Karaim

A language of Lithuania

Lashon kedar, Turkic Karaite

Autonym

Karaj Tili

User Population

75 in Lithuania (2014 UNSD). Ethnic population: 270. Total users in all countries: 84.

Location

Vilniaus county: Trakai district municipality; scattered in a few other places.

Language Maps

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Language Status

8a (Moribund).

Classification

Turkic, Western, Ponto-Caspian

Dialects

Trakay (Trakai). Reportedly similar to Karachay [krc] and Kumyk [kum].

Language Use

Shifted to Lithuanian [lit].

Language Development

Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. OT: 1842.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Karaim

Writing

Cyrillic script [Cyrl], used in Crimea. Latin script [Latn], used in Lithuania.

Other Comments

No remaining speakers in Israel. Jewish.

Also spoken in:

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Russian Federation

Language NameKaraim

User Population

3 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 210 (2010 census).

Alternate Names

Karaite

Language Status

8b (Nearly extinct).

Language Use

Elderly only. Shifted to Russian [rus].

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Ukraine

Language NameKaraim

User Population

6 in Ukraine (Salminen 2007). Ethnic population: 1,200 (2001 census).

Location

Lviv region: Luts’k town; Chernivtsi region: Halych town.

Alternate Names

Karaite

Dialects

Karaim, Trakai (Trakay), Halych (Galits).

Language Status

8b (Nearly extinct). Recognized language (2004, Law, Status of Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine, Article 1(5)).

Language Use

Shifted to Ukrainian [ukr].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. No speakers remaining in Israel. Lutzk-Halych dialect Russian-English dictionary being compiled (2006 V. Mireyev). Jewish.

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Karaim

Primary tabs

A language of Lithuania

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