Language Information
Azerbaijani (also called Azeri) is spoken in Azerbaijan, Russia (provincial), Iran, Turkey, Iraq, and Georgia. It is a Turkic language with approximately 24 million native speakers.
There are very few people in America who learn or speak Azerbaijani! Those who study Azerbaijani can find careers in a variety of fields including business, consulting, translation and interpreting, Foreign Service and intelligence, journalism, and more.
Azerbaijani is a gateway to accessing Turkic languages spoken by millions of people in Iran, Iraq, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. These regions are of vital strategic importance in the world today. Azerbaijan is the largest and most populous country in the South Caucasus and possesses sizable reserves of oil resources. Today, the United States is one of Azerbaijan’s most prominent trade partners.
Azerbaijani can also serve as a gateway to Ottoman Turkish, the language of diplomacy, administration, and literature in the Ottoman Empire.
Azerbaijani courses (online) are offered at IU during the summer through the Language Workshop.
More information can be found through the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center here on IU's campus.