Language vitality scales and their applicability to specific language situations

While working on the description and documentation of a minority language, the researcher faces the practical task of defining its vitality status. This article is devoted to our experience of solving this problem. At the beginning, we give a brief overview of the concept of vitality and various scales that exist for the classification of languages according to this parameter. Particular attention is paid to the ELCat scale, the use of which is shown on the example of Bezhta (the Bezhta proper dialect), Northern Selkup, Evenki and Khakas languages. We describe some controversial points in the ELCat methods and propose an adjustment for some of them in accordance with the specifics of the languages in question. For example, since the level of language vitality can be different in different communities, we estimate vitality level separately for each of them. In addition, a specification of the values of the parameters "intergenerational transmission of language" and "the ratio of the number of speakers and ethnic group" is introduced. In the final part of the article, we discuss general problems arising in determining the vitality level of languages associated with the sources of original data.