Ingush language

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Ingush is a language spoken by approximately 230,315 people (1989) across a region covering Ingushetia, Chechnya, Uzbekistan and Russia. In Ingush, the language is called ГІалгІай Ğalğaj (pronounced /ʁəl.ʁɑj/).

Classification

Ingush and Chechen, together with Batsbi, constitute the Nakh language branch of the Northeast Caucasian language family which is closely related to the language of farmers of the Fertile Crecent 8000 BC. (source: Science, 19MAY2000:288, 1158).

Geographic distribution

Ingush is spoken by about 415,000 people (2005) across a region covering Ingushetia,Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, Norway, Turkey, Jordan, Chechnya, Uzbekistan and Russia.

Official status

Ingush and Russian are the official languages of Ingushetia, a federal subject of Russia.

Writing system

Ingush became a written language with an Arabic-based writing system at the beginning of the 20th century. After the October revolution it first used a Latin alphabet which was later replaced by Cyrillic letters.

History

10,000-8,000 BC migration of proto-Ingush people to the slopes of the Caucasus from the Fertile Crescent(domestication of animals, and irrigation are used). 6000-4000 BC Neolithic era. Pottery is known to the region. Old settelments near Ali-Yurt and Magas discovered in the modern times revealed tools made out of stone: stone axes, polished stones, stone knives, stones with holes drilled in them, clay dishes etc. Settelments made out of clay bricks in the plains. In the mountains there were discovered settlements made out of stone (dated back 8000 BC).

During Stalinist Russia Ingush-speakers were deported to Kazakhstan and Siberia. Estimated two-thirds of their population were lost in that time period.

External links

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