Minority languages of Russia
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Nivkh language - a genetically isolated language, conventionally affiliated with the group of Paleoasian languages. Spoken in the the Sakhalin region and in the lower reaches of the River Amur (Khabarovsk region). The number of the Nivkhs in Russia is 4,6 thousand. 23,3 % of them regard Nivkh as their mother tongue, 76,2 % Russian. Dialects: Amur, North Sakhalin, East Sakhalin.
In 1932 a Latin-based writing system was created for the Amur dialect. In 1953 it was switched into the Cyrillic alphabet. A Cyrillic-based writing system for the East Sakhalin dialect was created in 1979.
Created by Esa.Anttikoski@joensuu.fi