UZBEK, NORTHERN (Uzbekistan)

Family
Eastern-(Chagatay)-Turkic languages

Country
Uzbekistan

Language code
UZB

Continent
Asia

Alternate language names
UZBEGS, O"ZBEK

Dialect names
KARLUKO-CHIGILE-UIGHUR, KYPCHAK, OGHUZ, QURAMA, LOKHAY

Genetic affiliation
Altaic, Turkic, Eastern

Geographical region
Uzbekistan and throughout Asian republics of the former USSR. East of the Amu Darya and around the southern Aral Sea. Also in USA, Australia, possibly Munich, Germany

Population
15,000,000 in Uzbekistan (1986 esti- mate), 99% speak it as mother tongue; 3,000 in China (1990); 15,003,000 total

New Testament printings
in press (1989)

Printings of whole books of Bible
1891-1990

National language
Yes

Remarks
Arabic and Roman scripts used formerly, now Cyrillic script is used. Used in schools, publishing, radio, television, theater. Children speak Uzbek at home. Many speakers are bilingual in Russian, but rural people have limited proficien- cy. People are highly literate and about one-third urbanized. Much Persian influence in language and culture. Increasing ethnic pride. Patrilineal. 'Sart' is an obsolete name for sedentary Uzbek. 49% understand Russian. There are Uzbek-speaking Gypsy communities in Soviet central Asia. Distinct from Southern Uzbek of Afghanistan and Turkey. Oghuz may be a dialect of Khorasani Turkish (see Turkey) rather than Uzbek

Geological type
Desert, semi-arid; fertile valleys

Subsistence type
Agriculturalists: cotton, fruit, vegetables, grain; pastoralists: sheep; silk production; technicians, professionals, industrialists, communications, medicine, educators, administrators

Radio use
Yes

Total speakers
15,003,000

Religion
Hanafi Sunni Muslim

Also in
China, USA, Australia