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Glite Dictionary
Cheremis language

Cheremis language

9.9
A language spoken by the Mari people in the Mari El region of Russia
  • noun
  • Archaic
: idioma cheremis
  • The Cheremis language is also known as Mari and is spoken in the Volga region.

Examples

  • Researchers have published several grammars and dictionaries of the Cheremis language.

  • Many traditions and folk songs are preserved in the Cheremis language.

  • The Cheremis language is rich in folklore.

  • Many people are learning the Cheremis language today.

  • Many traditions and folk songs are preserved in the Cheremis language.

  • Researchers have published several grammars and dictionaries of the Cheremis language.

  • The Cheremis language is also known as Mari and is spoken in the Volga region.

Synonyms

Mari
vsCheremis language
1 9.9

A language the Mari people speak in central Russia

adds a specific regional focus while matching the Finnic classification
Cheremis
vsCheremis language
  • Archaic
9.9

A language of the Mari people spoken in the Volga region of Russia

is the descriptive term emphasising who speaks it and where
Cheremiss language
vsCheremis language
  • Archaic
9.9

A language that the Mari people in Russia speak and now call Mari

emphasises the language as a Finnic tongue tied to a people and region
Cheremiss
vsCheremis language
  • Archaic
9.9

A language like Finnish that the Mari people speak in central Russia

defines it by the speakers and their Russian location rather than name
Mari language
vsCheremis language
9.9

A language spoken by the Mari people in the Mari El region of Russia

classifies it as a Finnic language rather than the broader Uralic family

Surface Forms

Cheremis language singular
Cheremis languages plural

Morphology

Cheremis + language

This is a straightforward composition of a proper name 'Cheremis' (referring to the Cheremis/Mari people or their tongue) plus the noun 'language', so the meaning 'the language spoken by the Cheremis (Mari) people' follows directly from the parts. Name+language constructions are cross-linguistically common and therefore immediately comprehensible to learners who know both constituents.

Etymology

Cheremis language comes from an old name that outsiders used for the Mari people; one popular idea is that a neighbouring people's word for the group became common in Russian and European writing. That's why Cheremis language is another name for the 'Mari' language spoken in the Volga region.