Language Profiles

Language Identification: ISO 639-1 rus Other Names: Russian language (русский язык) [ˈruskʲɪj jɪˈzɨk] Local Name: Russkij Pronunciation: [ˈruskʲɪj] Region: Eastern Europe and Central Asia Ethnic Population: Russians Russian users: L1 Speakers – 150 million (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan); L2 Speakers – 110 million (Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova) Language family: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East Slavic Early forms: Old Slavonic Language Status: Official Language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Dialects: Three main dialects in Russia – Northern dialect (stretching from St. Petersburg eastward across Siberia), – Southern dialect (Southern parts of  European Russia bordering with Belarus and Ukraine) – CentralContinue Reading

Language Identification: ISO 639-3it Local name: Italiano Pronunciation: [ita’ljano] Regions: Italy, Switzerland, Republic of San Marino, Vatican City, the Republic of Malta. Italian is also recognized as a minority language in Slovenia and Croatia. Ethnic Population: Italians Italian users: over 63 million people as L1, around 3 million people as L2. Language family: Indo-European, Romance language. Language status Italian is the official language in Italy, San Marino, Vatican City and the Republic of Malta. Moreover, it is one of the official languages in Switzerland and in Istria County. Italian is also recognized as a minority language in Slovenia and Croatia.Continue Reading

Language Identification: ISO 639-1 fas Other Names: Persian language, Dari Local name:  ارسی Fârsi Pronunciation: [fɒːɾˈsiː] Region: Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Turkmenistan, regions of Russia & Azerbaijan Ethnic Population: Persians, Kurds, Baloch, Bakhtyārī, Lurs and other smaller minorities Farsi users: L1 speakers 73,581,834 (in Iran 50,568,000, in Afghanistan 16,650,000, in Tajikistan 6,373,834); L2 speakers: Uzbekistan, Bahrain Language family: Indo-European; Indo-Iranian; Iranian; Western Iranian; Southwestern Iranian; Persian Early forms: Old Persian; Middle Persian Language Maps: Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Turkmenistan, regions of Russia & Azerbaijan Language Status: Official language in Iran (as Persian), in Afghanistan (as Dari), in TajikistanContinue Reading

Language Identification: ISO 639-3 eng Other Names: English (Canada), English (Ireland), English (Jamaican), English (New Zealand). Local name:  English Pronunciation: [ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ] Region: British Isles; English speaking world English is spoken in approximately 60 Sovereign states across the world Ethnic Population: Anglo-Saxons English users: L1 speakers: 360–400 million (2006); L2 speakers: 750 million; as a foreign language: 600–700 million Language family: Indo-European; Germanic; West Germanic; Anglo-Frisian; Anglic English Early forms: Old English; Middle English; Early Modern English Language Status: Official language in the United Kingdom, United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Rep of Ireland, andContinue Reading

Language Identification: ISO 639-1 ell Other Names:Νεοελληνική Local Name: Ελληνικά [eliniˈka] Pronunciation: [eliniˈka] Region: Southeast Europe Ethnic Population: Greeks Greek users: Greece, Cyprus, Balkans, Southern Italy Language family: Indo-European, Hellenic Early forms: Proto-Greek Language Status: Official language in Greece and Cyprus Dialects: Greek language dialects are divided into three main groups, Northern, Semi-Northern and Southern: – Northern dialects are Rumelian, Epirote, Thessalian, Macedonian and Thracian – The Southern category is divided into groups that include variety groups from: Megara, Aegina, Athens, Kymi and Mani Peninsula. Peloponnese (except Mani), Cyclades, Crete and Ionian Islands. Dodecanese and Cyprus. Part of Southern AlbaniaContinue Reading

Language Identification: ISO 639-1 t1 Other Names: Filipino, Pilipino Local name: Filipino Pronunciation  [tɐˈɡaːloɡ] Ethnic Population: Tagalog Tagalog users: Native speakers 22.5 million (23.8 million total speakers (2019); 45 million L2 speakers) Approximately 57.3 million Filipinos, 96% of the household population which is slightly over 22 million, or 28% of the total Philippine population, speak Tagalog as a native language. Language family: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Philippine, Central Philippine Early forms: Proto-Austronesian, Proto-Malayo-Polynesian, Proto-Philippine, Old Tagalog Language Status: Tagalog is one of the major languages of the Republic of the Philippines. It functions as its lingua franca and de facto national workingContinue Reading

Language Identification: ISO 639-3 ben Other Names: Bangala, Bangla-Bhasa Local name:  বাংলা‎ (Bangla) Pronunciation: [bɛŋˈɡɔːli] Region: Eastern South Asia Ethnic Population: Bengalis Bengali users: L 1 speakers: 230 million (159,000,000 in Bangladesh, 96,500,000 in India; 21,100 in Nepal) L2 speakers: 37 million: 29,000,000 in Bangladesh (2017); 7,750,000 in India (2001 census); 2,880 in Nepal (2011 census). Language family: Indo-European; Indo-Iranian; Indo-Aryan Eastern Group; Bengali-Assamese Early forms: Prakrit; Magadhi Prakrit; Abahattha; Old Bengali Language Status: Official language in Bangladesh (1972, Constitution, Article 3); State language in India (in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam’s Barak Valley, Jharkhand) Dialects: Barisal, Noakhali, Khulna, Mymensingh (inContinue Reading