Alternate Names: Ainu Itak
Dialects: Hokkaido (Ezo, Yezo), Kuril (Shikotan, Tsishima), Sakhalin (Saghilin), Taraika. There were at least 19 dialects.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 10 (Bradley 2007). Ethnic population: 15,000.
Language Use: Shifting to Japanese [jpn]. Small numbers of young people are learning Ainu in classes; revival efforts underway (Bradley 2007). Fluent speakers are 80 and older; some additional semi-speakers are 60 and older (2012).
Language Development: Newspapers. New media. Dictionary. NT: 1897.
Typology: SOV.
Writing System: Katakana, Latin
Nation of Origin: Japan
Other Comments: Ainu , in China is a different, unrelated language.