Sart Kalmyk emerged as a distinct variety after its speakers separated from a larger Oirat-speaking community in today's Xinjiang around 1864 and moved to the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.

Recent research shows a significant influence of Kyrgyz morphology, phonology and lexicon on Sart Kalmyk.

Its domains of use are largely confined to informal communication between the elderly in rural areas.

Virtually all speakers are trilingual, having a good command of Kyrgyz and Russian in addition to their ethnic language.

Younger members of the ethnic community often speak little to no Sart Kalmyk.