Page Type: languageAinu | Ethnologue

AIB ISO 639-3

Ainu

A language of China

ISO 639
aib
Alternate Names
Aini, Aynu, Ejnu, Eynu, Šäyxil, “Abdal” (pej.)
Population
12,000 (Shearer and Sun 2017).
Location:
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region: Hetian, Luopu, Moyu, Shache, Shulekuche, and Yingjisha counties; Yengixar (Shule) town, Hanalik and Paynap villages in Kashgar area, and Gewoz village near Hoban.
Language Status
6b (Threatened). Language of recognized nationality: Uygur.
Classification
Turkic, Eastern
Dialects
Has the same grammar as Uyghur [uig] but much Persian [pes] vocabulary. Some consider it a dialect of Uyghur, others an Iranian language heavily influenced by Uyghur.
Typology
SOV; noun head initial; classifiers follow numerals; inflectional language; case-marking (6 cases); voice; tense and aspect; causatives; 21 consonants and 13 vowels.
Language Use
Home. Some young people, all adults. Also use Uyghur [uig], with outsiders.
Language Development
Dictionary.
Other Comments
Do not intermarry with ethnic Uyghur. Ainu [ain] in Japan is a different, unrelated language. Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region: Hetian, Luopu, Moyu, Shache, Shulekuche, and Yingjisha counties; Yengixar (Shule) town, Hanalik and Paynap villages in Kashgar area, and Gewoz village near Hoban.