Standard

AM

Republic of Armenia

Armenia

Summary

Official Name
Republic of Armenia
Population
2,964,000
General Remarks
The Armenian province Gegharkunik claims the Artsvashen enclave with Bashkend town, founded by Armenians but lost in the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1984), still surrounded by Azerbaijan
Principal Languages
Armenian
Literacy Rate
100% (2017 UNESCO)
International Conventions
CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), ECRML (1992), FCPNM (1998), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References
Campbell and King 2011
Deaf Population
3,500
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Armenia is 11. All are living languages. Of these, 6 are indigenous and 5 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 4 are developing, 1 is vigorous, 1 is in trouble, and 2 are dying. Also listed is 1 unestablished language.

Languages

Armenian hye
Widespread. Users: 2,960,000 in Armenia (2013 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 3,849,000. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Constitution, Article 12). Alternate Names: Armjanski Yazyk, Eastern Armenian, Ena, Ermeni Dili, Ermenice, Haieren, Somkhuri Autonym: հայերեն‎ (Hayeren) Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
Armenian Sign Language aen
Scattered. Users: 3,150 (2008 WFD). Approximately 0.1% of total population. Another estimate: 16,000 (2021 IMB). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: ArSL, Hayeren žesteri lezow, HŽL Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Armenian, Western hyw
Aragatsotn province: Aparan and Talin; Gegharkunik province: Gavar (Muş dialect). Shirak province: Aghin, Akhuryan, Artik, Gyumri (Karin dialect). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: West Armenian Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic aii
Yerevan province: scattered. Users: 2,700 in Armenia (Leclerc 2017a). Ethnic population: 15,000. Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Aisorski, Assyriski, Sooreth Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern
Azerbaijani, North azj
Scattered. Users: No known L1 speakers in Armenia. Ethnic population: 30 (2001 census). Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Azerbaydzhani, Azeri Turk, Turkler Classification: Turkic, Southern, Azerbaijani
Erzya myv
Scattered. Users: 500 in Armenia (Leclerc 2017a). Status: 5* (Developing). Classification: Uralic, Mordvin
French fra
Scattered. Users: 10,000 in Armenia (Marcoux et al 2022), L2 users. Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Kurdish, Northern kmr
Aragatsotn province: Talin town; Ararat Province: Artashat and Masis towns; Armavir province: Echmiadzin; Gegharkunik province: southeastern coast, Lake Sevan; Kotayk province: Abovian area; Shirak and Lori provinces; other main towns and cities. Users: 31,000 in Armenia (2013 UNSD). Status: 4 (Educational). Alternate Names: Ezdiki, Kurmanji Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish
Lomavren rmi
Ararat, Gegharkunik, Syunik, and Vayots Dzor provinces. Users: 50 in Armenia (Leclerc 2017a). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Armenian Bosa, Armenian Bosha, Boša, Bosha, Lom, Posha Classification: Mixed language, Armenian-Romani
Romanian ron
Users: 1,200 in Armenia (Leclerc 2017a). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern
Russian rus
Widespread. Users: 1,613,500 in Armenia, all users. L1 users: 23,500 in Armenia (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 1,590,000 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
Russian Sign Language rsl
Scattered. Status: 5* (Developing). Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language

Languages by Status

    Armenian
    [hye] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Constitution, Article 12). 2,960,000 in Armenia (2013 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 3,849,000.
    French
    [fra] 4 (Educational). 10,000 in Armenia (Marcoux et al 2022), L2 users.
    Kurdish, Northern
    [kmr] 4 (Educational). 31,000 in Armenia (2013 UNSD).
    Russian
    [rus] 5* (Dispersed). 1,613,500 in Armenia, all users. L1 users: 23,500 in Armenia (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 1,590,000 (2011 census).
    Armenian, Western
    [hyw] 5* (Developing).
    Erzya
    [myv] 5* (Developing). 500 in Armenia (Leclerc 2017a).
    Russian Sign Language
    [rsl] 5* (Developing).
    Armenian Sign Language
    [aen] 6a (Vigorous). 3,150 (2008 WFD). Approximately 0.1% of total population. Another estimate: 16,000 (2021 IMB).
    Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
    [aii] 7 (Shifting). 2,700 in Armenia (Leclerc 2017a). Ethnic population: 15,000.
    Lomavren
    [rmi] 8a (Moribund). 50 in Armenia (Leclerc 2017a).
    Azerbaijani, North
    [azj] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 speakers in Armenia. Ethnic population: 30 (2001 census).
    Romanian
    [ron] Unestablished. 1,200 in Armenia (Leclerc 2017a).

Maps

  • Armenia

Graphs

  • Language Vitality Profile

  • Language Status Profile

Resources

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    Digest of the languages of Armenia ($149.95, 22 page PDF)