Eastern Yugur is aMongolic language spoken by theYugurs, who also speakWestern Yughur—aTurkic language. The terms may also indicate the speakers of these languages, which are both unwritten.[2] Traditionally, both languages are indicated by the term Yellow Uygur, from the autonym of the Yugur. Eastern Yugur speakers are said to havepassive bilingualism withInner Mongolian, the standard spoken inChina.[3]
Eastern Yugur is a threatened language with an aging population of fluent speakers.[4][5]Language contact with neighbouring languages, particularlyChinese, has noticeably affected the language competency of younger speakers.[5] Some younger speakers have also begun to lose their ability to distinguish between different phonetic shades within the language, indicating declining language competency.[6]
^abNugteren, Hans; Roos, Marti (1996). "Common Vocabulary of the Western and Eastern Yugur Languages: The Turkic and Mongolic Loanwords".Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae.49 (1/2):25–91.JSTOR43391252.
Stuart, Kevin C., ed. (1996).Blue Cloth and Pearl Deer: Yogur Folklore(PDF). Sino-Platonic Papers, No. 73. Translated by Zhang, Juan. Philadelphia, PA: Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, University of Pennsylvania.OCLC41180478.
