Kazakhstan

Kazakhstani Russian

The Russian of Kazakhstan, used by ethnic Russians and as a second language by many Kazakhs. Based on standard Russian but with regional vocabulary, code-switching, and Kazakh contact features.

Koryo-mar

also: Koryo-mal, Koryo-saram Korean

The Korean variety of the Koryo-saram, descended from communities deported from the Soviet Far East in 1937 to Central Asia. A Hamgyŏng-derived dialect heavily influenced by Russian, now critically endangered.

Dungan

also: Hui Chinese (Central Asia)

A Sinitic language descended from late-19th-century Hui Muslim refugees who fled into the Russian Empire after the Qing-era Hui revolts. Written in Cyrillic, with substantial Russian, Persian, and Turkic loans.

Kazakh

also: Qazaqşa, Southern Kazakh

A Kipchak Turkic language and the official language of Kazakhstan. The Almaty-area variety, traditionally the southern standard. Currently transitioning from Cyrillic to a Latin-based alphabet.

Northern Kazakh

also: Astana Kazakh

The Kazakh of northern Kazakhstan around Astana and Pavlodar. Closer to Tatar in several lexical and phonological features, with stronger Russian-contact influence.

Western Kazakh

also: Atyrau Kazakh

The Kazakh of western Kazakhstan around Atyrau and Aktobe. The dialect group with the most extensive contact features from Tatar and Bashkir; transitional toward the Volga Kipchak varieties.

Eastern Kazakh

also: Semey Kazakh

The Kazakh of eastern Kazakhstan around Öskemen and Semey, near the Altai border. Carries contact features from Mongolic Oirat and Russian.