Crimean Tatar dialects


The Crimean Tatar language consists of three dialects. The standard language is written in the middle dialect, which is part of the Kipchak-Cuman sub-branch. There is also the southern dialect, also known as the coastal dialect, which is in the Oghuz sub-branch, and the northern dialect, also known as the Nogai dialect, which is in the Kipchak-Nogai sub-branch.
Crimean Tatar has a unique position among the Turkic languages, because its three "dialects" belong to three different groups of Turkic. This makes the classification of Crimean Tatar as a whole difficult.

Middle dialect

The middle dialect is spoken in the Crimean Mountains by the sedentary Tat Tatars. Because its speakers comprise a relative majority of Crimean Tatar speakers, the written language is based on the middle dialect.
Standard Crimean Tatar and its middle dialect are classified as a language of the Cuman subgroup of the Kipchak languages and the closest relatives are Karachay-Balkar, Karaim, Krymchak, Kumyk, Urum and extinct Cuman. The middle dialect, although thought to be of Kipchak-Cuman origin, combines elements of both Cuman and Oghuz languages.
The Cuman language arrived in Crimea with the first Turkic invasions of Crimea by Cumans and Pechenegs in the 11th Century. The Cuman language as it developed in Crimea is thought to have been the lingua franca of the Crimean Khanate.

Southern dialect

The southern or coastal dialects is spoken by Yalıboylu who have traditionally lived on the southern coast of the Crimea. Their dialects belong to the Oghuz group of the Turkic languages which includes Turkish, Azeri and Turkmen. This dialect is most heavily influenced by Turkish and shares much of the vocabulary.

Northern dialect

The Northern, Nogai or Desert dialect is spoken by Crimean Tatars in North Crimea, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and other countries. It has Nogai influence and even there are people who say that this dialect is part of Nogai language and related to Kazakh, Karakalpak, and Nogai proper. This dialect was spoken by former nomadic inhabitants of the Crimean steppe. It is thought that the Nogays of the Crimea and the Nogais of the Caucasus and Volga are of common origin from the Nogai Horde, which is reflected in their common name and very closely related languages. In the past some speakers of this dialects also called themselves Qıpçaq.