The Institute for Bible Translation (IBT) has published the Old Testament books of Ruth and Jonah in the Aghul language. These publications continue a series of new translations carried out using oral translation methodology, the key feature of which is that the entire process — from initial drafting to final checking and approval of the text — is carried out orally. Books translated using this method have already been published in the Tsudakhar language. Additionally, IBT had previously published the Gospel of Luke (2005) and Gospel Parables (2007) in Aghul, translated using the usual literary approach.
Aghul is one of the official languages of the Republic of Dagestan. The main area where the language is spoken is Dagestan, although some speakers live in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other regions of Russia. According to the 2021 census, the Aghul population in Russia numbered 34,576, with about 20,000 speakers of the Aghul language.
Aghul belongs to the Lezgic group of the Nakh-Dagestanian language family. Within this group, it is closest to the Lezgi and Tabasaran languages. At present, the Aghul language is endangered: due to population outflows since the 1990s, the process of native language loss has intensified. According to linguists' estimates, the majority of the older generation (aged 45 and above), including urban dwellers, are proficient in Aghul. At the same time, a significant portion of the youth living in cities and towns with mixed populations do not speak their ethnic language.
A special feature of IBT’s oral translation publications in the languages of Dagestan is the illustrations, which are specifically tailored to reflect life in the Northern Caucasus. The artistic design is adapted to the cultural context and visual traditions of the region. Furthermore, the publications include parallel texts in Russian and English. The presence of the Russian translation will help readers better understand difficult passages of the text, and the presence of English allows the books to be used as study aids for those learning English.
The PDF and audio versions of Aghul Scripture translations are available on the IBT website, as well as in Google Play and the App Store.