The Izhorians(Inkeroine, Ižoralaine) can still be found in the western part of Ingria, between the Narva and Neva rivers.
In 1989, 820 self-designated Izhorians, thereof 302 speakers of their Finnic language, were registered. The language, close to Karelian, is used primarily by members of the older generation. It is bound for extinction.
Its closest kindred languages are Karelian and the eastern dialects of Finnish.
On the basis of habitation, the Izhorianlanguage is divided into 4 dialects: the Lower-Luga and Soikkola dialects which are spoken in the western part of Ingria, the Kheva dialect on the Izhorian Plateau, and the Oredezh or the Upper-Luga dialect which was spoken near the River Oredezh.
In the coastal villages the Izhorians took to carpentery in between fishing seasons, the Izhorians of Toldoga and Kargal were known as smiths and iron founders, and the East Izhorian villages were known for their weaving.
The Izhorianlanguage is sometimes distinguished as a native language of the Orthodox population with respect to Ingrian, a language originally spoken by the Lutheran immigrants from Finland.
In 1989, 820 self-designated Izhorians, thereof 302 speakers of their Finnic language, were registered.
The language, close to Karelian, is used primarily by members of the older generation.
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