xal ISO 639

хальмг келн‎ (Xaľmg keln) Autonyms

Kalmyk-Oirat

  • Geography

    RU Kalmykia republic; Astrakhan province; and Stavropol krai; Volga-Don steppes northwest of the Caspian, north of the Caucasus. West Kalmykia republic (Dörböt dialect); east, lower Volga region, Astrakhan province (Torgut dialect).
  • Language Cloud

A language of Russian Federation

xal
European Oirat, Kalmack, Kalmuck, Kalmuk, Kalmytskii Jazyk, Khalli, Oirat, Qalmaq, Volga Oirat, Western Mongolian
хальмг келн‎ (Xaľmg keln)
80,500 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 183,000 (2010 census). Total users in all countries: 431,800.
Kalmykia republic; Astrakhan province; and Stavropol krai; Volga-Don steppes northwest of the Caspian, north of the Caucasus. West Kalmykia republic (Dörböt dialect); east, lower Volga region, Astrakhan province (Torgut dialect).
China, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Mongolia, Western Russian Federation
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Republic of Kalmykia (1999, Law on the Languages of the Republic of Kalmykia, Article 3), Co-official with Russian.
Mongolic, Eastern, Oirat-Khalkha, Oirat-Kalmyk-Darkhat
Buzawa, Oirat (Oyrat), Torgut (Torghoud, Torghud, Torguud, Torguut), Dörböt (Derbet, Dörbet, Dörböd). Diverged from other Mongolian languages. Called Kalmyk in the Russian Federation; Oirat in China and Mongolia; in the United States, Kalmyk not heavily influenced by Russian [rus]. Different from other varieties in China called Oirat [xal], which are sometimes called Asiatic Oirat. In Mongolia, some scholars consider Oirat to be a dialect of Halh Mongolian [khk].
91% speak it as L1. Some young people, all adults. A few children learn the language. Also use Central Tibetan [bod], in religious domains. Also use Russian [rus].
Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1827–2009.
Cyrillic script [Cyrl], adopted in 1924, used in Russia and Mongolia. Mongolian script [Mong], Todo style, used in China.
The modern literary language is mainly based on the Torgut dialect, though it incorporates a large number of concessions to Dörböt. Buddhist.
OLAC resources in and about Kalmyk-Oirat
Kalmyk-Oirat
130,000 in China (Salminen 2007).
Gansu province: northern border area; Nei Mongol Autonomous Region: Alashan league; Qinghai province: Kukunor region, Lake Qinghai northwest; Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region: Jungaria region.
Torgut (Torghut, Tu’erhute), Kök Nur (Qinghai), Jakhachin, Bayit, Mingat, Olot (Eleuth, Elyut, Ööld), Khoshut (Khoshuud), Dorbot, Henan.
7 (Shifting)
Continues to be used as a community language in most areas (Salminen 2007). Shifting to Peripheral Mongolian [mvf], with high bilingualism and as language of instruction in school. Used as L2 by Tuvan [tyv].
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of China
Kalmyk-Oirat
300 in Kyrgyzstan (2009 census). Ethnic population: 4,200 (2009 census).
Ysyk-Kol region.
Oirat (Sart Qalmaq).
8a (Moribund)
Older adults only. Shifted to Kyrgyz [kir].
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Kyrgyzstan
Oirat
221,000 in Mongolia (2016). 53,400 Bayit, 74,600 Durbet, 12,200 Khoton, 6,300 Myangad, 13,400 Olot, 15,000 Torguud, 26,100 Uriankhai, and 31,600 Zakhchin (2016, based on 2015 census).
Arhangay, Bayan-Olgiy, Dzavhan, Hovd, Hovsgol, Govi-Altay, Omnogovi, and Uvs provinces.
Zakhchin (Jakhachin), Bayit (Bayad), Myangad (Mingat), Olot (Eleuth, Elyut, Uuld, Ööld), Khoshut (Khoshuud), Uriankhai, Khoton (Hoton), Durbet (Durvud), Torguud.
6b (Threatened)
Continues to be used as a community language in most areas (Salminen 2007).
Non-indigenous. Khoton (Hoton) originally of Turkic origin (Kara 1990), and were Muslim. Different from Chinese-speaking Qotong (Hoton) [cmn].
View other languages of Mongolia