district, Anjar town; Mont-Liban province: El Metn district, Beirut suburbs Bourj Hammoud and Mezher; other scattered communities; centuries-old established presence, Beirut and Tripoli cities.

Language Status

5* (Developing). De facto language of national identity.

Language Use

All also use North Levantine Spoken Arabic [apc] (Al-Wer 2008).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

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Palestine

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

1,900 in Palestine (2019).

Location

Jerusalem; Ramallah and Al-Bireh: Ramallah.

Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Palestine

Poland

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

2,210 in Poland (2013 UNSD).

Location

Major cities.

Language Status

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

Language Development

There are schools in Warsaw and Krakow that teach Armenian language and culture either on a regular or supplementary basis. Taught as subject in a few secondary schools in Warsaw and Krakow.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Qatar

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

8,500 in Qatar (2019).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Romania

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

740 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 1,360 (2011 census).

Location

Scattered.

Language Status

5* (Developing). Recognized language (2005, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Russian Federation

Language NameArmenian, Western

Location

Rostov province: Myasnikovsky and Yegorlyk districts; Rostov-on-Don city, Proletarsky district.

Dialects

Nor-Nakhichevan.

Language Status

8a (Moribund).

Language Use

Shifted to Russian [rus].

Language Development

Taught in schools in Armenian settlements in Rostov province.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Spain

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

12,100 in Spain (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Sweden

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

1,460 in Sweden (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Syria

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

60,000 in Syria (2019).

Location

Al Ladhiqiyah governorate: Kessab and Latakia; Idlib governorate: Jisr al-Shughur.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

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Tajikistan

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

8,900 in Tajikistan (2017).

Location

Dushanbe province: Dushanbe; Sughd province: Chkalovsk and Khujand; Khatlon province: Qurghorteppa. Small communities in urban areas.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Tajikistan

Turkey

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

67,300 in Turkey (2019). 1,000 monolinguals (1965 census). Ethnic population: 70,000 (1980).

Location

All in Istanbul, except Hatay province: Samandağ district, Vakıflı Köyü village.

Dialects

Hemshin (Hamschen, Hamshen, Hemşince, Homshetsi), Vakıflı. Vakıflı dialect is highly divergent and cannot be fully understood by other Western Armenians.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Language Use

Some of all ages. Also use Turkish [tur].

Language Development

Taught in some primary and secondary schools, as private education available in some larger cities.

Other Comments

Hemshin are Armenian Muslims, living near the Laz [lzz] language area. Christian, Muslim.

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Turkmenistan

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

84,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b), based on ethnicity.

Location

Major cities.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Turkmenistan

Ukraine

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

50,400 in Ukraine (2001 census). Ethnic population: 99,900 (2001 census).

Location

Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Kharkiv regions; Krym, autonomous republic.

Dialects

Crimea (Krim).

Language Status

5* (Developing). Recognized language (2004, Law, Status of Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine, Article 1(5)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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United States

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

238,000 in United States (2015 census).

Location

California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, and New York; 38 other states.

Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Language Use

Many shifting to English [eng].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Uzbekistan

Language NameArmenian, Western

User Population

65,700 in Uzbekistan (2019).

Location

Toshkent City; Samarqand region.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Uzbekistan

Armenian, Western

Primary tabs

A language of Armenia

Also spoken in:

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