Kumyk

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A language of Russian Federation

ISO 639-3
kum
Alternate Names
Kumuk, Kumuklar, Kumyki, Qumuqlar
Autonym
Къумукъ‎ (Qumuq)
User Population

426,000 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 503,000 (2010 census), 432,000 of these are reported to live in Dagestan. Total users in all countries: 427,600.

Location

Chechnya republic, Gudermes district east to the Grozny region; Dagestan republic: north and east plain; North Ossetia-Alania republic, Mozdok district.

Language Maps
Language Status

5* (Developing). Provincially recognized language in Dagestan Autonomous Republic (1994, Constitution of Dagestan Autonomous Republic, Article 10).

Classification
Turkic, Western, Ponto-Caspian
Dialects

Khasavyurt, Buinaksk, Khaitag, Podgorniy, Terek. Dialects quite divergent.

Language Use

Also use Russian [rus]. Used as L2 by Avar [ava], Chechen [che], Dargwa [dar], Lak [lbe], Nogai [nog].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Higher where majority speak Kumyk. Literacy rate in L2: High in Russian [rus]. Taught as subject in primary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. Dictionary. NT: 2007.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kumyk
Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab], used until 1928. Cyrillic script [Cyrl], used since 1937, primary usage. Latin script [Latn], used between 1927–1937 with a resurgence of use in 2015.

Other Comments

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Kumyk was the lingua franca in most of the northern Caucasus. Kumyk became the official language of the Dagestan Socialist Republic in 1927. Kumyk was spoken by the entire population of Dagestan and was used as a medium of communication with Russians (2021 G. Peler). Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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