Ethnologue 14 report for language code:ADY

ADYGHE: a language of Russia (Europe)

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: ADY

ISO 639-2: cau

Population

125,000 in Russia (1993 UBS), 96% speak it as mother tongue. Population total all countries 300,000.

Region

Adygea Republic. Maikop is the capital. Also spoken in Australia, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Macedonia, Netherlands, Syria, Turkey (Asia), USA.

Alternate names

CIRCASSIAN, LOWER CIRCASSIAN, KIAKH, KJAX, WEST CIRCASSIAN, ADYGEI, ADYGEY

Dialects

SHAPSUG (SAPSUG), XAKUCHI, BEZHEDUKH (BZEDUX, BZHEDUG, BEZHEHUX-TEMIRGOI, TEMIRGOJ, CHEMGUI), ABADZEX (ABADEKH, ABADZEG), NATUZAJ (NATUKHAI).

Classification

North Caucasian, Northwest, Circassian.

Comments

Some literature. Dictionary. Grammar. SOV. Cyrillic script used. Used for instruction in schools. Sunni Muslim. NT 1992.

Also spoken in:

Iraq

Language name	ADYGHE
Population	19,000 in Iraq (1993).
Alternate names	WEST CIRCASSIAN, ADYGEY
Comments	Sunni Muslim. NT 1992. See main entry under Russia.

Israel

Language name	ADYGHE
Population	3,000 in Israel (1987).
Alternate names	WEST CIRCASSIAN, ADYGEY
Comments	Very slight dialect differences between the two villages. They understand radio programs in Adyghe from Jordan. Closest to Kabardian. Bilingualism in South Levantine Arabic. They came about 100 years ago from the Caucasus (now Russia). They call themselves 'Circassian.' SOV. Sunni Muslim. NT 1992. See main entry under Russia.

Jordan

Language name	ADYGHE
Population	44,280 in Jordan, 1.2% of the population (1986).
Alternate names	WEST CIRCASSIAN, ADYGEY
Comments	City dwellers. Radio programs. Sunni Muslim. NT 1992. See main entry under Russia.

Macedonia

Language name	ADYGHE
Population	A few villages in Macedonia.
Alternate names	WEST CIRCASSIAN, ADYGEY
Comments	Sunni Muslim. NT 1992. See main entry under Russia.

Syria

Language name	ADYGHE
Population	25,000 in Syria.
Alternate names	WEST CIRCASSIAN, ADYGEY
Comments	Sunni Muslim. NT 1992. See main entry under Russia.

Turkey (Asia)

Language name	ADYGHE
Population	71,000 first language speakers out of 130,000 in ethnic group in Turkey, 6,409 monolinguals (1965 census).
Alternate names	ADYGEY, CIRCASSIAN, CHERKES
Comments	94% bilingual in Turkish. Roman script. Agriculturalists. Sunni Muslim. NT 1992. See main entry under Russia.