Karelian

A language of Russian Federation

ISO 639: krl
Alternate Names: Karel, Karel’skiy Jazyk, Karelian Proper, Karely, Severno-Karel’skij, Sobstvenno-Karel’skij-Jazyk
Population: 25,600 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Census includes Livvi-Karelian [olo] and Ludian [lud]. Ethnic population: 60,800 (2010 census). Total users in all countries: 30,600.
Location:: Karelia republic; Leningrad province; Murmansk province; Tver province: mainly Tolmachi area, Maksatikha and Ves’yegonsk.
Language Status: 6b (Threatened).
Classification: Uralic, Finnic
Dialects: Northern Karelian, Southern Karelian, Novgorod, Tver (Kalinin). Ludian [lud] and Livvi-Karelian [olo] are separate languages.
Language Use: Some young people, all adults. Many children learn the language but most if not all become more fluent in Russian [rus] and largely stop using the language later in life (Salminen 2007). Many also use Russian [rus], but those over 50 have trouble understanding it. Also use Finnish [fin].
Language Development: Primer in Tver Karelian. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2011.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Karelian
Writing: Cyrillic script [Cyrl], no longer in use. Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Two language nests started in 1999 and 2002 in northwestern county center of Kalevala (Salminen 2007).

Finland

Location: Northern Ostrobothnia region: Kuusano municipality, Russian border area; mostly scattered throughout the country.
Dialects: Northern Karelian, Southern Karelian, Norgorod, Tver (Kalinin).
Language Status: 8a (Moribund)
Other Comments: Non-indigenous.

Location: Karelia republic; Leningrad province; Murmansk province; Tver province: mainly Tolmachi area, Maksatikha and Ves’yegonsk.