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Handwriting reference
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Most records used in Russian research are written in Russian. You need not be fluent in Russian, but you will need some knowledge of Russian to understand Russian records. Reading Russian script in archived records can be very difficult since the old Russian script is unlike the modern Russian and script is always difficult to decipher. | Most records used in Russian research are written in Russian. You need not be fluent in Russian, but you will need some knowledge of Russian to understand Russian records. Reading Russian script in archived records can be very difficult since the old Russian script is unlike the modern Russian and script is always difficult to decipher. | ||
Russian (русский язык (help·info), tr.: russkiy yazyk, [ˈru.skʲɪj jɪˈzɨk]) is the most widely spoken language of Eurasia and the most widespread of the Slavonic languages. | Russian (русский язык (help·info), tr.: russkiy yazyk, [ˈru.skʲɪj jɪˈzɨk]) is the most widely spoken language of Eurasia and the most widespread of the Slavonic languages. | ||
Russian belongs to the family of Indo-European languages. Within the Slavic branch, Russian is one of three living members of the East Slavic group, the other two being Belarusian and Ukrainian. | Russian belongs to the family of Indo-European languages. Within the Slavic branch, Russian is one of three living members of the East Slavic group, the other two being Belarusian and Ukrainian. | ||
Written examples of East Slavonic are attested from the 10th century onwards. While Russian preserves much of East Slavonic synthetic-inflectional structure and a Common Slavonic word base, modern Russian exhibits a large stock of borrowed international vocabulary for politics, science, and technology. A language of great political importance in the 20th century, Russian is one of the official languages of the United Nations. | Written examples of East Slavonic are attested from the 10th century onwards. While Russian preserves much of East Slavonic synthetic-inflectional structure and a Common Slavonic word base, modern Russian exhibits a large stock of borrowed international vocabulary for politics, science, and technology. A language of great political importance in the 20th century, Russian is one of the official languages of the United Nations. | ||
Of Russia's estimated 150million population, it is thought that over 81% speak the official language of Russian as their first and only language. Most speakers of a minority language are also bilingual speakers of Russian. There are over 100 minority languages spoken in Russia today, the most popular of which is Tartar, spoken by more than 3% of the country's population. | Of Russia's estimated 150million population, it is thought that over 81% speak the official language of Russian as their first and only language. Most speakers of a minority language are also bilingual speakers of Russian. There are over 100 minority languages spoken in Russia today, the most popular of which is Tartar, spoken by more than 3% of the country's population. | ||
Other minority languages include Ukrainian, Chuvash, Bashir, Mordvin and Chechen. Although few of these populations make up even 1% of the Russian population, these languages are prominent in key regional areas. | Other minority languages include Ukrainian, Chuvash, Bashir, Mordvin and Chechen. Although few of these populations make up even 1% of the Russian population, these languages are prominent in key regional areas. | ||
Although Russian is the only federally official language of the Russian Federation, there are several other officially-recognized languages within Russia's various constituencies. This is a list of languages that are official only in certain parts of Russia. | Although Russian is the only federally official language of the Russian Federation, there are several other officially-recognized languages within Russia's various constituencies. This is a list of languages that are official only in certain parts of Russia. | ||
1. Abaza (in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic)[1] | 1. Abaza (in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic)[1] | ||
2. Adyghe (in the Republic of Adygea) | 2. Adyghe (in the Republic of Adygea) | ||
3. Altay (in the Altai Republic) | 3. Altay (in the Altai Republic) | ||
4. Bashkir (in the Republic of Bashkortostan) | 4. Bashkir (in the Republic of Bashkortostan) | ||
5. Buryat (in Agin-Buryat Autonomous 6. Okrug, Buryat Republic, and Ust- Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug) | 5. Buryat (in Agin-Buryat Autonomous 6. Okrug, Buryat Republic, and Ust- Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug) | ||
7. Chechen (in the Chechen Republic) | 7. Chechen (in the Chechen Republic) | ||
8. Chukchi (in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug) | 8. Chukchi (in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug) | ||
9. Chuvash (in the Chuvash Republic) | 9. Chuvash (in the Chuvash Republic) | ||
10. Dolgan (in Taymyr Autonomous Okrug) | 10. Dolgan (in Taymyr Autonomous Okrug) | ||
11. Erzya (in the Republic of Mordovia) | 11. Erzya (in the Republic of Mordovia) | ||
12. Evenk (in Evenk Autonomous Okrug) | 12. Evenk (in Evenk Autonomous Okrug) | ||
13. Ingush (in the Republic of Ingushetia) | 13. Ingush (in the Republic of Ingushetia) | ||
14. Kabardian (in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic and Karachay-Cherkess Republic[1]) | 14. Kabardian (in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic and Karachay-Cherkess Republic[1]) | ||
15. Kalmyk (in the Republic of Kalmykia) | 15. Kalmyk (in the Republic of Kalmykia) | ||
16. Karachay-Balkar (in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic and Karachay-Cherkess Republic[1]) | 16. Karachay-Balkar (in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic and Karachay-Cherkess Republic[1]) | ||
17. Khakas (in the Republic of Khakassia) | 17. Khakas (in the Republic of Khakassia) | ||
18. Khanty (in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) | 18. Khanty (in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) | ||
19. Komi-Zyrian (in the Komi Republic) | 19. Komi-Zyrian (in the Komi Republic) | ||
20. Koryak (in Koryak Autonomous Okrug) | 20. Koryak (in Koryak Autonomous Okrug) | ||
21. Mansi (in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) | 21. Mansi (in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) | ||
22. Mari (in the Mari El Republic) | 22. Mari (in the Mari El Republic) | ||
23. Moksha (in the Republic of Mordovia) | 23. Moksha (in the Republic of Mordovia) | ||
24. Nenets (in Nenets Autonomous Okrug) | 24. Nenets (in Nenets Autonomous Okrug) | ||
25. Nogai (in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic)[1] | 25. Nogai (in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic)[1] | ||
26. Ossetic (in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania) | 26. Ossetic (in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania) | ||
27. Tatar (in the Republic of Tatarstan) | 27. Tatar (in the Republic of Tatarstan) | ||
28. Tuvin (in the Tuva Republic) | 28. Tuvin (in the Tuva Republic) | ||
29. Udmurt (in the Udmurt Republic) | 29. Udmurt (in the Udmurt Republic) | ||
30. Yakut (in the Sakha Republic) | 30. Yakut (in the Sakha Republic) | ||
31. Yiddish (in Jewish Autonomous Oblast) | 31. Yiddish (in Jewish Autonomous Oblast) | ||
The '''Russian alphabet''' consists of 33 Cyrillic letters (21 consonants, 10 vowels, and two letters without sound). | The '''Russian alphabet''' consists of 33 Cyrillic letters (21 consonants, 10 vowels, and two letters without sound). For more information see the "[[Russia_Handwriting|Handwriting]]" section. | ||
=== '''Russian Word Lists for Genealogical Researchers''' === | === '''Russian Word Lists for Genealogical Researchers''' === | ||
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This is an obsolete letter that once seemed to represent the vowel E. The ordinary printed and italic versions look like lower case printed English b's with crossed stems. The cursive versions and lower case italic version look like a lower case English N with a loop on the lower right corner. | This is an obsolete letter that once seemed to represent the vowel E. The ordinary printed and italic versions look like lower case printed English b's with crossed stems. The cursive versions and lower case italic version look like a lower case English N with a loop on the lower right corner. | ||
=== '''Related Content''' === | === '''Related Content''' === | ||
*[[Germans from Russia Language and Languages|Germans from Russia Language and Languages]] <!-- Tidy found serious XHTML errors --> | |||
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[[Category:Russia]] | [[Category:Russia]] | ||