Khitan | |
---|---|
Kitan | |
Native to | Northeastern China, southeastern Mongolia, eastern Siberia |
Region | Northern |
Extinct | literary form in 1244 with the death of Yelü Chucai, last person known who could speak and write Khitan |
Serbi–Mongolic?
| |
Khitan large script and Khitan small script | |
Official status | |
Official language in | Liao dynasty, Qara Khitai |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | zkt |
zkt | |
Glottolog | kita1247 |
Khitan or Kitan ( in large script or in small, Khitai;[2] Chinese: 契丹語, Qìdānyǔ), also known as Liao, is an extinct language once spoken in Northeast Asia by the Khitan people (4th to 13th century). It was the official language of the Liao Empire (907–1125) and the Qara Khitai (1124–1218).