Page Type: languageAdyghe | Ethnologue

ADY ISO 639-3

Adyghe

Адыгабзэ‎ (Adəgăbză), Кӏах Адыгабзэ‎ (Kiakh Adəgăbză) Autonym

A language of Russian Federation

ISO 639
ady
Alternate Names
Adyge, Adygei, Adygey, Kiakh, Kjax, Lower Circassian, Lowland Adyghe, West Circassian, Western Adyghe, Western Circassian
Autonym
Адыгабзэ‎ (Adəgăbză), Кӏах Адыгабзэ‎ (Kiakh Adəgăbză)
Population
117,500 in Russian Federation (2010 census). No monolinguals (Ministry of Education, Adygea Republic). Ethnic population: 129,000 (2010 census). Total users in all countries: 605,400.
Location:
Adygea republic; Karachay-Cherkessia republic, Krasnodar krai, and Stavropol krai.
Language Status
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Adyghea Republic (1995, Constitution, Adyghea Republic, Article 2).
Classification
Abkhaz-Adyghe, Circassian
Dialects
Shapsug (Sapsug, Shapsugh, Shapsugi), Xakuchi, Bezhedukh (Bzedux, Bzhedug, Bzhedugh), Abadzex (Abadzakh, Abadzeg, Abadzekh, Abzakh), Natuzaj (Natukhai), Temirgoy (Chemgui, Temirgoj). Similar to Kabardian [kbd].
Typology
SOV.
Language Use
96% speak it as L1. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. All also use Russian [rus].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 99% (Ministry of Education, Adygea Republic). Literacy rate in L2: 100% (Ministry of Education, Adygea Republic). Taught in primary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1991.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Adyghe
Writing
Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab], no longer in use. Cyrillic script [Cyrl]. Latin script [Latn], used in Turkey.
Other Comments
In the Republic of Adygea, the name ‘Adyghe’ is synonymous with Circassian, which includes both Adyghe [ady] (Western Adyghe or Western Circassian) and Kabardian [kbd] (Eastern Adyghe or Eastern Circassian). Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Adyghe
User Population
2,000 in Germany (1985).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Adyghe
User Population
3,200 in Israel (Leclerc 2018a).
Location
HaZafon district: Kafr Kama, Rehaniya, and small border villages.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Came about 100 years ago from the Caucasus (now the Russian Federation). Very slight dialect differences between the 2 villages. Understand radio programs in Adyghe from Jordan. Muslim.
View other languages of Israel
Language Name
Adyghe
User Population
40,000 in Iraq (2020).
Location
Baghdad, Diyala, As Sulaymaniyah, and At Ta’mim (Kirkuk) governorates; scattered communities.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Muslim.
View other languages of Iraq
Language Name
Adyghe
User Population
68,400 in Jordan (2015).
Location
Major cities.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Muslim.
View other languages of Jordan
Language Name
Adyghe
User Population
25,300 in Syria (2019).
Location
As Suwayda’ governorate: Salkhad district; Dara’a governorate: Dar’a district.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Muslim.
View other languages of Syria
Language Name
Adyghe
User Population
349,000 in Turkey (2019). 6,410 monolinguals (1965 census).
Location
Balikesir, Canakkale, Duzce, Eskishehir, Kayseri, and Samsun provinces.
Dialects
Abazakh, Bzhedug.
Language Status
6b (Threatened)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Muslim.
View other languages of Turkey

Map

Location: Adygea republic; Karachay-Cherkessia republic, Krasnodar krai, and Stavropol krai.