Kabardian

A language of Russian Federation

East Circassian, Eastern Adyghe, Eastern Circassian, Highland Adyghe, Kabard, Kabardin, Kabardino-Cherkes, Kabardo-Cherkess, Kabardo-Cherkessian, Upper Adyghe, Upper Circassian

Autonym

Къэбэрдей Адыгэбзэ‎ (Qăbărdey Adəgăbză)

User Population

516,000 in Russian Federation (2010 census). 36,700 monolinguals (2002 census). Ethnic population: 590,000 (2010 census). Total users in all countries: 1,885,800.

Location

Kabardino-Balkar republic, North Ossetia-Alania republic, Stavropol krai.

Language Maps

Southwestern Russian Federation

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Classification

Abkhaz-Adyghe, Circassian

Dialects

Greater Kabardian, Baksan, Lesser Kabardian, Malka, Mozdok, Kuban, Beslenei (Beslenej, Besleney), Terek. Similar to Adyghe [ady].

Language Development

Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1993–2007.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Kabardian

Writing

Cyrillic script [Cyrl].

Other Comments

The ethnonym ‘Adyghe’ is synonymous with Circassian and encompasses both Kabardian (Eastern Adyghe or Eastern Circassian) and Adyghe [ady] (Western Adyghe or Western Circassian). Muslim.

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Germany

Language NameKabardian

User Population

14,000 in Germany (2005 Circassian Association).

Location

Scattered.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

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Jordan

Language NameKabardian

User Population

121,000 in Jordan (2019).

Location

‘Amman, Az-Zarqa’, and Jarash governorates; Russeifa and Sweileh urban areas near the capital.

Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

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Saudi Arabia

Language NameKabardian

User Population

26,500 in Saudi Arabia (2018), based on ethnicity.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Syria

Language NameKabardian

User Population

34,800 in Syria (2019).

Location

Dimashq governorate; Damascus, Aleppo, possibly other cities.

Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

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Turkey

Language NameKabardian

User Population

1,170,000 in Turkey (2019 Circassian Association).

Location

Kayseri province: Uzun Yayla plateau east of Kayseri city; Corum, Duzce, Eskisehir, Kahramanmarash, and Samsun provinces: scattered.

Dialects

Besleney.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Language Use

Of all Circassian groups, the Kabardians have retained the language the best and there are active measures to increase its vitality and to resist assimilation (2016). Some young people, all adults. In some families, Kabardian is being passed from parents to children and is used at home (2016). Used as L2 by Abaza [abq].

Language Development

Taught in some primary schools in grades 5–8, as an elective, in the main Kabardian centers of Kayseri and Marash.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

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United States

Language NameKabardian

User Population

3,500 in United States (2005 Circassian Association), including Adyghe [ady] speakers.

Location

California: Orange county; New Jersey: Paterson.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

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Kabardian

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A language of Russian Federation

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