Mari (кырык мары йӹлмӹ / олык марий йылме)

Mari belongs to the Volgaic subgroup of the Finno-Ugric language family. It is spoken by about 600,000 people in Russia, mainly in the Mari Republic (Марий Эл), and also along the Vjatka river basin, eastwards to the Urals, and in Tatarstan, Udmurtia and Perm. The language used to be known as Cheremis.

There are two main varieties of Mari: Hill or Western Mari and Meadow or Eastern Mari. The Eastern variety is the most widely used. There are significant difference between the two varieties.

Mari was proclaimed an official language of the Mari Republic, along with Russian, and is now taught in over 200 schools. In a number of colleges, other half the subjects are taught through the medium of Mari.

Hill Mari alphabet and pronunciation

Meadow Mari alphabet and pronunciation

Sources: www1.peoples.org.ru and Wikipedia

Sample text in Mari

1992 ий сентябрь гыч 1993 ий август марте мемнан республикыште Японий гыч толшо самырык рвезе Такаси Танака илыш. Тудо Марий кугыжаныш университетыште марий да финн-угор филологий отделенийысе студент-влаклан англичан йылмым туныктен да шкежат марий йылмым тунемын. Кызыт тудо адакат Марий республикыште. Ты гана Такаси шкетын огыл, а Токио университетыште финн-угор йылмым шымлыше, профессор Матцумура Казуто дене пырля толын.

Source: http://www.tooyoo.l.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~kmatsum/texts/mari/mari1.html