Brief Information
Native speakers of the Tuvan language live in the Republic of Tuva. According to the 2010 census, the Tuvan population within the republic is 249,299. Across the Russian Federation there are 263,934 ethnic Tuvans. Tuvan communities also exist in Mongolia (20,000) and China (4,000).
The 2010 census also indicates that 241,092 of the 249,299 Tuvans in the republic speak the Tuvan language, which corresponds to 96.7%.
Autoethnonyms: "тыва дыл" (tyva dyl), "тувинский язык" (tuvinskiy yazyk). Historically used exoethnonyms include "урянхайский" (uryankhayskiy), "сойотский" (soyotskiy), and "танну-тувинский" (tannu-tuvinskiy).
Most linguistic specialists distinguish four dialects: Central, Western, South-Eastern, North-Eastern, as well as two transitional local varieties: Kaa-Khemski, Tere-Kholski.
The Tuvan people have traditionally led a nomadic lifestyle. Based on economic activities, ethnographers distinguish between pastoralist Tuvans (Western and Central Tuva) and hunter-gatherer Tuvans (Eastern Tuva). Today, most Tuvans lead a settled life, with only a small portion of the population engaged in herding and hunting.
Since ancient times, Tuvans have deified nature and worshipped local spirits. Among the peoples of the Sayan-Altai region, nature was the primary source of a sense of belonging. Researchers note that this concept is based on ancient dualistic mythological ideas, characteristic of the early stages of social consciousness development [Homushku 2004]. Tuvan religious practice includes both shamanism and Buddhism. Shamanism is characterized by the shaman's ecstatic communication with the supernatural world. Buddhism arrived later, approximately in the 17th–18th centuries. Upon its arrival, the indigenous beliefs were adapted—reinterpreted and incorporated into the Lamaist Buddhist system while retaining their core ideas.
Genealogy
According to modern linguistic classification, the Tuvan language belongs to the Sayan subgroup of Turkic languages.
Within the dialectal system of spoken Tuvan, most specialists distinguish four main types: Central (distributed in the Dzun-Khemchik, Ovjur, Sut-Khol, Ulug-Khem, and Piy-Khem districts), Western (distributed in the Barun-Khemchik, Bai-Taiga, and Mongun-Taiga districts), Southeastern (distributed in the Tandinsky, Erzin, and Tes-Khem districts), and Northeastern (distributed in the Tozhu district and partially in the Piy-Khem district). Two transitional local dialects are also identified: Kaa-Khem and Tere-Khem. This foundational classification has been expanded upon by Tuvan scholars but not fundamentally revised.
The most comprehensive contemporary study of the modern Tuvan dialect and accent system, including its history and formation, is by M.V. Bavuu-Syuryun [2018]. She analyzes the classificatory features of these dialects and accents, identifying their most salient differential and integral features both in relation to the literary standard and to each other. Significantly, Bavuu-Syuryun incorporates the idioms of Tuvan groups living outside the republic into the language's dialectal system. Consequently, based on a synthesis of linguistic data, she proposes the following structure:
A Central dialect, comprising the Dzun-Khemchik, Erzin-Tes-Khem, Ulug-Khem, Ovyur, and Tandy sub-dialects;
A Western dialect, comprising the Bay-Tayga-Barun-Khemchik, Mongun-Tayga, and Kara-Khol sub-dialects;
Separate dialects for Tere-Khol, Tozhu, and Tsagaan-Nur;
An Altai dialect, comprising the Kobdo, Tsengel, and Chinese sub-dialects [2018].
Distribution
The Republic of Tuva is the primary and ubiquitous territory of the Tuvan language. Beyond the republic, Tuvan communities live compactly in several other areas:
In the Russian Federation: the village of Usinskoye in Krasnoyarsk Krai (approximately 500 people).
In Northwest Mongolia: the Buyant district of Hovd city, and in the Tsengel (Bayan-Ölgii), Zuun-Buren and Orkhon (Selenge), Zaamar (Töv), and Tsagaan-Nur (Khövsgöl) aimags (no more than 7,000 people).
In China: the villages of Hom, Hanas, Ak-Hava, Chingil, Kok-Dogai, and Alagak in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (no more than 2,500 people).
Language contacts and multilingualism
The Mongolian and Russian languages have played a significant role in shaping the functional development of modern Tuvan. Prolonged and intensive contact with these languages, driven primarily by extra-linguistic factors, has resulted in substantial intralingual changes.
Archaeological and paleoanthropological data indicate that the ancestors of modern Tuvans lived in close proximity to speakers of ancient Mongolian dialects as early as the 6th–8th centuries. The influence of Mongol-speaking tribes intensified following the conquest of the Sayan-Altai plateau by Genghis Khan's forces in the early 13th century. Close ethno-cultural ties persisted after the collapse of the Mongol Empire, as the territory of Tuva became a borderland between the domains of the eastern (Khalkha) and western (Oirat) Mongols. At the end of the 15th century, Tuva was incorporated into the state of the Altyn Khans, and in the first half of the 18th century, it came under the control of Dzungaria. Subsequently, from 1757 to 1911, Tuvans, together with Mongols, were under the rule of the Manchu (Qing) dynasty.
By the time the Tuvan People's Republic (TPR) was formed in 1921, Mongolian already functioned as the language of administration, inter-ethnic communication, culture, and education. Lacking its own national written form, Tuvan during this period developed and functioned primarily as a language of oral communication, folklore, and certain ritual and ceremonial events [Mongush D., 2009]. The role of a written language was fulfilled by Classical Mongolian, which was used for official documentation, newspapers, magazines, and printed books.
Regarding the Russian language, the first ethno-linguistic contacts between Tuvans and Russians date to the early 17th century, following the establishment of Russian trade relations in Siberia and the Far East and the arrival of Russian speakers in Tuva. The predominance of the Tuvan linguistic environment necessitated that most Russian settlers learn Tuvan, which served as the primary means of communication. Knowledge of Tuvan was especially common among merchants, "most of whom were natives of the Minusinsk district neighboring Tuva" [Tatarintsev, 1968]. Tuvan retained this function as the language of interethnic communication until 1944.
Only those Tuvans who had regular contact with the Russian population spoke Russian. Moreover, the precarious and legally unstable position of Russian settlers facilitated only exchange trade with Tuvans, meaning that "...in old Tuva there were no objective prerequisites for mastering the Russian language ... on a mass scale" [Mongush & Tatarintsev, 1985]. According to B.I. Tatarintsev, the Mongolian language acted as a barrier to the influence of Russian in Tuva [Tatarintsev, 1968: 7]. Consequently, genuine opportunities to strengthen the position of Russian and expand its public functions emerged only in the final years of the TPR's existence (early 1940s). During this period, Russian was spoken by only a segment of the population, mainly the intelligentsia. Their proficiency level, however, was limited due to a shortage of teachers, poor material and technical resources, a lack of facilities, and the homogeneous ethnic composition of the population.
The functional load of the interacting languages shifted after Tuva's incorporation into the Soviet Union. From that point onward, as the ethnic composition of the population changed and Tuvan-Russian bilingualism spread, the functions of the Russian language gradually expanded and strengthened. The transition of the Tuvan script from a Latin-based to a Cyrillic alphabet between 1941 and 1943 further facilitated Tuva's rapid cultural and political integration into the Soviet system.
Modern speakers of Tuvan are predominantly bilingual (Tuvan and Russian). Those living outside their ethnic homeland continue to preserve and use their native language.
As part of a comprehensive study of the language situation in Tuva conducted in 2009–2010, Ch. S. Tsybenova surveyed the republic's adult population. A total of 637 Tuvan respondents aged 18 and over were interviewed. To assess their linguistic competence—that is, the extent and quality of their command of both Tuvan and Russian—the question was asked: "What forms (skills) of the Tuvan and Russian languages do you command?" The survey yielded the following picture of native (Tuvan) language proficiency:
Table 1: Forms and Degree of Tuvan Language Proficiency in the Republic of Tuva (%)
| Forms | Very Well | Well | Satisfactory | Bad | Do Not Speak |
| Can understand | 57.6 | 39.5 | 2.5 | 0.3 | - |
| Can speak | 47.6 | 46.8 | 4.9 | 0.5 | - |
| Can read | 49.6 | 39.2 | 8.7 | 2.4 | 0.2 |
| Can write | 43.3 | 43.0 | 9.4 | 3.8 | 0.5 |
Regarding the Russian language, the survey revealed a predominance of responses in the "well" category for all skills, with a stable proportion of at least 50%.
Table 2: Forms and Degree of Russian Language Proficiency in the Republic of Tuva (%)
| Forms | Very Well | Well | Satisfactory | Bad | Do Not Speak |
| Can understand | 36.2 | 52.8 | 9.9 | 1.1 | - |
| Can speak | 20.6 | 55.4 | 20.8 | 3.1 | - |
| Can read | 32.3 | 55.7 | 10.1 | 1.9 | - |
| Can write | 26.1 | 55.1 | 16.2 | 2.5 | - |
The combined proportion of those rating their skills as "very well" or "well" in Russian is as follows: understanding – 89%, speaking – 76%, reading – 88%, and writing – 81.2%. The most challenging skill for respondents was speaking (76%), which can be explained by the lack of a full-fledged Russian-language environment in the republic and, consequently, limited practice. Therefore, when speaking Russian, Tuvans often exhibit interference from their native language, and the development of mixed speech is particularly common among young people and residents of central districts and cities [Tsybenova, 2017].
In addition to Tuvan and Russian, Tibetan and, to a lesser extent, Mongolian are used in the activities of Buddhist clergy [Martan-ool, 2001].
Language functioning
- Legal status
- Writing system
- Language standardization
- Domains of language usage
State language of the Republic of Tuva.
The Cyrillic alphabet developed in 1941 is currently in use. The modern Tuvan alphabet consists of 36 characters: 33 graphemes from the Russian (Cyrillic) alphabet and three additional graphemes (ө, ү, ң) representing specific Tuvan phonemes.
The development of the script involved two distinct proposals: a local project and a Soviet one. The creator of the local project is considered to be the scholar and lama Mongush Lopsan-Chimit, who devised a script based on the Latin alphabet (specifically, a variant used for German). This project received support from the religious clergy and was formally approved at a meeting of the Politburo of the Tuvan People's Revolutionary Party (TPRP) Central Committee in 1929. Its instruction, however, had already begun prior to official adoption [Tatarintsev, 2009]. Due to the prevailing political instability, the project's further implementation was suspended, and Lopsan-Chimit himself was later repressed.
The Soviet version was a collective effort. Among its key contributors were the eminent linguists N.N. Poppe and E.D. Polivanov. Because of the political repression and persecution of that era, certain details remain unclear: the exact authorship of the Latin-based Tuvan script, the precise timeline of its development, the level of prior scientific analysis of the Tuvan language, and the specifics of the research undertaken [Tatarintsev, 2009]. This version, based on the unified New Turkic Alphabet, was officially approved by a decree of the Tuvan People's Republic (TPR) government on June 28, 1930. It was subsequently implemented and successfully adopted by the population.
The official transition from the Latin-based script to the current Cyrillic alphabet took place between 1941 and 1943.
The literary Tuvan language was formed in the 1940s and 1950s on the basis of the Central dialect. Today, it functions in both written and spoken forms. Speakers communicate in their local dialects without significant difficulty, as mutual intelligibility is high. The dialects most divergent from the literary standard are those spoken in the Tozhu and Tere-Khol districts (northeastern Tuva) and the Erzin district (southeastern Tuva).
Nevertheless, language policy in education and the influence of modern information and communication networks (the internet, television) contribute to the gradual reduction of interdialectal differences.
Family / everyday communication
Family / everyday communication
The Tuvan language is used most intensively within the family and in everyday communication. According to a sociolinguistic survey conducted in the Republic of Tuva in 2009–2010, 91.3% of respondents use Tuvan at home [Tsybenova, 2017].
Education
Education
School Types (2016–2017 Academic Year):
According to official statistics, the following types of general education organizations operated in the Republic of Tuva:
- Russian-language schools: 14 schools (excluding remedial and sanatorium schools), including 8 in rural and 6 in urban areas.
- Tuvan-language schools: 4 schools, all located in rural areas.
- Schools with Russian and Tuvan as languages of instruction: 143 schools (121 rural, 26 urban). Most of these operate in a monolingual Tuvan environment.
Native Language Instruction (2017–2018 Academic Year):
- Preschool: The educational process was conducted in Tuvan in 87 out of 219 rural preschool organizations.
- Schools: Instruction in the native (Tuvan) language was provided in 121 rural schools.
Language of Instruction:
Russian is the primary language of instruction across all primary, basic, and general secondary educational institutions. Tuvan is used as the medium of instruction specifically for native language and literature classes, beginning in primary school.
Tuvan as a Subject of Study:
Tuvan language and literature is a core subject throughout the educational system:
- Preschool: Included in the curriculum of preschools with a national-regional component.
- Primary (Grades 1–4): Core subject (mother tongue and literature).
- Secondary (Grades 5–9): Core subject (mother tongue and literature).
- Upper Secondary (Grades 10–11): Core subject (mother tongue and literature).
- Specialized Secondary & Higher Education: Offered as a subject in relevant institutions.
Note: There are no formal language courses for adults.
Educational and Methodological Literature:
The development of teaching materials is primarily overseen by the Institute for the Development of National Schools under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tuva. Despite objective difficulties in creating national textbooks and a shortage of qualified personnel, there is a generally positive trend in introducing and developing a new generation of textbooks.
Mass media
Mass media
Press:
In mass communication, the Tuvan language is used most prominently in newspaper periodicals. Despite funding challenges and reduced print runs, 11 newspapers (4 republican, 7 municipal) and 2 magazines are currently published in Tuvan: the literary and art almanac «Улуг-Хем» (Ulug-Khem) and the scientific and methodological journal «Башкы» (Bashkɨ). It should be noted that the readership consists primarily of older people.
Radio and Television:
Broadcasting in Tuvan is confined to specific allocated time slots. According to the press service of the Government of the Republic of Tuva in 2010:
- Radio: Broadcasts for 1 hour 05 minutes on weekdays and 50 minutes on weekends.
- State TV & Radio Company "Тыва": Airs news in Tuvan three times daily (10–16 minutes each) and various thematic programs three times weekly (totaling 2 hours). Prime-time slots are predominantly filled by local programs in Russian.
- Commercial TV: The channel «Новый Век» (Novy Vek) broadcasts the program "Learning the Tuvan Language" five times a week for 10 minutes.
Culture
Culture
General: Tuvan, alongside Russian, is a primary working language for cultural events. The repertoire of the vast majority of artistic groups is in Tuvan.
Traditional Culture: Tuvan is used universally in this sphere.
Amateur Collectives & Estrada (Pop Music): Tuvan is one of the main working languages.
Theatre: Several theatres operate in the republic. One of the oldest is the «Кок-оола» (Kok-oola) Musical Drama Theatre, which has a rich repertoire ranging from pop concerts to translated plays. Its main working language is Tuvan.
Cinema: This is a new domain for the Tuvan language. Historically, there was no local film production. Since the early 1990s, amateur studios have emerged (e.g., «Авырал» (Avyral) Animation Studio, «Нирвана» (Nirvana) Film Studio). A professional studio, NOMAD, was established in 2012 under director V. N. Kopush. Currently, Soviet-era film equipment is obsolete. Following the dissolution of the "Tyvakinovideo" Centre in 2009, the only cinema in the republic is «Найырал» (Nayyral), which was leased to a private enterprise (Nayyral LLC) until 2019.
To consolidate amateur film enthusiasts and small-scale clip producers in Tuva, a public association—the regional Film Commission under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tyva—was established on the recommendation of the Federal Fund for the Social and Economic Support of National Cinematography. The main objective of the Film Commission is to create conditions for the development of regional film production [According to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tyva].
Animation:
This is a new field for the Tuvan language. Currently, animated films are being created on the basis of various supplementary education centers. In Kyzyl, the children's animation and film studio "Bodaral" is operational. This center is implementing the animation project "Tyva-Mult." The organizers' goal is to popularize the oral folklore of the Tuvan people through new information technologies, to develop and promote the art of animation in Tuva, and to create a community of animators in the region. The head of the "Tyva-Mult" project is S.V. Chapchyn. The studio releases a video collection of children's animated films from the "Tyva-Mult" project.
Animated films in the Tuvan language are produced at various centers and in districts across the republic. For example, the work of the teachers and students from the Bai-Taiga supplementary education center is widely recognized; this center is better known as the “Авырал” (Avyral) film studio. In the early 1990s, the studio became independent from the school and expanded its staff to include a cameraman and a sound engineer. Today, the school houses a film and TV studio, a children's theatre studio, an English club, and several other clubs. “Авырал” (Avyral) creates animated films based on Tuvan folk tales.
Museums:
The Tuvan language is one of the main working languages in the republic’s museums.
Production of Audio/Video Products:
The Tuvan language is well represented in this sphere. The market offers both amateur and professional audio and video productions in the language.
Science
Science
The use of the Tuvan language in scientific writing by Tuvan scholars is increasingly rare. Consequently, there is virtually no scientific literature published in Tuvan. However, the language is used quite frequently by presenters at regional and republican conferences.
Folklore
Folklore
Today, examples of Tuvan folklore are published in limited quantities. These are primarily materials collected by amateurs and enthusiasts. For instance:
"Шын сөске чон ынак, шык черге үнүш ынак" (Proverbs, Riddles, Well-Wishes, and Ditties). Compiled by D. Kүzhuget. In Tuvan. Kyzyl: Publishing and Polygraphic Department "Bilig", 2006. 63 p. Print run: 150 copies.
Literature
Literature
In the area of book publishing, the use of the Tuvan language is constrained by a lack of funding and an insufficient number of works. Although fiction in Tuvan prevails thematically, this field lacks major artistic works. Today, it is difficult to find works by classics of Tuvan literature in general circulation; there are also practically no colorful, illustrated children's books or folktales. Experts note that while individual print runs of children's books reached 15,000 copies in the early 1990s, the majority are now printed in runs of only 500 to 1,000 copies [Bavuu-Syuryun, 2010]. According to N.M. Ochur, from 1995 to 2008, the Tuvan publishing house issued about 500 books and brochures. Books in the Tuvan language constituted 70–90% of its total output during this period [Ochur, 2010].
Religion
Religion
The religious sphere is of particular importance in Tuvan society. In shamanism, rituals are primarily conducted using the colloquial form of Tuvan (the local dialect or variety of the performer’s region) with archaic phraseology. In the activities of Buddhist clergy, alongside Tuvan, the Tibetan, and partly the Mongolian and Russian languages are used [Martan-ool, 2001].
Legislation
Legislation
In legislative activity, Russian dominates; only fundamental laws, such as the Constitution, are translated into Tuvan.
Administrative activities
Administrative activities
The use of languages in local government depends on the ethnicity of the participants. In predominantly Russian-speaking communities, Tuvan serves as a means of communication only among Tuvans themselves. In rural areas with a relatively homogeneous ethnic population, Tuvan is widely used. According to a survey [Tsybenova, 2017], 31.3% of respondents use Tuvan in state institutions of the Republic of Tuva, comprising 12.8% in urban and 18.6% in rural areas.
The linguistic landscape is represented mainly in Russian (e.g., street signs). The address plates of various institutions are typically in both Russian and Tuvan. Theatrical posters, advertisements, and private announcements may also appear in Tuvan.
Legal proceedings
Legal proceedings
In legal proceedings, Russian is generally used, regardless of the participants' ethnicity. The use of Tuvan and the involvement of an interpreter depend on the participants' level of competence in Russian and are therefore employed on an as-needed basis. Translation into Tuvan during proceedings is provided upon request.
Industry
Industry
In industrial production, Tuvan is used only as a means of intra-ethnic communication among Tuvan workers.
Agriculture
Agriculture
In traditional economic activities, Tuvan is used universally. The use of Russian in this sphere depends on the type of settlement and the ethnicity of the communication participants.
Trade and service
Trade and service
In trade and the service sector, the use of Tuvan depends on the type of settlement and the interlocutor. In a relatively homogeneous linguistic environment, such as rural areas, Tuvan is widely used in these spheres. In cities with a heterogeneous linguistic environment, the language of communication depends on the interlocutor's ethnicity and language preference (younger Tuvans often prefer to speak Russian).
Transport
Transport
In the urban environment, announcements at airports and bus stations are made primarily in Russian. Bus conductors may announce stops in both Russian and Tuvan. Many people still prefer to speak Tuvan, which remains the dominant language in rural areas.
Internet
Internet
On the Internet, Tuvan is represented by sites such as www.pisateli-tuvy.ru, www.tyvadyl.ru, http://orlan.tuva.ru, http://www.kuular.ru, and http://www.tuvancorpus.ru. A major drawback of some dedicated Tuvan-language sites is poor administration: news feeds and sections are updated infrequently. By contrast, Tuvan-related sites in Russian (e.g., www.tuva.asia, www.gov.tuva.ru) are better organized and typically updated every two to three days.
Dynamics of language usage
Currently, the majority of the indigenous Tuvan population speaks Tuvan as a native language, with a significant number of monolingual speakers living in rural areas. For most of the middle-aged generation, Tuvan is their mother tongue, but the younger generation uses it less frequently. Among urban youth, those who are non-native speakers—who did not speak the language with their parents—are now prevalent. They generally understand the speech of the older generation. The percentage of non-native speakers is rising among children. Those who have not acquired the language primarily encounter Tuvan (as a language of tradition) in rural areas and educational institutions. Some children do not comprehend oral Tuvan speech.
An analysis of extralinguistic factors suggests that the Tuvan population’s overall linguistic competence in their ethnic language remains quite high. Census data also indicate a high level of native language proficiency. According to the 2010 All-Russian Population Census, 241,092 out of 249,299 ethnic Tuvans declared proficiency in the Tuvan language, representing 96.7% of the group. In other words, while the percentage of those who consider Tuvan their native language is slightly higher (98.9%), the percentage who demonstrate proficiency in it is as follows.
| Year | Number of Tuvans (in thousands) | The number of them considering Tuvan their mother tongue(%) | The number of them speaking Russian(%) |
1979 | 161,888 | 99.1 | 37.5 |
1989 | 198,448 | 99.0 | 58.3 |
2002 | 235,313 | 98.5 | 84.3 |
2010 | 249,299 | 98.9 | 81.9 |
According to the results of sociolinguistic research conducted by Ch. S. Tsybenova (2017), 97.8% of Tuvan respondents identified Tuvan as their native language, while 1.4% indicated Russian. In terms of language acquisition sequence, Tuvan was the first language acquired for a significant majority of respondents (76.9%). Simultaneous acquisition of Tuvan and Russian was reported by 19.2% of respondents (see table).
General Sociolinguistic Information Based on Survey Results (%)
| Region | Admitted as Native Language | Native Language of... | Learnt Before... | |||||||
| Tuvan | Russian | Other | Father | Mother | Tuvan | Russian | Both simultaneously | |||
| Tuvan | Russian | Tuvan | Russian | |||||||
| Republic of Tuva | 97.8 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 98.9 | 0.6 | 99.2 | 0.5 | 76.9 | 3.9 | 19.2 |
| Town | 96.5 | 2.2 | - | 98.7 | 0.6 | 98.7 | 0.6 | 74.9 | 6.0 | 19.0 |
| Village | 99.1 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 99.1 | 0.6 | 99.7 | 0.3 | 78.8 | 1.9 | 19.4 |
Overall, both recent census data (2002 and 2010) and our survey results indicate that proficiency in the Tuvan language among the indigenous population of Tuva remains high. This is facilitated by the tradition of intergenerational language transmission within families and the predominantly homogeneous Tuvan-speaking environment.
For age-based analysis, respondents were divided into six groups by decade of birth: 1) 1940–1950; 2) 1951–1960; 3) 1961–1970; 4) 1971–1980; 5) 1981–1990; 6) 1991 and earlier (but not younger than 16).
Forms of Tuvan Language Proficiency by Age (%)
It is well established that younger speakers typically have weaker command of their heritage language, while older individuals possess stronger proficiency. In this case, however, the results suggest that age influences linguistic competence in Tuvan less actively within a more homogeneous language environment.
Nevertheless, the analysis reveals notable differences in certain age cohorts. For instance, among the groups studied, those born between 1971 and 1980 show weaker skills (except in oral comprehension and production). This is likely attributable to shifts in the language situation and the strengthening role of Russian during the Soviet period.
Subsequent generations show improving indicators. This trend may be linked to the onset of a national revival after the collapse of the Soviet Union, exemplified by the 1992 adoption of the "Law on Languages in the Tuva ASSR." According to G.M. Seliverstova, this law envisioned a gradual increase in the use of Tuvan in schools up to the 9th grade—i.e., a transition to teaching all subjects in the native language within those grades [Seliverstova, 2007].
The highest proficiency rates were found among respondents born between 1951 and 1960. Their linguistic competence developed during a period when instruction in Tuvan schools (up to and including 7th grade) was conducted in Tuvan, except for Russian language and literature classes. As S.C. Sat notes, instruction in the native language played a decisive role in children's acquisition of the literary standard [Sat, 1973]. Furthermore, D.A. Mongush states that the introduction of universal seven-year education in Tuvan expanded not only the school network but also educational access for the vast majority of age-eligible children [Mongush, 2009].
The data also show that respondents understand and speak Tuvan better than they read and write it. This gap between oral and written skills, beginning with the third age group (1961–1970), may be partly explained by the shift to Russian as the medium of instruction for all subjects (except Tuvan language and literature) in grades 8–10 and specialized secondary institutions, which began in the early 1950s.
During the Soviet era, Tuvan remained the primary means of communication among Tuvans. The first sociolinguistic survey, conducted in 1967 by researchers from the Institute of History, Philology, and Philosophy of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, found it dominated all spheres of personal and public life in Tuvan villages. For example, 99.8% of parents spoke Tuvan with preschool children at home, and 100% did so with school-age children. At work, 99.5% of the working population preferred to communicate in Tuvan. Additionally, 88.2% of respondents found it clearer to read literature, attend lectures, and watch theatrical performances in their native language [Serdobov, 1968]. Thus, Tuvan firmly remained the main means of communication in rural areas.
Today, Tuvan continues to be the primary language of communication for Tuvans. As before, language use in the republic depends largely on the type of settlement (urban/rural), the ethnic composition of a community (mono-ethnic/multi-ethnic), and the professional specialization of institutions. In other words, language choice is determined by the nature of the communicative sphere: Russian dominates in formal domains, while Tuvan prevails in informal ones.
The functional distribution of Tuvan and Russian remains a pertinent issue. On one hand, their relationship in official spheres is historically determined: these domains were initially served by Mongolian and later by Russian. On the other hand, there is a lack of specific measures to expand the functional range of Tuvan as a state language.
Currently, the intergenerational transmission of Tuvan to children is still maintained. However, disruptions are observed, especially in urban settings. The relatively homogeneous Tuvan ethnic environment that developed in Tuva during the post-perestroika years contributed to a decline in Russian proficiency among much of the population. Paradoxically, partly due to this shift and state educational policy, there is now an artificial disruption in Tuvan language transmission: many Tuvan parents deliberately use Russian for interpersonal communication with their children, and many enroll unprepared children from an early age in Russian-language classes. The use of Russian is gradually becoming habitual even in ethnically homogeneous marriages, in rural areas, and among youth. The situation for Tuvan is deteriorating rapidly, a trend accelerated by the growing influence of the internet, the abundance of Russian-language media (television, radio, press), and the immersion of young people in Russian-dominant social networks.
Language structure
Исследование языка
Одними из первых ученых-языковедов научным исследованием тувинского языка, историей его развития, а также изучением его происхождения и родственных связей с другими языками занимались В.В. Радлов и Н.Ф. Катанов. Посетив Туву во второй половине XIX в., они собрали богатый языковой материал, записали образцы фольклора тувинцев. Тувиноведы считают эти материалы первыми опубликованными образцами тувинской речи [Чадамба 1974]. Свои записи В.В. Радлов опубликовал в
К числу исследователей тувинского языка относятся такие именитые ученые, как Е.Д. Поливанов, Н.Н. Поппе, А.А. Пальмбах, Ф.Г. Исхаков, С.Е. Малов, В.М. Наделяев, В.И. Рассадин, И.В. Кормушин, Э.Р. Тенишев и др. В своих исследованиях они затрагивали различные аспекты тувинского языка: от составления и выработки тувинской национальной письменности, дешифровки рунических надписей и исследования различных диалектов тувинского языка до изучения его фонетического, морфологического, лексического, синтаксического уровней, составления грамматик и учебников.
Социолингвистическое исследование тувинского языка началось с конца 60 – 70-х гг. ХХ в. Первый социолингвистический опрос тувинского населения был проведен в 1967 году сотрудниками Института истории, филологии и философии СО АН СССР под общим руководством профессора В.А. Аврорина. Целью исследования было получение данных о соотношении функций тувинского и русского языков в жизни тувинцев [Сердобов 1968].
Исследованием различных аспектов тувинского языка занимались многие ученые: Ш.Ч. Сат, Ю.Л. Аранчын, Д.А. Монгуш, Б.И. Татаринцев и др. Первое поколение тувиноведов рассматривали развитие тувинского языка во взаимодействии с русским языком, его влияния на языковое развитие младописьменных языков [Аранчын, Монгуш 1992; Монгуш 1967, 1971, 1981, 2009; Сат 1973, 1980; Татаринцев 1968, 1993, 2000, 2004].
Одним из первых социолингвистический аспект тувинского языка рассмотрел Ш.Ч. Сат. В своем труде «Формирование и развитие тувинского национального литературного языка» (
Вопросы языковой принадлежности и использования тувинского и русского языков коренным населением рассматривались и в 80–90-х гг. ХХ в. В большинстве своем проводились они в рамках социологических исследований, при этом внимание акцентировали на степени владения тувинцами русским языком. Тем не менее фактологический материал в определенной степени позволяет реконструировать уровень языковой компетенции тувинцев на тот момент [Анайбан 1985, 1996; Балакина, Анайбан 1995].
Социолингвистическим исследованием тувинского языка занималась М.Б. Мартан-оол. В своих научных публикациях она рассматривала проблему преемственности тувинского языка, сферы его функционирования и факторы, влияющие на языковое функционирование в Туве, изучила состояние развития и уровень двуязычия тувинцев [Мартан-оол 1992, 1996, 2001, 2005а, 2005б]. Языковая ситуация в Туве изучается и специалистами других регионов: Т.Г. Боргоякова, А.В. Гусейнова, А.Н. Баскаков, О.Д. Насырова, М.А. Горячева и др. [Баскаков, Насырова 2000; Боргоякова 2002а, 2002б, 2013; Горячева 2003].
Language experts
Мира Викторовна Бавуу-Сюрюн
(Кызыл, Тувинский государственный университет)Автор многочисленных работ по тувинскому языку, в частности по вопросам тувинского словообразования, диалектологии и преподавания. Директор научно-образовательного центра «Тюркология» Тувинского государственного университета. Руководитель проектов «Писатели Тувы», «Ландшафт Тувы: электронный тувинско-русский словарь (с приложениями)» и «Электронные образовательные ресурсы по предметам этнокультурной составляющей».
Байлак Чаш-ооловна Ооржак
(Кызыл, Тувинский государственный университет)Автор многочисленных работ по тувинскому языку, в частности по системе глагольных категорий, а также по вопросам преподавания.
Тамара Герасимовна Боргоякова
(Абакан, Хакасский государственный университет им. Н.Ф. Катанова )Автор многочисленных работ в области хакасского и тувинского языков, билингвизма, языковой политики.
Людмила Алексеевна Шамина
Исследует как сложные, так и осложненные предложения, части которых находятся в подчинительных отношениях друг к другу. Главное отличие синтаксических исследований, и вклад новосибирской синтаксической школы — представление сложных синтаксических конструкций в виде языковых единиц — моделей. Основные работы по тувинскому языку: «Временные полипредикативные конструкции тувинского языка», «Полипредикативные синтетические предложения в тувинском языке», «Аналитические грамматические формы и конструкции в функции сказуемого в тувинском языке», «Аспектуально-таксисные формы в тувинском языке. Сказуемое: структурно-семантическая характеристика».
Research centres
Сектор языка Тувинского института гуманитарных и прикладных социально-экономических исследований при Правительстве Республики Тыва
Сектор языка ТИГПИ – один из старейших секторов, образован в 1945 году, в год основания института. Он является одним из ведущих секторов института. Основная цель сектора языка ТИГПИ – выполнение фундаментальных научных исследований и прикладных разработок в области тувинского языкознания. Основными направлениями сектора являются: 1. Разработка проблем лексикологии и лексикографии тувинского языка, научная разработка, составление и издание различных типов словарей; 2. Изучение диалектологии тувинского языка; 3. Разработка проблем теории грамматики тувинского языка.
Задачей сектора языка также является подготовка к изданию словарей, в том числе V тома «Этимологического словаря тувинского языка», переиздание «Тувинско-русского словаря», III тома «Толкового словаря тувинского языка».
Научно-образовательный центр «Тюркология» Тувинского государственного университета
Научно-образовательный центр «Тюркология» при Тувинском государственном университете начал функционировать с 1 сентября
Институт развития национальной школы Республики Тыва
На базе Института развития национальной школы проводится огромная теоретическая и методическая работа по разработке различных образовательных программ. Так, своевременным и перспективным оказался проект «Национальный электронный учебник», в рамках которого в 2011 году было подготовлено более 40 электронных книг, в частности, две книги тувинских сказок и два электронных учебных пособия «Республика Тува» и «Тувинские легенды и сказки» на английском языке для учащихся 9 – 11 классов. По официальной информации Министерства образования и науки РТ за год институт на собственной базе издал 20 книг и подготовил оригинал-макеты 16 книг для печати в других типографиях, а также оригинал-макеты 12 видеоуроков по камнерезному искусству, тувинскому орнаменту (резьбе по дереву и вышиванию), обработке меха и кожи.
Центр «Тыва дыл» республиканской библиотеки им. А.С. Пушкина
На протяжении многих десятилетий краеведение занимает особое место в деятельности Национальной библиотеки Республики Тыва и направлено на обеспечение запросов и потребностей в краеведческой информации как в самой республике, так и и за ее пределами. С недавнего времени при отделе краеведения открыт центр «Тыва дыл».
Центр развития тувинской традиционной культуры и ремесел
Основными целями деятельности Центра являются: обеспечение условий для сохранения и развития традиционной культуры тувинского народа; сохранение и развитие народного художественного творчества, декоративно-прикладного искусства, традиционной кухни, национальных игр и обрядов, музыкального фольклора в Республике Тыва; cохранение нематериального культурного наследия; развитие научной базы традиционной культуры тувинцев; пропаганда тувинского национального культурного наследия; воспитание чувства патриотизма, поднятие духа народа.
Международный научный центр «Хоомей»
Указом №31 от 27 января 1993 года, Правительство Республики Тыва учредило Государственное бюджетное учреждение «Международный научный центр «Хоомей» и является государственным научно-исследовательским учреждением, которое разрабатывает вопросы хоомея. Основная цель: сохранение и развитие традиционной культуры хоомея как искусства, являющегося национальным достоянием тувинского народа и уникальным феноменом музыкальной культуры всего мирового сообщества.
Core references
Grammatical descriptions: grammars, sketches
Катанов Н.Ф. Опыт исследования урянхайского языка с указанием главнейших родственных отношений его к другим языкам тюркского корня. Казань, 1903. 487 с.
Монгуш Д.А. Тувинский язык и письменность: Избр. труды. Кызыл: ГУП РТ «Тываполиграф» 2009. 248 с.
Исхаков Ф.Г, Пальмбах А.А. Грамматика тувинского языка. Фонетика и морфология. М.: «Издательство восточной литературы», 1961. 471 с.
Dictionaries
Татаринцев Б. И. Этимологический словарь тувинского языка / Отв. ред. канд. филол. наук Д. А. Монгуш; Тувинский институт гуманитарных исследований (ТИГИ). — Новосибирск: Наука, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009. — Т. 1—4).
Тувинско-русский словарь / Ред. Тенишев, Э.Р. М.: Советская энциклопедия, 1968;
Русско-тувинский словарь / Под редакцией Монгуша Д.А. М.: Русский язык, 1980.
Selected papers on grammatical issues
Сат Ш.Ч. Формирование и развитие тувинского национального литературного языка. Кызыл, 1973. 193 с.
Сат Ш.Ч. Образование функциональных стилей тувинского литературного языка // Тувинская письменность язык и литература. Кызыл: Тувкнигоиздат, 1980. 132 с. С. 45-57.
Татаринцев Б.И. Избранные научные труды. Кызыл. ГУП РТ «Тываполиграф», 2009. 288 с.
Хийс Гансух. Особенности тувинской речи жителей Цэнгэла:Автореф. дис. … канд. филол. наук. Новосибирск, 2009. 20 с.
Чадамба З.Б. Тоджинский диалект тувинского языка. Кызыл: Тувкнигоиздат, 1974. 136 с.
Татаринцев Б.И. Еще раз о «белых пятнах» в истории создания тувинской письменности // Ученые записки Тув. ин-та гум. исследований. Кызыл, 2004.Вып. 20. 420 с. С. 288-301.
Татаринцев Б.И. Тувинская письменность: от старомонгольского к русскому языку // Сокровища культуры Тувы. Наследие народов Российской Федерации. М., 2006. 320 с. Вып.7. С. 243-249.
Татаринцев Б.И. Влияние лексики русского и монгольского языка на развитие лексической системы современного тувинского литературного языка: Автореф. дис. … канд. филол. наук. Новосибирск, 1968. 26 с.
Татаринцев Б.И. Монгольское языковое влияние на тувинскую лексику. Кызыл: Тувкнигоиздат, 1976. 130 с.
Publications of texts
Радлов В.В. Образцы народной литературы тюркских племен. Ч. 1. Поднаречия Алтая: алтайцев, телеутов, черневых и лебединских татар, шорцев и саянцев. СПб: Тип. Имп. АН, 1866. Ч.1. 455 с.
Работы по социолингвистике
Анайбан З.В. Тувинско-русское двуязычие: итоги и перспективы развития // Русский язык в Туве. Кызыл, 1985. 220 с.
Бавуу-Сюрюн М.В. Тувинский язык в современном его состоянии // Развитие языков и культур коренных народов саяно-Алтая: материалы Всероссийской научно-практической конференции, 19-20 апреля 2007 года; Абакан / отв. ред. Т.Г. Боргоякова. Абакан: Изд-во Хакасского государственного университета им. Н.Ф. Катанова, 2007. 370 с. С. 25-30.
Баскаков А.Н., Насырова О.Д. Языковые ситуации в тюркоязычных республиках Российской Федерации (краткий социолингвистический очерк) // Языки Российской Федерации и нового зарубежья: статус и функции. М.: Эдиториал УРСС, 2000. 400 с. С. 34-129.
Боргоякова Т.Г. Развитие социальных функций государственных тюркских языков Республик Южной Сибири: Автореф. … дис. д-ра филол. наук / Т.Г. Боргоякова. М., 2002. 37 с.
Борогоякова Т.Г. Социолингвистические процессы в республиках Южной Сибири; Науч. ред. В.А. Виноградов; Ин-т языкознания РАН; Хакас. гос. ун-т им. Н.Ф. Катанова. Абакан, 2002. 166 с.
Боргоякова Т.Г., Гусейнова А.В. Статус и функционирование тюркских языков Южной Сибири. Абакан: Издательство ФГБОУ ВО «Хакасский государственный университет им. Н.Ф. Катанова», 2017. 136 с.
Вэй Цень Фан. Государственная языковая политика в Республике Тыва в конце XX – начале XXIвв. :дис. … магистра гум. наук [Электронный ресурс] / ВэйЦеньФан ; Гос. ун-т. Чжэнчжи. Тайбэй, 2016. 274 с. Режим доступа: http://nccur.lib.nccu.edu.tw/handle/140.119/81442
Журавель Т.Н. Этноязыковая ситуация в Усинской долине Красноярского края :дис. … канд. филол. наук : 10.02.19 / Т.Н. Журавель ; Сиб. фед. гос. ун-т. Красноярск, 2015. 171 с. Режим доступа: http://research.sfu-kras.ru/sites/research.sfu-kras.ru/files/DissertaciyaZhuravel.pdf
Мартан-оол М.Б. О состоянии развития и уровне двуязычия в РеспубликеТыва // Языковая ситуация в Российской Федерации:
Мартан-оол М.Б. Тувинский язык в сферах семейного общения, дошкольного воспитания и школьного образования (проблема преемственности) // Социолингвистические проблемы в разных регионах мира: Матер. межд. конф. / Отв. ред. В.М. Солнцев, В.Ю. Михальченко. М.: ИЯ РАН, 1996. 408 с. С. 280-282.
Мартан-оол М.Б. Сферы функционирования тувинского языка // Гуманитарные исследования в Туве: Сб. науч. статей. М.: Изд-во РУДН, 2001. 336 с. С. 43-56.
Сердобов Н.А. К вопросу о некоторых социолого-лингвистических процессах в национальной консолидации тувинцев // Ученые записки / Тувинский НИИЯЛИ. Кызыл, 1968. Вып. 13. 360 с. С. 78-109.
Работы по этнологии
Анайбан З.В. Республика Тува: модель этнологического мониторинга. М.: Ин-т этнологии и антропологии РАН, 1996. 96 с.
Балакина Г.Ф., Анайбан З.В. Современная Тува: социокультурные и этнические процессы. Новосибирск: «Наука», 1995. 140 с.
Кужугет А.К. Духовная культура тувинцев: структура и трансформация Кемерово: КемГУКИ, 2006. 320 с.
Ламажаа Ч.К. Тува между прошлым и будущим. М.: Изд-во ООО НИПКЦ «Восход-А», 2008. 500 с.
Маннай-оол М.Х. Тувинцы: Происхождение и формирование этноса Новосибирск: Наука, 2004. 166 с.
Монгуш М.В. Тувинцы Монголии и Китая: Этнодисперсные группы: (История и современность). Новосибирск: Наука, 2002. 126 с.
Сердобов Н.А. История формирования тувинской нации. Кызыл: Тувинское книжное изд-во, 1971. 481с.
Resources
Corpora and text collections
Работа начата при финансовой поддержке проектов РГНФ №11-04-12073, №16-04-1202 и продолжается в рамках проекта Госзадания №34.3876.2017/ПЧ Министерства науки и высшего образования РФ
При создании базы данных используются: Тувинско-русский словарь (20 000 слов) [1955], Тувинско-русский словарь (около 22 000 слов) [1968, переиздание 2014], двуязычный Учебный русско-тувинский словарь (32 000 слов) [1980], Толковый словарь тувинского языка (том 1, том 2) [2003, 2011], Топонимический словарь (автор Б.К. Ондар [2004], Шестиязычный словарь названий птиц Тувы и Западной Монголии [1999], Определитель растений Республики Тывы [2007].
На сайте размещены тексты тувинских писателей с возможностью поиска по морфемам и создания частотных словарей.
Other electronic resources
Проект по созданию электронного русско-тувинского словаря появился в 2016 году по поручению Главы Республики Тыва Ш. В. Кара-оола по итогам I республиканского форума в честь Тувинского языка (1 ноября). Основой словаря является «Русско-тувинский словарь», изданный Тувинским научно-исследовательским институтом языка, литературы и истории в Москве в
Озвученный словарь тувинского языка (2980 звуковых файлов), созданный Г. Андерсоном и Д. Харрисоном.
Administrative and public support
Administrative support
В настоящее время с целью обеспечения права на сохранение родного языка из числа языков народов России, его изучения и развития реализуется государственная программа «Развитие тувинского языка на 2017-2020 годы» (утверждена постановлением Правительства Республики Тыва от 7 апреля
Language activists
Разработчик Википедии на тувинском языке. Ведет группу в социальной сети В контакте Тыва Википедия. Автор проекта «Чараш Чугаа».
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Цыбеновой Чечек Сергеевной, научным сотрудником Института монголоведения, буддологии и тибетологии СО РАН (г. Улан-Удэ).
Источники
Цыбенова Ч.С. Современная языковая ситуация в Республике Тыва: социолингвистический аспект. Иркутск: Изд-во «Оттиск», 2017. 170 с.