The Ethnology of EuropeLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
History
The Ethnology of Europe
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Ethnology -- Europe
Kazan, Novgorod, Simbirsk, and Saratov, like Viatka and Perm, are truly
Ugrian areas, though the intrusion of both Turk and Russian elements has
left the original populations in a fragmentary state. They are
represented, however, by the Tsheremiss, the Tshuvatsh and the Morduin;
the Tshuvatsh being a problematical population from the extent to which
their language presents a mixture of Turk elements, and the Morduins
falling into three divisions--the Mokshad, the Ersad, and the Karatai.
The absolute and undoubted area, then, of the Ugrians of Russia, as it
exists at the present moment, notwithstanding encroachments from both
the Turks of the east, and the Russians of the south and west, reaches
as far south as the government of Saratov.
The present distribution of the Lithuanian populations, is second only
in importance to that of the Ugrians. Livonia is the most convenient
starting-point. Here it is spoken at present; though not aboriginal to
the province. The Polish, German, and Russian languages have encroached
on the Lithuanian, the Lithuanian on the Ugrian. It is the Lett branch
of the Lithuanian which is spoken by the Letts of Livonia (Liefland)
_but not by the Liefs_. The same is the case in Courland. East Prussia
lies beyond the Russian empire, but it is not unnecessary to state that,
as late as the sixteenth century, a Lithuanian tongue was spoken there.
Vilna, Grodno, and Vitepsk are the proper Lithuanian provinces. There,
the original proper Lithuanic tongue still survives; uncultivated, and
day by day suffering from the encroachment of the Russian, but, withal,
in the eyes of the ethnologist, the most important language in Europe.
The _Tartar_ provinces come next, or, to speak more correctly, the
_Turk_. _Tartar_, however, is the usual term, and as _Tartary_ is the
recognised name of the country to the east of the Caspian, it is not
likely to be got rid of; nor yet to be changed into the more correct
form _Tahtah_. The stock, however, is that to which the Ottoman Turks of
Turkey, along with numerous other powerful and important populations,
belong. Kasan, Oremberg, and Astrakhan are the chief Turk provinces. A
portion, too, of New Russia is Turk. The date of their introduction is
the thirteenth century; the empire to which they belonged being that of
the successors of Zengis Khan.
The peculiarities of the distribution of the Turks of Russia is
explained by their history. Of Southern Russia, as well as of the
south-eastern provinces, they were once the exclusive masters. This
makes the Russian population of Kherson, Ekaterinoslav, the Don Kosak
country, and the greater part of Taurida, of recent origin; indeed, it
is not only recent but mixed, and it is called _New_ Russian.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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