Chuvash

/ˈtʃuːvɑːʃ/ noun

Definition

A Turkic people native to the Volga region of Russia, or their language, which is the only surviving non-Turkic language in the Altaic family.

Etymology

From the Chuvash people's own name for themselves; the word entered English through Russian 'Чувашский' (Chuvashskiy). The Chuvash language has unique features that distinguish it from other Turkic languages.

Kelly Says

The Chuvash are a linguistic island—their language is stuck between Turkic and non-Turkic families, making them linguistically unique in Russia, kind of like how Iceland preserved medieval Norse while other Scandinavian languages changed dramatically!

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