- Abkhaz
An
Abkhazo-Adyghe (Caucasian) language. Spoken in Georgia (Abkhazia).
A mother tongue for some 105 thousand people.
- Adyghe
An
Abkhazo-Adyghe (Caucasian) language. Spoken in Russia (Adyghea and
Krasnodar Region). A mother tongue for some 120 thousand
people.
- Afrikaans
A
Germanic language. One of the official languages of the Republic of
South Africa. A mother tongue for some 6.5 million South African
Afrikaners (Boers), descendants of Dutch colonists.
- Agul
A Lezgian
(Dagestanian) language. Spoken in Russia (Dagestan and Stavropol
Region) and Azerbaijan. A mother tongue for some 15 thousand
people.
- Albanian
An
Indo-European language forming its own group. The official language
of Albania. A mother tongue for some 5 million people in Albania,
Serbia (Kosovo), Italy, and Greece.
- Altai
A Turkic
language. Spoken in Russia (Altai). A mother tongue for some 55
thousand people.
- Avar
An
Avar-Andi-Dido (Dagestanian) language. Spoken in Russia (Dagestan)
and Azerbaijan. A mother tongue for some 600 thousand people.
- Aymara
A
Quechumaran language (one of the languages of South American
Indians). One of the three official languages of Bolivia. A mother
tongue for some 2.2 million Aymara Indians living in Peru and
Bolivia. Most Aymara speakers speak also Quechua and Spanish. Some
scientists prefer to treat Aymara not as a single language with
some 10 dialects but as an Aymara language group.
- Azeri (Cyrillic), Azeri (Latin)
A Turkic
language. The official language of Azerbaijan. A mother tongue for
some 14-20 million people in Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and
Georgia.
- Basque
An
isolate language. A mother tongue for some 600 thousand people in
Spain and France.
- Belarusian
An
East Slavic language. The official language of Byelorussia. A
mother tongue for some 10.2 million people.
- Bemba
A Bantu
language. A mother tongue for some 5 million people in Zambia,
Zaire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo-Brazzaville, and
Tanzania.
-
- Breton
A
Brythonic (Celtic) language. A mother tongue for some 1 million
Bretons in France.
- Bugotu
An
Oceanic language (member of Malayo-Polynesian branch of
Austronesian languages) spoken in the South-East Solomon
Islands.
- Buryat
A
Mongolian language. Spoken in Russia (Buryatia). A mother tongue
for some 422 thousand people.
- Cebuano
A
Philippinean (Austronesian) language. Spoken in the central
Philippines. Usually considered to be a group of closely related
languages (Bisayan). A mother tongue for some 24 million
people.
- Chamorro
An
Austronesian language spoken in Western Micronesia, particularly on
the island of Guam. A mother tongue for some 78 thousand
people.
- Chechen
A Nakh
(Caucasian) language. A mother tongue for some 1 million people in
Russia (Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan).
- Chukchee
A
Luorawetlan language spoken in Russia (Chukchee and Koryak
Regions). A mother tongue for some 10 thousand people.
- Chuvash
A
Turkic language spoken in Russia (Chuvashiya). A mother tongue for
some 2 million people.
- Corsican
Usually considered to be a dialect of Italian, spoken on the island
of Corsica. A mother tongue for some 341 thousand people.
- Crimean
Tatar
A
Turkic language spoken in Ukraine (the Crimea). A mother tongue for
some 700 thousand people.
- Crow
A Siouan
language spoken in Montana, USA. A mother tongue for less than 10
thousand people.
- Dakota
A Siouan
language spoken in the Northern USA (South Dakota, Montana). A
mother tongue for some 20 thousand people.
- Dargwa
A
Dagestanian language. Spoken in Russia (Dagestan). A mother tongue
for some 360 thousand people.
- Dungan
A
Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and
Uzbekistan. A mother tongue for some 50 thousand people.
- Eskimo (Cyrillic), Eskimo (Latin)
An
Eskimo-Aleut language. Spoken in the South-East of the Chukchee
Peninsula (Russia), Alaska and nearby regions (USA), the Arctic
regions of Canada, and in Greenland. A mother tongue for some 100
thousand people.
- Even
A
Manchu-Tungus language spoken in Russia (Okhotsk, Yakutia, and
Magadan Region). A mother tongue for some 5 thousand people.
- Evenki
A
Manchu-Tungus language spoken in China, Russia (from the Yenisey to
Sakhalin), Mongolia. A mother tongue for some 30 thousand people
(in Russia for some 10 thousand).
- Faroese
A
Germanic (Scandinavian) language. The official language of the
Faroe Islands (autonomous Danish possession), spoken also in some
other regions of Denmark. A mother tongue for some 47 thousand
people.
- Fijian
An
Austronesian language spoken in Fiji. A mother tongue for some 350
thousand people.
- Frisian
A
Germanic language spoken in Noord-Holland and Friesland (the
Netherlands), North Frisian Islands, the island of Helgoland, and
Saterland (Germany). A mother tongue for some 730 thousand
people.
- Friulian
A
Romance language. Usually considered to be a Rhaeto-Romance
language. Spoken in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy). A mother tongue
for some 700 thousand people.
- Gagauz
A Turkic
language spoken in Southern Moldavia. A mother tongue for some 180
thousand people.
- Galician
A
Romance language frequently referred to as a dialect of Spanish or
Portuguese, spoken in Spain (Galicia). A mother tongue for some 4
million people.
- Ganda
A Bantu
language spoken in Uganda. A mother tongue for some 4 million
people.
- German
(Luxemburg)
One of the official languages of Luxemburg (also called
Luxembourgian). Usually considered to be a Moselle-Franconian
dialect of German.
- Guarani
A
Tupian language spoken in Paraguay and nearby regions of Brazil,
Argentina, and Bolivia. A mother tongue for some 5 million Guarani
Indians.
- Hani
A
Sino-Tibetan (Lolo-Burmish) language spoken in China, North
Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Also called Akha. A mother
tongue for some 1 million people.
- Hausa
A
Afro-Asiatic language. Spoken in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Ghana,
Benin, and Togo. A mother tongue for some 40 million people.
- Hawaiian
An
Austronesian (Polynesian) language spoken in Hawaii. A mother
tongue for some 20 thousand people.
- Icelandic
A
Germanic (Scandinavian) language. The official language of Iceland.
A mother tongue for some 250 thousand people.
- Ingush
A Nakh
language spoken in Ingushetia. A mother tongue for some 200
thousand people.
- Irish
A Celtic
language. The first official language of Ireland. A mother tongue
for less than 260 thousand people.
- Jingpo
A
Tibeto-Burman language spoken in South China and Myanmar. A mother
tongue for some 600 thousand people.
- Kabardian
An
Abkhazo-Adyghian (Caucasian) language spoken in Kabardino-Balkaria,
Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia (Mozdok), and Adyghea and the
neighboring areas of the Krasnodar and Stavropol Regions. A mother
tongue for some 300 thousand people.
- Kalmyk
A
Mongolian language spoken in Russia (Kalmykia). A mother tongue for
some 140 thousand people.
- Karachay-Balkar
A Turkic language (some scientists prefer to consider this language
to be made up of two separate but closely related Karachay and
Balkar languages) spoken in Russia (Kabardino-Balkaria,
Karachay-Cherkessia). A mother tongue for some 200 thousand
people.
- Karakalpak
A
Turkic language spoken in Karakalpakiya (Uzbekistan). A mother
tongue for some 410 thousand people.
- Kasub
Usually
considered a dialect of Polish, spoken in Poland.
- Kawa
A Kadai
language (considered to be related both to Thai and Austronesian
languages) spoken in China. A mother tongue for less than 50
thousand people.
- Kazakh
A Turkic
language. The official language of Kazakhstan. A mother tongue for
some 8 million people.
- Khakass
A Turkic
language spoken in Russia (Khakasiya). A mother tongue for some 60
thousand people.
- Khanty
An Ugric
language spoken in Russia (Tyumen and Tomsk Regions). A mother
tongue for some 15 thousand people.
- Kikuyu
A Bantu
language spoken in central Kenya. A mother tongue for some 6
million people.
- Kirghiz
A Turkic
language. The official language of Kyrgyzstan, spoken also in
China. A mother tongue for some 2.6 million people.
- Kongo
A Bantu
language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Congo-Brazzaville, and Angola. A mother tongue for some 10 million
people.
- Koryak
A
Luorawetlan language spoken in Russia (Koryak Region). A mother
tongue for some 5 thousand people.
- Kpelle
A Mande
(Niger-Congo) language spoken in Guinea and Liberia. A mother
tongue for less than 1 million people.
- Kumyk
A Turkic
language spoken in Russia (Dagestan). A mother tongue for some 282
thousand people.
- Kurdish
A West
Iranian language. The second official language of Iraq. Spoken in
Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and CIS states (Kurdish diaspora). A
mother tongue for some 20 million people.
- Lak
A
Dagestanian language spoken in Russia (Dagestan). A mother tongue
for some 100 thousand people.
- Latin
An Italic
language. The official language of Vatican and of classical Roman
literature.
- Lezgi
A
Dagestanian language spoken in Russia (Dagestan) and Azerbaijan. A
mother tongue for some 450 thousand people.
- Luba
A Bantu
language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A mother
tongue for some 6 million people.
- Macedonian
A
South Slavic language. The official language of Macedonia. A mother
tongue for some 2 million people.
- Malagasy
An
Austronesian language. The official language of Madagascar. A
mother tongue for some 10 million people.
- Malay
An
Austronesian language. The official language of Malaysia. A mother
tongue for some 20 million people.
- Malinke
A Mande
(Niger-Congo) language. Spoken in Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Liberia,
and Sierra Leone. A mother tongue for some 4 million people.
- Maltese
A
Semitic language. The official language of Malta. A mother tongue
for some 400 thousand people.
- Mansi
An Ugric
language spoken in Russia (West Siberia). A mother tongue for some
4 thousand people.
- Maori
A
Polynesian language spoken in New Zealand. A mother tongue for some
300 thousand people.
- Mari
A common
name for two closely related languages – Plain Mari and
Mountain Mari. Spoken in Russia (Mari El, Tatariya). A Finno-Ugric
(Uralic) language. A mother tongue for some 600 thousand
people.
- Maya
A Maya
language spoken in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. A mother tongue
for some 1 million Indians.
- Miao
A Myao-Yao
language spoken in China, Vietnam, and parts of in Laos and
Thailand. A mother tongue for some 8 million people.
- Minangkabau
An
Austronesian language spoken on Sumatra (central and Western
regions). A mother tongue for some 6.5 million people.
- Mohawk
An
Iroquoian language spoken in the North-East USA and nearby regions
of Canada (around Ontario and Erie lakes). A mother tongue for some
10 thousand people.
- Moldavian
A
Romance language. The official language of Moldavia. Usually
considered to be a variety of Romanian. A mother tongue for some 3
million people.
- Mongol
A
Mongolian language. The official language of Mongolia, spoken also
in China (Inner Mongolia). A mother tongue for some 5 million
people.
- Mordvin
A
common name for two closely related languages: Moksha-Mordvin and
Erzya-Mordvin. A Volga-Finnic (Uralic) language. Spoken in Russia
(Mordvinia). A mother tongue for some 1 million people.
- Nahuatl
An
Aztec-Tanoan language. Spoken in Mexico. A mother tongue for some 1
million people.
- Nenets
A
Samoyedic (Uralic) language spoken in Russia (Yamalo-Nenets and
Dolgano-Nenets Regions). A mother tongue for some 25 thousand
people.
- Nivkh
An
isolated language spoken in Russia (Sakhalin and Amur Region). A
mother tongue for some 1 thousand people.
- Nogay
A Turkic
language spoken in Russia (Karachay-Cherkessia and Krasnodar
Region). A mother tongue for some 55 thousand people.
- Nyanja
A Bantu
language. The official language of Malawi, spoken also in Zambia,
Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. A mother tongue for some 7 million
people.
- Ojibway
An
Algonkian language spoken in the USA and Canada. A mother tongue
for several thousand Indians.
- Ossetian
An
East Iranian language. Spoken in Russia (North Ossetia) and Georgia
(South Ossetia). A mother tongue for some 600 thousand
people.
- Papiamento
A
Spanish-based creole language. Spoken on Aruba, Bonaire, and the
Curacao Islands. A mother tongue for less than 1 million
people.
- Provencal
A
Romance language spoken in South France and in the Italian Alps. A
mother tongue for some 2-10 million people.
- Quechua
A
Quechumaran language. One of the official languages of Peru and
Bolivia, spoken also in Ecuador, North Colombia, Chile, and
Argentina. A mother tongue for 7-13 million Indians.
- Rhaeto-Romance
A
Romance language. One of the official languages of Switzerland. A
mother tongue for some 40 thousand people (Graubünden
canton).
- Romany
An
Indian language spoken by the Gypsy diaspora throughout the world.
A mother tongue for 1-5 million people.
- Rundi
A Bantu
language. One of the official languages of Burundi, spoken also in
Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A mother tongue
for some 7 million people.
- Russian (old spelling)
The Russian language that uses an old spelling
system (as spelt before the revolution of 1917).
- Rwanda
A Bantu
language. One of the official languages of Rwanda, spoken also in
Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and
Tanzania. A mother tongue for some 12 million people.
- Sami (Lappish)
A
Finno-Ugric language spoken in North Norway, Sweden, Finland, and
Russia (Kola Peninsula). A mother tongue for some 50 thousand
people.
- Samoan
A
Polynesian language. One of the official languages of Western
Samoa. A mother tongue for some 430 thousand people.
- Scottish Gaelic
A Celtic
language spoken in Scotland, the Hebrides, and in Nova Scotia
(Canada). A mother tongue for less than 100 thousand people.
- Selkup
A
Samoyedic (Uralic) language spoken in Russia (Krasnoyarsk and Tomsk
Regions). A mother tongue for some 2 thousand people.
- Serbian (Cyrillic), Serbian
(Latin)
A South
Slavic language (see also Croatian). The official language of
Serbia and Montenegro. A mother tongue for some 20 million
people.
- Shona
A Bantu
language spoken in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, and the Republic
of South Africa. A mother tongue for some 8 million people.
- Somali
An
Afro-Asiatic (Cushitic) language. The official language of Somali,
spoken also in Jibuti, Ethiopia, and Kenya. A mother tongue for
some 9 million people.
- Sorbian
A West
Slavic language. Usually considered to be made up of two
languages — Upper Sorbian and Lower Sorbian. Spoken in Germany
(Saxony). A mother tongue for some 100 thousand people.
- Sotho
A Bantu
language. One of the official languages of Lesotho, spoken also in
the Republic of South Africa. A mother tongue for some 8 million
people.
- Sunda
An
Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia (Western Java). A mother
tongue for some 27 million people.
- Swahili
A Bantu
language. A main language of international communication (a
commercial lingua franca) in central and East Africa (particularly
in Tanzania and Kenya). The official language of Uganda. A mother
tongue for 10-50 million people.
- Swazi
A Bantu
language. The official language of Swaziland, spoken also in the
North-East of the Republic of South Africa. A mother tongue for
some 2 million people.
- Tabasaran
A
Dagestanian language spoken in Russia (Dagestan). A mother tongue
for some 75 thousand people.
- Tagalog
A
Philippinean (Austronesian) language. The official language of the
Philippines. A mother tongue for some 57 million people.
- Tahitian
A
Polynesian (Austronesian) language. The official language of French
Polynesia, spoken also in New Caledonia and Vanuatu. A mother
tongue for some 117 thousand people.
- Tajik
An
Iranian language. The official language of Tajikistan, spoken also
in Uzbekistan. A mother tongue for some 4.5 million people.
- Tok Pisin
An English-based creole language. The official language of Papua
New Guinea. A mother tongue for some 3 million people.
- Tongan
A
Polynesian (Austronesian) language. The official language of Tonga,
spoken also in New Zealand, Fiji, and Western Samoa. A mother
tongue for some 120 thousand people.
- Tswana
A Bantu
language. Spoken in Botswana and the Republic of South Africa. One
of the official languages of Botswana. A mother tongue for some 4
million people.
- Tun
A Thai
language spoken in south China. A mother tongue for some 700
thousand people.
- Turkmen
A
Turkic language. The official language of Turkmenistan. A mother
tongue for some 6.5 million people.
- Tuvinian
A Turkic
language spoken in Russia (Tuva). A mother tongue for some 240
thousand people.
- Udmurt
A
Permian language spoken in Russia (Udmurtia and Kirovsk Region). A
mother tongue for some 550 thousand people.
- Uighur (Cyrillic), Uighur (Latin)
A Turkic
language spoken by Uighurs in the Uighur Autonomous Region of
Sinkiang of North-Western China and in portions of Uzbekistan,
Kazakstan, and Kyrgyzstan. A mother tongue for some 7 million
people.
- Uzbek (Cyrillic), Uzbek (Latin)
A Turkic
language. The official language of Uzbekistan, spoken also in China
and Afghanistan. A mother tongue for some 31 million people.
- Welsh
A Celtic
language spoken in Wales (Great Britain). A mother tongue for some
580 thousand people.
- Wolof
A
Niger-Congo language (West Atlantic branch). The official language
of Senegal, spoken also in the Gambia and Mauritania. A mother
tongue for some 7 million people.
- Xhosa
A Bantu
language spoken in the Republic of South Africa. A mother tongue
for some 8 million people.
- Yakut
A Turkic
language spoken in Russia (Yakutia). A mother tongue for some 400
thousand people.
- Yiddish
A
Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews.
Approximately 11 million speakers worldwide at the beginning of the
20 century.
- Zapotec
An
Indian language spoken in South Mexico. A mother tongue for some
430 thousand people.
- Zulu
A Bantu
language spoken in the Republic of South Africa and Zimbabwe. A
mother tongue for some 9.2 million people.