Oirat language

Oirat (Clear script: Oyirad kelen; Kalmyk Cyrillic: Өөрд Öörd; Khalkha-Mongolian: Oird) belongs to the group of Mongolic languages. Scholars differ as to whether Oirat is a distinct language or a major dialect of the Mongolian language. Oirat speaking areas are scattered across the far west of the Mongolian state, the northwest of People's Republic of China (mainly in Xinjiang), and Russia's Caspian coast, where its major variety is Kalmyk. In all three nations, Oirat has become variously endangered or even obsolescent as a direct result of government actions or as a consequence of social and economic policies. Its most widespread dialect, which is spoken in all of these nations, is Torgut.Svantesson et al. 2005:...
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