Endangered Languages of Central Asia. Prospects for Development in the New Millennium
Book Chapter in "Endangered Languages in the 21st Century"
“Central Asia is a vast geographical area at the heart of Asia encompassing the conventional Central Asian countries of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, as well as neighbouring regions of Afghanistan, northern Pakistan and Western China which historically formed a common cultural entity with the rest of Central Asia (see Figure 4.1). The region was a meeting point of various cultures and civilisations which left their marks on the linguistic and cultural diversity of the nations which inhabit the region today. Two groups of languages have dominated the linguistic landscape of Central Asia: the Turkic languages spoken in the north, western and central part of the region and Iranian languages in the south and south-east of the region. The mountain regions of Central Asia, namely the Pamirs, Hindu Kush and Karakorum mountains embrace numerous ethnic groups, who speak various languages of Iranian, Aryan and Dardic ori-gins. They survived in the narrow ravines of the mountain ranges primarily due to their geographical isolation. These languages have exhibited a remarkable resistance and vitality for centuries but are increasingly coming under pressure in the modern age of globalisation, nation-building and social and economic transformations.” (Hakim Elnazarov)
Author: Dr. Hakim Elnazarov
Link to Full Chapter: Endangered Languages in the 21st Century