Caucasian languages

Ethnicity
Geographic distribution	Caucasus
Native speakers
Linguistic classification	One of the world's primary language families
Early form
Proto-language
Subdivisions	*Northwest Caucasian languages Northeast Caucasian languages Kartvelian languages

The Caucasian languages are a diverse group of languages spoken in the Caucasus region, which is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. This region is known for its complex linguistic landscape, with a high degree of linguistic diversity and a number of languages that are not related to any other language families.

Classification

The Caucasian languages are traditionally divided into three main families:

Northwest Caucasian languages

The Northwest Caucasian languages, also known as the Abkhazo-Adyghean languages, include languages such as Abkhaz, Abaza, Adyghe, and Kabardian. These languages are characterized by their complex consonant systems and relatively simple vowel systems.

Northeast Caucasian languages

The Northeast Caucasian languages, also known as the Nakh-Daghestanian languages, include languages such as Chechen, Avar, Lezgian, and Ingush. This family is known for its rich consonant inventories and complex grammatical structures.

Kartvelian languages

The Kartvelian languages, also known as the South Caucasian languages, include Georgian, Mingrelian, Laz, and Svan. Georgian is the most widely spoken language in this family and is the official language of Georgia.

Linguistic Features

Caucasian languages are known for several distinctive linguistic features:

• Phonology: Many Caucasian languages have large consonant inventories, including a variety of ejective consonants. Vowel systems tend to be simpler in comparison.
• Morphology: These languages often exhibit complex morphological structures, with extensive use of prefixes, suffixes, and infixes.
• Syntax: The syntax of Caucasian languages can vary widely, but many exhibit ergative-absolutive alignment, where the subject of an intransitive verb is treated like the object of a transitive verb.

Historical and Cultural Context

The Caucasus region has been a crossroads of various cultures and civilizations throughout history. This has contributed to the linguistic diversity found in the region. The languages of the Caucasus have been influenced by neighboring languages such as Russian, Turkish, and Persian.

Current Status

Many Caucasian languages are considered endangered due to the dominance of larger languages in the region, such as Russian and Turkish. Efforts are being made to preserve and revitalize these languages through education and cultural initiatives.

See Also

• Languages of the Caucasus
• Endangered languages
• Linguistic diversity

References

• Comrie, Bernard. The Languages of the Soviet Union. Cambridge University Press, 1981.
• Hewitt, B. G. The Indigenous Languages of the Caucasus. Caravan Books, 2004.