Lezgi language facts for kids
The Lezgi language, also known as Lezgian, is a special language from the Caucasus region. About 600,000 people speak Lezgi. Most speakers live in Dagestan, which is part of Russia, and in Azerbaijan.
Contents
What is the Lezgi Language?
Lezgi is part of a group called Northeast Caucasian languages. These languages are known for having many different sounds. They also have complex grammar rules.
Where is Lezgi Spoken?
The main areas where Lezgi is spoken are:
- Dagestan, a republic within Russia.
- Parts of Azerbaijan, especially in the north.
There are also smaller groups of Lezgi speakers in other countries. These include Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan.
Lezgi's Official Status
The status of the Lezgi language is different in Russia and Azerbaijan.
Lezgi in Russia
In the Russian part of the Lezgi territory, the language has an official status. This means it is recognized by the government.
- Lezgi can be studied at universities.
- There are also radio programmes that use the language.
Lezgi in Azerbaijan
In Azerbaijan, the Lezgi language does not have an official status.
- From 1939 to 1991, it was not allowed to use Lezgi in schools in Azerbaijan. This changed after 1991.
The Lezgi Alphabet
Like many languages, Lezgi has changed its writing system over time.
Early Writing
Originally, the Lezgi language used the Arabic script. This script is used for writing Arabic and many other languages.
Changing to Cyrillic
In 1929, the writing system for Lezgi changed. It switched to the Cyrillic alphabet. This was a common change across the Soviet Union at that time. Many languages in the Soviet Union adopted Cyrillic.
