Kalmyk language
The Kalmuck (Kalmyk) language is spoken mainly in Kalmykia, in the Russian Federation.
It belongs to the western subgroup of the Mongolian languages and reflects its characteristic Mongolian vowel harmony, and its script based on the Mongolian alphabet. It has also some elements that are also common with Uralic and Turkic languages, sometimes being speculated as a member of disputed Altaic or Ural-Altaic language family. This reflects Kalmyk's origin as the common language of the Oyirads, a union of four western Mongolian tribes which absorbed Ugric and Turkic tribes during its migration westward.
Kalmyk suffered greatly during the Soviet period. Half of all Kalmyk speakers died during Stalin's ethnic cleansings. Russian was made Kalmykia's primary official language, and the Kalmyk alphabet was banned in favor of Cyrillic. In the 1960s, the last Kalmyk-language classes were closed, and Russian became the language of education for Kalmuck children.
As a result of these policies, many Kalmucks do not speak their own language. Kalmuck linguists, in collaboration with the Kalmuck government, are working to improve the situation. Starting in 1993, school education in Kalmyk has been restored. Still, there remains much work to do.
See also: Languages of the Caucasus
