gld ISO 639
Нанай (Nanaj) Autonyms
Nanai
Visualizations
A language of Russian Federation
- ISO 639
- gld
- Alternate Names
- Gold, Goldi, Heche, Hezhe, Hezhen, Nanaj
- Autonym
- Нанай (Nanaj)
- Population
- 1,350 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 12,000 (2010 census). Total users in all countries: 1,390.
- Location
- Khabarovsk krai: extreme far east, confluence of Amur and Ussuri rivers, scattered in Ussuri valley, Sikhote-Alin, centered in Amur valley below.
- Language Maps
- China, Eastern Russian Federation
- Language Status
- 8a (Moribund).
- Classification
- Tungusic, Southern, Southeast, Nanaj
- Dialects
- Sunggari, Torgon, Kuro-Urmi, Ussuri, Akani, Birar, Kila, Samagir. Quite distinct dialects.
- Language Use
- Severely endangered. Older adults only. Mixed attitudes, from negative to mildly positive. Motivated to use Russian [rus]. Those under 40 consider Nanai unhelpful in life. Older generation pessimistic about possibility of preservation. Shifted to Russian [rus]. Some also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn], especially elderly.
- Language Development
- Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 1884–2002.
- Writing
- Cyrillic script [Cyrl].
- Other Comments
- Traditional religion.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Nanai
Also Spoken in
- Location
- Northeast corner of Heilongjiang Province, near merge of Heilong, Songhua, and Wusuli rivers, Tongjiang county, Bacha and Jiejinkou villages; Raohe county, Sipai village.
- Dialects
- Qileng (Kilen, Kili, Kirin, Qile’en), Sungari.
- Language Status
- 8b (Nearly extinct)
- Language Use
- Religion. Elderly only. Negative attitudes. People have lost hope that it will survive. All shifted to Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L2: 97% (2000 census, Hezhe nationality).
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Formerly called Sushen. Traditional religion, Buddhist. View other languages of China
Language Name
Nanai
User Population
40 in China (Salminen 2007). About half speak Sungari dialect, half speak Nanai proper (Salminen 2007). Ethnic population: 5,350 (2010 census).
