Introduction

 

Shiri is a dialect of Dargwa, a language of Russia. All the dialects together have 589,000 speakers.

Dargwa is classified as Nakh-Daghestanian, Dargi. There are many dialects of Dargwa: Cudaxar (Tsudakhar), Akusha (Akkhusha, Aqusha-Urakhi, Urakha-Akhush, Uraxa-Axusha, Urkarax), Kaitag (Kaitak, Kajtak, Kaytak, Sanchi, Xajdak), Kubachi (Kubachi-Ashty, Kubachin, Kubachintsy, Ughbug), Muirin (Muira), Sirxin (Sirhwa, Tanty), Itsari (Sanji-Icari), Chirag, Gapshima, Megeb, Amuzgi-Shiri, Amuq (Qunqi Xuduc), Mugi. Chirag, Kaitag, Kubachi, Gapshima, Megeb, Muirin, and Tsudakhar may be separate languages from Dargwa.

This language is taught in the schools and has literature in use by the speakers of the language. The Cyrillic script is used for literature.