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====== Karaim in Lithuania and Ukraine ======

<colorgreen> updates welcome. </color>
==== Language designations: ====
  * In the language itself: 
    * Crimean dialect: къарай тили,
    * Trakai dialect: karaj tili
    * traditional Hebrew name: lashon kedar לשון קדר  
    * Turkish dialect: karay dili
  * [[general_information:glossary_of_terms#ISO 639-3|ISO 639-3]] standard: kdr
==== Language vitality according to: ====

^ [[https://en.wal.unesco.org/languages/karaim|UNESCO]] ^ [[https://www.ethnologue.com/language/kdr/|Ethnologue]] ^ [[http://www.endangeredlanguages.com|Endangered Languages]] ^  [[https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/kara1464|Glottolog]]  ^
|  {{:endangerment:red.png?nolink|Critically endangered}}  |  {{:endangerment:orange.png?nolink|Endangered}}  |  {{:endangerment:red.png?nolink|Critically Endangered}}  |  {{:endangerment:red.png?nolink|Nearly extinct}}  |
==== Linguistic aspects: =====
  * Classification: Turkic → Common Turkic → Kipchak → Northwest Kipchack → West Kipchack → Karaim . For more information, see [[http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/kara1464| kara1464]] at [[http://glottolog.org/|Glottolog]]
  * Script: Cyrillic in Ukraine and Latin in Lithuania

==== Language standardization ====
Throughout history, it was important for Karaim speakers to understand written text for ritualistic purposes, however these texts were dependent on the group's locality and so Cyrillic, Latin and Hebrew have all been used in the past ((The Peoples of the Red Book. (n.d.). Karaims. //The Peoples of the Red Book.// [[https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/karaims.shtml]].)) Today there is no standardized written language and comprehensive documentation into this variety is still very much needed. However, a previous Lithuanian Karaim leader (1924-2000), called an 'Ullu Hazzam', published a grammar textbook for children, but due to the Lithuanian orthography used, these resources are not so accessible to non Lithuanian Karaims ((Csató, É.Á. & Nathan, D. (2007). Multiliteracy, Past and Present, in the Karaim Communities. //Language Documentation and Description, 4 //, 207–30. [[http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/6083/1/karaim_orthography.pdf]])). There have also been instances of external bodies documenting the language ((Maciejewski, W. (2002). //The Baltic Sea Region: Cultures, Politics, Societies//. Baltic University Press.)).  

The three major dialects with which the language functioned are/were: 
  * Crimean (Eastern dialect): Although the suspected origins of modern Karaims, since the early 1900s this dialect has been considered extinct ((INNET project. (n.d.). Karaim. //Languages in Danger.// Retrieved from: [[http://languagesindanger.eu/book-of-knowledge/list-of-languages/karaim/|Karaim at Languages in Danger's Book of Knowledge]])).

  * Łuck-Halicz / Lutsk-Halych (Western Ukraine): After World War I, there was a cultural renaissance and many works of fiction, a grammar and a dictionary were published in Lutsk ((The Peoples of the Red Book. (n.d.). Karaims. //The Peoples of the Red Book.// [[https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/karaims.shtml]].)). After World War II however, all dialects suffered from the Russification of their territories, which led to geographical dispersion and significant language contact with majority varieties. Despite a period of linguistic prosperity, the Łuck-Halicz / Lutsk-Halych dialect has now extremely few numbers left, with some sources quoting as little as two fluent speakers ((INNET project. (n.d.). Karaim. //Languages in Danger.// Retrieved from: [[http://languagesindanger.eu/book-of-knowledge/list-of-languages/karaim/|Karaim at Languages in Danger's Book of Knowledge]])).

  * Troki/Trakai: The resettlement of Karaims into Lithuania during the 1300s, placed them in and around Trakai and Vilnius, where a proportion can still be found today ((Bondarenko, D. Kazankov, A., Khaltourina,D. & Korotayev, A. (2205). ‘Ethnographic Atlas Xxxi: Peoples of Easternmost Europe (1)’, //Ethnology, 44// (2005), 261 [[https://www.researchgate.net/profile/A_Korotayev/publication/221658388_Ethnographic_Atlas_XXXI_Peoples_of_easternmost_Europe/links/0922b4f55dd437d1c2000000/Ethnographic-Atlas-XXXI-Peoples-of-easternmost-Europe.pdf]])). The speaking population in Lithuania today is uncertain, as numbers are estimated anywhere between 39 ((INNET project. (n.d.). Karaim. //Languages in Danger.// Retrieved from: [[http://languagesindanger.eu/book-of-knowledge/list-of-languages/karaim/|Karaim at Languages in Danger's Book of Knowledge]])) to 75 ((Eberhard, D.M., Simons, G. & Fennig C.D. (eds.). (2024). Karaim. //Ethnologue: Languages of the World.// SIL International. [[https://www.ethnologue.com/language/kdr]])).


Across the dialects differences occur mainly in vocabulary, phonetics and orthography. As Csató and Nathan (2007) ((Csató, É.Á. & Nathan, D. (2007). Multiliteracy, Past and Present, in the Karaim Communities. //Language Documentation and Description, 4 //, 207–30. [[http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/6083/1/karaim_orthography.pdf]])) state:

"The divergence of the Karaim communities’ literary traditions has thus resulted in  a  very  complex  situation.  Lithuanian  Karaims  write  in  the  Lithuanian  system,  the  Karaims  of  Poland  and  Halich  in  the  Polish  one,  other  Karaim  communities  of  Ukraine  and  Russia  write  in  Russian,  and  Karaims  of  the  diaspora  beyond  these  countries  have  difficulty  in  reading  any  of  them.  There  is  no  move  to  introduce  Hebrew  literacy  in  any  of  the  communities, partly  due  to  the  strong  emphasis  that  most Karaims place on their Turkic ethnic identity."

In other words, standardization across the Karaim language has been problematic to say the least.

One of the few documented cases of Karaim can be heard here: 
{{ :languages:mm_2017:inwokacja.mp3 |}}






===== Demographics =====

==== Language Area ====

The Karaims are most predominantly found in Lithuania, Western Ukraine and the Crimea, while a small percentage can also be found in Poland, Romania and the USA((The Peoples of the Red Book. (n.d.). Karaims. //The Peoples of the Red Book.// [[https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/karaims.shtml]].)). Historically, they originate from the mountainous center of the Crimea, but many were resettled by Lithuanians between the 12th and 16th centuries, which led to their current presence around Vilnius today ((The Peoples of the Red Book. (n.d.). Karaims. //The Peoples of the Red Book.// [[https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/karaims.shtml]].)). Beyond these three major regions, the Karaims are also residing in several Russian cities and in the Caucasus ((The Peoples of the Red Book. (n.d.). Karaims. //The Peoples of the Red Book.// [[https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/karaims.shtml]].)).

{{http://languagesindanger.eu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/language-karaim-map.jpg}}

Map of Karaim dialects ((INNET project. (n.d.). Karaim. //Languages in Danger.// Retrieved from: [[http://languagesindanger.eu/book-of-knowledge/list-of-languages/karaim/|Karaim at Languages in Danger's Book of Knowledge]])) 

==== Speaker numbers ====

As noted above, the number of Karaim speakers existing today is uncertain. However it can be assumed to be dwindling. Those who do hold a higher proficiency are predominantly elderly, while younger generations experience high amounts of interference from other majority languages in their vicinity, such as Russian and other Baltic varieties ((The Peoples of the Red Book. (n.d.). Karaims. //The Peoples of the Red Book.// [[https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/karaims.shtml]].)).

According to [[http://languagesindanger.eu/book-of-knowledge/list-of-languages/karaim/|Karaim at Languages in Danger's Book of Knowledge]], there are some 120 speakers left in Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine. Of this population, in Lithuania and Poland, it is believed that 86 can speak and understand Kariam, whereas 39 are able to speak, understand, read and write.

Conversely, the [[https://www.ethnologue.com/language/kdr|Ethnologue]] states that there are 84 speakers left in all countries.



====== Education of the language ======
===== History of language education: =====
As the Karaim language is not standardized it is very difficult to institutionalize within the framework of education. Despite having once a real chance at linguistic prosperity, with speakers in Lithuania reaching an estimated 5000 people in the late 12th century, the language has since depleted century after century ((The Peoples of the Red Book. (n.d.). Karaims. //The Peoples of the Red Book.// [[https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/karaims.shtml]].)). 

It is believed that in pre-war Poland efforts were made to organize some form of language education, as the Karaim faith (similar to Judaism), required believers to understand the religious texts written in Karaim ((The Peoples of the Red Book. (n.d.). Karaims. //The Peoples of the Red Book.// [[https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/karaims.shtml]].)). Children would learn to write and read Karaim, through the Hebrew script, at religious schools (a midrash). However these differed dialectically from community to community ((Csató, É.Á. & Nathan, D. (2007). Multiliteracy, Past and Present, in the Karaim Communities. //Language Documentation and Description, 4 //, 207–30. [[http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/6083/1/karaim_orthography.pdf]])). Once the Soviet Union took over however, any thoughts of a standardized Karaim education were abandoned, along with their faith and farms ((Csató, É. A. & Nathan, D. 2003). Multimedia and Documentation of Endangered Languages. //Language Documentation and Description, 1//, 73–84 [[http://www.dnathan.com/eprints/dnathan_etal_2004_multimedia.pdf]])).

Today there is a big push for revitalization both within the community and from third parties, such as from Uppsala University in Sweden, where they offer a unique course in Karaim, covering both linguistic and cultural knowledge. ((Csató, É.A. (2012).// Lithuanian Karaim - Litvanya Karaycasi//. Uppsala University. [[http://www.dergi.tehlikedekidiller.com/index.php/TDD/article/viewFile/26/23]])). Beyond this there is a regular Karaim language Summer school and sporadic language learning events provided by the [[http://karaim.eu/ |Karaim]] community.
===== Legislation of language education =====

====Lithuania ====

Lithuania's [[http://www3.lrs.lt/home/Konstitucija/Constitution.htm |constitution]] considering minorities is quite accepting, as Article 37 of the Constitution spells out that, “citizens who belong to ethnic communities shall have the right to foster their language, culture and customs” and that according to Article 45, "national  minorities  in  Lithuania  have the  right  to education in their own language." The state however will only finance minority language schools if the school is located in a, "populous and compact community of the ethnic minority." Although Karaim are a recognized minority within Lithuania, their meager numbers are insufficient for traditional schooling in their language. 

In 2000, Lithuania ratified the [[http://www.coe.int/en/web/minorities/home?|Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe]], recognising the Karaite minority alongside the Russian, Polish, Jewish, Belarussian, Tartar, Roma, German and Ukrainian minorities ((Republic of Lithuania. (2001). //Report on the implementation of the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protecttion of National Minorities in the Republic of Lithuania, subject to Article 25 (1) of the Convention//. Council of Europe. [[https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168008b0f3]].)).

To this date, Lithuania has not ratified the [[http://www.coe.int/en/web/european-charter-regional-or-minority-languages| European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]] and so Karaim does not reap any benefit from this treaty ((Council of Europe. (2024). Chart of signatures and ratifications of Treaty 148. //Treaty Office.//[[https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list?module=signatures-by-treaty&treatynum=148 ]].)).

====Poland ====

Poland has ratified the [[http://www.coe.int/en/web/minorities/home?|Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe]], recognizing the Karaim minority as a religious minority:
"Karaites have lost their knowledge of their mother tongue; it is Karaite religion, originating from Judaism and Islam which distinguishes them" ((Poland. (2002).// Report submitted by Poland Pursuant to Article 25, paragraph 10f of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.// Council of Europe. [[https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168008b123]].)).

Poland has also recognized the Karaim minority in the [[https://www.coe.int/en/web/european-charter-regional-or-minority-languages/about-the-charter|European Charter for Regnional and Minority Languages]] under [[https://rm.coe.int/states-parties-to-the-european-charter-for-regional-or-minority-langua/168077098c|part II and III]]. You can read the latest report (2019) [[https://rm.coe.int/polandpr3-en-docx/1680981491|here]]

At a national level, Poland has recognized the Karaims as an ethnic minority which permits them the right under  [[http://www.sejm.gov.pl/prawo/konst/angielski/kon1.htm|Article 35 of their constitution]]:

  * The Republic of Poland shall ensure Polish citizens belonging to national or ethnic minorities the freedom to maintain and develop their own language, to maintain customs and traditions, and to develop their own culture.
  * National and ethnic minorities shall have the right to establish educational and cultural institutions, institutions designed to protect religious identity, as well as to participate in the resolution of matters connected with their cultural identity.

Similarly to that in Lithuania, despite this legislature, the small population of Karaim speakers allows for little governmental attention or support in establishing more concrete public schooling or education.

====Ukraine====

In the Ukraine, Karaim is recognised in the [[https://www.coe.int/en/web/european-charter-regional-or-minority-languages/about-the-charter|European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages]] under [[https://rm.coe.int/states-parties-to-the-european-charter-for-regional-or-minority-langua/168077098c|part II]], though Karaim speakers are believed to be few or extinct ((INNET project. (n.d.). Karaim. //Languages in Danger.// Retrieved from: [[http://languagesindanger.eu/book-of-knowledge/list-of-languages/karaim/|Karaim at Languages in Danger's Book of Knowledge]])).

In the Ukraine, a law on education passed in September 5, 2017, withdrawing the right to education in a minority language. For primary schools seperate groups can still be taught in the minority languages and in secondary schools minority languages can be taught as a subject if it is a EU language. SOme exceptions are made for ""indigenous languages", which seem to be non-kinstate languages such as Karaim ((Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung. (2017, October 16.). Dokumentation: Reaktionen auf die Verabschiedung des neuen Bildungsgesetzes vom 5. September 2017. [[https://www.bpb.de/258160/dokumentation-reaktionen-auf-neues-bildungsgesetz]].)) ((Euromaidan News. (2017, September 19). //Ukraine’s new education law unleashes international storm over minority language status//. [[http://euromaidanpress.com/2017/09/19/ukraines-new-education-law-causes-international-storm-over-minority-language-status/]].)). The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ([[[[general_information:glossary_of_terms|PACE]]) has been concerned about this law in light of the Framework Convention, and states that the law is "a major impediment to the teaching of national minorities' mother tongues" ((Parliamentary Assembly. (2017). //Resolution 2189 (2017): The new Ukrainian law on education: a major impediment to the teaching of national minorities' mother tongues.// [[http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/Xref-XML2HTML-EN.asp?fileid=24218&lang=en]].)).


===== Support structure for education of the language:=====

==== Lithuania====

In Lithuania, the Department for National Minorities and Emigrants is responsible for ensuring government language policy is upheld. This institution also mediates between sultural/educational minority associations and governmental organizations and support ((Andrlík, J. (2009). Ethnic and Language Policy of the Republic of Lithuania: Basis and Practice. //Annual of Language & Politics and Politics of Identity, 3 //. [[http://alppi.eu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Andrlik.pdf]])).




===== Education in practice =====

Currently there is no formal Karaim language education in any of the countries where Karaims reside. The only known source of language schooling is the annual [[http://karaim.eu/index.php?id=66&lang=lt| Summer School]] held in Trakai, Lithuania. These Summer schools are provided by Éva Csató, a Hungarian linguist whose research explores Turkic languages, and uses a unique multimedia method for teaching ((De Graaf, T. & Van der Meer, C. (2006) //National Minorities in Lithuania, A Study Visit to Vilnius and Klaipėda for Mercator Education//. Mercator Euopean Researcht Centre.[[https://www.mercator-research.eu/fileadmin/mercator/documents/endangered_languages_and_archives/de_Graaf__van_der_Meer__National_Minorities_in_Lithuania__A_Study_Visit__2006_.pdf]])). It is hoped that with the cooperation of a proficient Karaim speaking community member and external organisations, such as Mercator, teaching could be continued more frequently ((De Graaf, T. & Van der Meer, C. (2006) //National Minorities in Lithuania, A Study Visit to Vilnius and Klaipėda for Mercator Education//. Mercator Euopean Researcht Centre.[[https://www.mercator-research.eu/fileadmin/mercator/documents/endangered_languages_and_archives/de_Graaf__van_der_Meer__National_Minorities_in_Lithuania__A_Study_Visit__2006_.pdf]]))

Beyond that, the university of Uppsala, in Sweden, has a Karaim [[http://www.lingfil.uu.se/admissions/courses/course-syllabus/?kpid=21807&lasar=16%2F17&typ=1|course]] on offer.


===== Learning resources and educational institutions =====


  * [[http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/2366/guide|Endangered Languages]] resources
  * [[http://karaim.karaites.free.fr/index_uk.php|Learn Karaim Language]] with word lists 
  * [[https://www.dnathan.com/language/karaim/dic/karaim-russian/index.html|Karaim-Russian dictionary]]
  * [[https://www.uu.se/en/|University of Uppsala]]
  * [[http://karaim.eu/|Karaim Official Website in Lithuania]] (not in English)
  * [[http://www.karaimi.org/|Karaimi]] (not in English)
  * [[http://www.dnathan.com/language/karaim/kcdproject.htm|Spoken Karaim Project Description]]