The diachronic aspect of Buryat-Russian bilingualism in the Irkutsk region

The issue of preserving the Buryat language, particularly among children, is currently of great concern. Addressing this problem is impossible without understanding the diachronic aspect of Buryat-Russian bilingualism. This bilingualism exists in three regions of the Russian Federation: The Republic of Buryatia, the Agin Buryat Okrug of the Trans-Baikal Territory, and the Ust-Orda Buryat Okrug of the Irkutsk Region. While research on Buryat-Russian bilingualism has largely focused on the Republic of Buryatia and the Agin Buryat Okrug, the bilingualism of the Irkutsk Region remains largely undescribed. The article aims to examine the development of Buryat-Russian bilingualism over centuries of interaction and mixing of diverse ethnic groups in the present-day Irkutsk Region. By analyzing scholarly works from historians, ethnographers, sociologists, educators, and linguists, the authors identify the pathways and mechanisms of Buryat-Russian bilingualism in the Baikal region. A diachronic analysis has helped determine the factors influencing the development and transformation of Buryat-Russian and Russian-Buryat bilingualism. The article's findings will serve as a foundation for developing methodological approaches to fostering Buryat-Russian and Russian-Buryat bilingualism and will contribute to the preservation of the Buryat language among children.