Kazan-2

In addition to the post below, I add a few pictures and comments on language in Kazan. While Russian is without a doubt the main language of daily interaction in the street, Tatar is still preserved, spoken in homes and all official signs are posted in both languages. I noticed many similarities between Tatar and Turkmen: (a) in the grammar structure and (b) in the lexicon. Of course, unlike Turkmen, Tatar has remained in the Cyrillic alphabet. It is interesting to consider the future development of Tatar, since to be Russian implies to speak Russian. Many national groups find language as a rallying point for independence (i.e., the Kurds), but for now the Tatar nation is content to remain a part of the Russian Federation.

(President of the Republic of Tatarstan)

Tatar (People's Library of the Republic of Tatarsan)