kurdish

Kurdish is both a language family and an ethnic designation for the Kurdish people, who form a distinct cultural group in the Middle East. The Kurdish language belongs to the Western branch of the Iranian languages within the Indo-European family. The two most widely spoken standardized varieties are Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) and Sorani (Central Kurdish). A Southern Kurdish variety, often referred to as Pehlewani, is spoken in Iran and parts of Iraq. Some linguists also treat Zazaki and Gorani as related languages rather than Kurdish dialects. Kurdish is written in multiple scripts: Kurmanji uses a Latin-based alphabet in Turkey, Syria, and in many diaspora communities, while Sorani uses an Arabic-based script in Iraq and Iran, with Iranian and Iraqi standards evolving.

Kurdish-speaking communities are traditionally concentrated in a region called Kurdistan, which spans parts of southeastern Turkey, western Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syria. There are also Kurdish populations in other countries and large diaspora communities in Europe and North America; estimates of native speakers range roughly from 25 to 40 million.

Historically, Kurdish identity crystallized in the late medieval and early modern periods, with evolving political movements in the Ottoman and Qajar eras. In the modern era, Kurds have sought varying degrees of autonomy or independence. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq has a recognized autonomous status within Iraq, with Kurdish as an official language there; in Turkey, Iran, and Syria, the status of Kurdish language and education has varied, facing periods of restriction and reform.

Kurdish culture includes rich oral and written literature, music, poetry, and festivals such as Nowruz. Today, Kurdish is used in education, media, and government in some jurisdictions and remains a central element of Kurdish identity worldwide.