The Mordvinic languages are a subgroup of the Finno-Volgaic languages. Finno-Volgaic is a subgroup of Finno-Ugric languages that split from Finno-Permic languages about 2000 BC containing nowadays Baltic-Finnic languages,
The term Mordvin language is mistakenly used for the Erzya language and Moksha language (both are related, but different languages). Erzya language (эрзянь кель is spoken by about 500000 people in the northern and eastern and north-western parts of the Republic of Mordovia and adjacent The Moksha language (мокшень кяль is a Volga-Finnic language with about 500000 native speakers