Northwestern Turkic languages
Quick Summary
The Northwestern Turkic languages are a branch of the Turkic language family, which is part of the larger Altaic language group. These languages are spoken across a vast area of Eastern Europe and Central and North Asia.1
The Northwestern, or Kipchak, branch includes several groups:
* South Kipchak: Kazakh, Karakalpak, Nogay, and Kyrgyz.1
* North Kipchak: Tatar, Bashkir, and West Siberian dialects.1
* West Kipchak: Kumyk, Karachay, Balkar, Crimean Tatar, and Karaim.1
Historically, the Kipchak confederation was a significant Turkic tribal group that occupied the Eurasian Steppe until the Mongol invasions in the 13th century. The Kipchak language is documented in the Codex Cumanicus.2
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KazakhstanLanguages…a Turkic language of the Northwest or Kipchak (Qipchaq) group. Russian, an official language, functions widely alongside Kazakh, which is the state language. Russian is the most widely understood language in the country.
Read More…a Turkic language of the Northwest or Kipchak (Qipchaq) group. Russian, an official language, functions widely alongside Kazakh, which is the state language. Russian is the most widely understood language in the country.
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KyrgyzstanLanguages…a language belonging to the northwestern group of the Turkic languages, especially Kyrgyz. A sizeable minority speak Uzbek, a Turkic language of the southeastern branch. Russian is also spoken, and official language status has been accorded to both Kyrgyz and Russian.
Read More…a language belonging to the northwestern group of the Turkic languages, especially Kyrgyz. A sizeable minority speak Uzbek, a Turkic language of the southeastern branch. Russian is also spoken, and official language status has been accorded to both Kyrgyz and Russian.
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