Brief Information
Homshetsma is a dialect of western Armenian. It is alternatively called Homshetsi or Hamshenic. According to the 2010 census, there were 66,760 speakers. On the territory of the Russian Federation, it is compactly distributed in Krasnodar Krai, with a small number of speakers residing in Rostov and Voronezh Oblasts. It is currently under threat of extinction.
The endonyms are Hemshinli, Homshetsik.
Hemshinli traditionally practice Islam.
Genealogy
Homshetsma is a western dialect of Armenian, which forms an independent branch of the Indo-European language family.
Distribution
Most speakers live in Krasnodar Krai, with the most compact settlements situated in Apsheronsky and Belorechensky Districts, as well as Kamensky District of Rostov Oblast and Gribanovsky District of Voronezh Oblast.
Language functioning
Family / everyday communication
Education
Mass media
Culture
Science
Folklore
Literature
Religion
Legislation
Administrative activities
Legal proceedings
Agriculture
Internet
Dynamics of language usage
At present, language proficiency is significantly reduced among younger generations.
Core references
Grammatical descriptions: grammars, sketches
Koryakov Y. B. Amšenskij armânskij: istorija izučenija i sovremennoje sostojanije [Hamshen Armenian: history of study and modern status] // Minor languages in general linguistics. Proceedings of the conference 2017 / Ed. by X. P. Semionova. Moscow: Buki Vedi, 2018.
Marr N. Y. Materialy po hemšinskomu narečiju armânskogo jazyka (Po zapisi I. A. Kipšidze) [Materials on the Hemshin dialect of the Armenian language (written down by I. A. Kipšidze)] // Zapiski Kollegii Vostokovedov pri Aziatskom Muzeje Rossijskoj Akademii Nauk. Vol. I. Leningrad: RAS, Glavnauka, Gosizdat, 1925. Pp. 73–80.
Vaux B. Homshetsma: the language of the Armenians of Hamshen // H.H. Simonian (ed.). The Hemshin: history, society and identity in the Highlands of Northeast Turkey. London; New York: Routledge, 2007.