What Turkic Language Should I Learn

It'due south a question we become asked from time to fourth dimension here at Caravanistan: what's the near useful language on the Silk Road: Russian or a Turkic language? It's worth a discussion, especially considering English language gets you precious little. While in the by the standard answer was Russian, the Soviet Wedlock has disappeared out of people'southward lives for more than 20 years now.

So is Russian withal as useful as information technology once was? It really depends on what you are aiming for.

Russian language skills in decline

The newly independent republics where once Russian was the lingua franca are increasingly promoting their ain linguistic communication. The nearly radical ones, like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, banned Russian from the education system early on on. This means that many young people without higher teaching accept had little contact with Russian and speak simply their native language.

In big urban areas and capitals of the old Soviet Wedlock, nigh of the elite and their children are withal heavily russified (or of Slavic descent). Remote areas are different: little villages in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have more or less forgotten about the Russian language. Information technology's just the labour migrants who bring back some knowledge of Russian. In Kazakhstan Russian is even so the main language, equally many people don't understand or speak proper Kazakh. In the Caucasus, Russian is yet widely understood, especially by the older generation.

The large spread of Turkic languages

turkic language map Countering the dominance of the Soviet Spousal relationship is the huge geographic spread of Turkic languages, from Gagauz and Turkish in the west to Uyghur and Yakut in the east.

Of course there are many differences betwixt all these languages, but often the bones vocabulary is like. Water for instance is su in Turkish, Tatar, Azeri, Kazakh and probably many more. So again it's ab in Uyghur andUiin Yakutia. Don't wait to empathize Uzbek if you know Turkish, but you will definitely go some simple words.

Most importantly, speaking the local language rather than the colonial language will shift people's mindset to you. You could exist reciting verse past Pushkin in fluent Russian and not enhance an eyebrow: people just think it's normal, just like anybody in the W is supposed to speak perfect English. Simply if you know a few words of Uzbek, Kazakh, Azeri, etc., people will be astounded that you bothered to learn their language, and doors volition open.

An example: an American friend of mine was stopped past the police on the streets of Almaty, plainly for jaywalking (he was having a bad day). They began to speak in Russian and the immature policeman was not in a adept mood. He was threatening to take him back to the function. When the American switched to Kazakh, suddenly information technology was smiles all around. "Yous speak Kazakh, bro? Where did you learn that? Accept a nice day, and always welcome to my identify for a beer!"

Persian perhaps?

At first sight, Farsi or Persian seems to be only interesting for those Persophiles wishing to spend almost of their time in Iran. But recall that Tajik and Dari (in Afghanistan) are 2 languages very close to Persian, and that Tajik is withal widely spoken in the main culture cities of Uzbekistan like Bokhara and Samarkand.

Conclusion

Although Russian-language skills are in pass up throughout the region, information technology is still the single ane language understood by most people in Central Asia. The fact that many people speak information technology simply equally poorly as you is mayhap some other advantage nowadays. If you are also planning to spend a bit of time in Georgia, Armenia, Republic of azerbaijan or Russian federation itself, yous should probably still go for Russian and larn some polite phrases in the local linguistic communication equally you enter each new country.

Even if y'all are non keen to dig into it, spend three-5 hours to go to grips with the Cyrillic alphabet. It's really not that difficult, and it volition open your earth (you lot cannot betoken your translator app at everything).

Turkic languages are spoken all over the Silk Road, only their great multifariousness means you cannot actually learn 1 language and be done with it. Withal, you become a meg brownie points if you can string a few sentences together. If y'all are bypassing Georgia and Armenia and spending quite a fleck of time in Turkey, Post-Soviet Central Asia and Uyghur Xinjiang, you should peradventure dive in a chip deeper if y'all feel like it.

Western farsi, Tajik and Dari are very shut to each other, and if you're planning to spend some fourth dimension in these countries and would like to talk to people, we recommend yous selection upwardly some Persian.

Update: A debate bankrupt out on Twitter after publishing this postal service, and I would similar to share some comments that add together more insight to the discussion. You are welcome to add your vocalization too in the comments section.

@joannalillis @caravanistan I'd go with a Turkic language. If you learn one, it's easier to learn the others. West/Uzbek u get Farsi words likewise.

— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) January ix, 2013

@joannalillis @sarahkendzior @caravanistan Hmmm. I think Russian nevertheless more useful, simply a proficient Turkic language is a pleasance. +1 to Uzbek

— Nate Schenkkan (@nateschenkkan) January ix, 2013

@joannalillis @caravanistan @sarahkendzior If information technology'south just for travel, I'd still reco studying Russian. Depending on your location, it's still

— Theodore Kaye (@theodorekaye) January 9, 2013

@theodorekaye @joannalillis @caravanistan I agree for travel Russian is nearly useful, esp if you're merely sticking to major cities.

— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) January 9, 2013

@joannalillis @sarahkendzior @caravanistan uncool to speak sure langs. Uzbek is either endearing or raises suspicion re: South. Kyrgyzstan

— Theodore Kaye (@theodorekaye) Jan 9, 2013

@theodorekaye @joannalillis @caravanistan But disadvantage of studying Russian – it can lead to colonial perspective on Central Asia

— Joanna Lillis (@joannalillis) January 9, 2013

@joannalillis @caravanistan Russian. Uzbeks and others claim they understand Turkish, but no i understood me when I tried speaking Turkish

— solmstea (@solmstea) January 9, 2013

@joannalillis @caravanistan If you lot want to order espresso in Almaty, yous should get with Russian just for the residue of the CA earth, Turki/c/sh

— Yörük Işık (@YorukIsik) January 10, 2013

@yorukisik @joannalillis @caravanistan Recent road trip from Ashgabat to Almaty – spoke 90% Russian-10% Turkish. Didn't club an espresso.

— Andrew Segars (@ARSegars) January ten, 2013

@caravanistan @sarahkendzior Equally someone who studied Turkish for ii years, thing is information technology doesn't then brand y'all able to speak Uzbek/Kyrgyz/etc

— Nate Schenkkan (@nateschenkkan) Jan 11, 2013

@caravanistan @sarahkendzior Turkish-Azeri works OK, and Uighur-Uzbek I think. I tin sympathise some basic Kyrgyz convos, can't speak a lick

— Nate Schenkkan (@nateschenkkan) January 11, 2013