Adyghe | |
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West Circassian | |
Адыгабзэ | |
Native to | Russia (incl. Circassia: Adygea |
Ethnicity | Circassians, Cherkesogai |
Native speakers
|
590,000 (2010–2014) |
Northwest Caucasian
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Cyrillic (current) |
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Official status | |
Official language in
|
Adygea (Russia) |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-2 | ady |
ISO 639-3 |
|
Glottolog | adyg1241 |
Distribution of the Adyghe language in Adygea, Russia (2002)
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Cyrillic (current)
Latin (historical)
Arabic (historical)
Adyghe (/ˈædɪɡeɪ/ or /ˌɑːdɪˈɡeɪ/; Adyghe: Адыгабзэ, Adygabzæ IPA: [aːdəɣaːbza]), also known as West Circassian (КӀахыбзэ, K’axybzæ), is one of the two official languages of the Republic of Adygea in the Russian Federation, the other being Russian. It is spoken by various tribes of the Adyghe people: Abzekh,Adamey, Bzhedug,Hatuqwai, Temirgoy, Mamkhegh, Natekuay, Shapsug,Zhaney and Yegerikuay, each with its own dialect. The language is referred to by its speakers as Adygebze or Adəgăbză, and alternatively transliterated in English as Adygean, Adygeyan or Adygei. The literary language is based on the Temirgoy dialect.