Ob-Ugric languages
Encyclopedia
The Ob-Ugric languages are a hypothetical branch of the Uralic languages
, specifically referring to the Khanty
(Ostyak) and Mansi
(Vogul) languages. Both are split in numerous and highly divergent dialects. They, along with Hungarian
, comprise the Ugric
branch of the Uralic languages
.
The languages are spoken in the region between the Urals and the Ob River
and the Irtysh
in central Russia
. The forests and forest steppes of the southern Urals are thought to be the original homeland of the Ugric branch. Beginning some 500 years ago the arrival of the Russians pushed the speakers eastward to the Ob and Irtysh. Some Ob-Ugric speakers remained west of the Urals until as late as the early 20th century. Hungarian split off during the 11th century BC.
Although the languages are related to Hungarian, the connection is loose and they are radically different in phonology, syntax, and vocabulary. Khanty and Mansi, on the other hand, are usually considered closely related, but are not mutually intelligible. The Ob-Ugric languages were later strongly influenced by nearby Turkic languages
, especially Tatar
. Until 1930, these languages had no written or literary traditions, but since 1937 have used a modified Cyrillic alphabet
. However, no significant texts have been created in these languages and they have few official usages.
Mansi has about 3800 speakers while Khanty has about 14280 speakers, all within Russia.
Some linguists have considered the Ob-Ugric languages an areal
grouping and treat the common features of Mansi and Khanty as later convergence under mutual influence.
Uralic languages
The Uralic languages constitute a language family of some three dozen languages spoken by approximately 25 million people. The healthiest Uralic languages in terms of the number of native speakers are Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, Mari and Udmurt...
, specifically referring to the Khanty
Khanty language
Khanty or Xanty language, also known previously as the Ostyak language, is a language of the Khant peoples. It is spoken in Khanty-Mansi and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous okrugs, as well as in Aleksandrovsky and Kargosoksky districts of Tomsk Oblast in Russia...
(Ostyak) and Mansi
Mansi language
The Mansi language is a language of the Mansi people. It is spoken in territories of Russia along the Ob River and its tributaries, including the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and the Sverdlovsk Oblast...
(Vogul) languages. Both are split in numerous and highly divergent dialects. They, along with Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
, comprise the Ugric
Ugric languages
Ugric or Ugrian languages are a branch of the Uralic language family. The term derives from Yugra, a region in north-central Asia.They include three languages: Hungarian , Khanty , and Mansi language...
branch of the Uralic languages
Uralic languages
The Uralic languages constitute a language family of some three dozen languages spoken by approximately 25 million people. The healthiest Uralic languages in terms of the number of native speakers are Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, Mari and Udmurt...
.
The languages are spoken in the region between the Urals and the Ob River
Ob River
The Ob River , also Obi, is a major river in western Siberia, Russia and is the world's seventh longest river. It is the westernmost of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean .The Gulf of Ob is the world's longest estuary.-Names:The Ob is known to the Khanty people as the...
and the Irtysh
Irtysh
The Irtysh River is a river in Siberia and is the chief tributary of the Ob River. Its name means White River. Irtysh's main affluent is the Tobol River...
in central Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The forests and forest steppes of the southern Urals are thought to be the original homeland of the Ugric branch. Beginning some 500 years ago the arrival of the Russians pushed the speakers eastward to the Ob and Irtysh. Some Ob-Ugric speakers remained west of the Urals until as late as the early 20th century. Hungarian split off during the 11th century BC.
Although the languages are related to Hungarian, the connection is loose and they are radically different in phonology, syntax, and vocabulary. Khanty and Mansi, on the other hand, are usually considered closely related, but are not mutually intelligible. The Ob-Ugric languages were later strongly influenced by nearby Turkic languages
Turkic languages
The Turkic languages constitute a language family of at least thirty five languages, spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family.Turkic languages are spoken...
, especially Tatar
Tatar language
The Tatar language , or more specifically Kazan Tatar, is a Turkic language spoken by the Tatars of historical Kazan Khanate, including modern Tatarstan and Bashkiria...
. Until 1930, these languages had no written or literary traditions, but since 1937 have used a modified Cyrillic alphabet
Cyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
. However, no significant texts have been created in these languages and they have few official usages.
Mansi has about 3800 speakers while Khanty has about 14280 speakers, all within Russia.
Some linguists have considered the Ob-Ugric languages an areal
Sprachbund
A Sprachbund – also known as a linguistic area, convergence area, diffusion area or language crossroads – is a group of languages that have become similar in some way because of geographical proximity and language contact. They may be genetically unrelated, or only distantly related...
grouping and treat the common features of Mansi and Khanty as later convergence under mutual influence.