| Lezgic | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | |
| Linguistic classification | Northeast Caucasian
|
| Proto-language | Proto-Lezgic language |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | lezg1248 |
Lezgic | |
The Lezgic languages are one of seven branches of the Northeast Caucasian language family, spoken primarily by the Lezgin ethnic groups.
Lezgin languages are spoken by some 1 million people.
Classification
Lezgin, Aghul, Rutul, Tabasaran, Tsakhur and Udi are literary languages. Khinalug may either be Lezgic or an independent branch of the Northeast Caucasian family.
Peripheral: Archi – 1,700 speakers[1]
Lezgin ethnic groups in Dagestan - Samur[2] (Nuclear Lezgic)
- Eastern Samur[1]
- Southern Samur
- Western Samur
The voicing of ejective consonants
The Lezgic languages are relevant to the glottalic theory of Indo-European, because several have undergone the voicing of ejectives that have been postulated but widely derided as improbable in that family. The correspondences have not been well worked out (Rutul is inconsistent in the examples), but a few examples are:
- Non-Lezgic: Avar tstsʼar; Lezgic: Rutul dur, Tsakhur do 'name'
- Non-Lezgic: Archi motʃʼor, Lak tʃʼiri; Lezgic: Rutul mitʃʼri, Tabassaran midʒir, Aɡul mudʒur 'beard'
- Non-Lezgic: Avar motsʼ; Lezgic: Tabassaran vaz 'moon'
A similar change has taken place in non-initial position in the Nakh languages.[5]
Vocabulary comparison
The following is a brief comparison of cognates among the basic vocabulary across the Lezgin language branch[6].
| Lezgin | Agul | Tabasaran | Rutul | Tsakhur | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| head | ḱil (кIил) | ḱil (кIил) | ḱul (кIул) | ḱul (кIул) | kalle (калле) |
| jacket | valçağ (валчагъ) | valçag (валчаг) | valjağ (валжагъ) | valçağ (валчагъ) | valçağ (валчаг) |
| summit | ḱuḱ (кIукI) | ḱuḱ (кIукI) | ḱaḱ (кIакI) | ḱul (кIул) | ḱol (кIол) |
| montain | suv (сув) | suv (сув) | siv (сив) | siv (сив) | suva (сува) |
| girl | ruş (руш) | ruş (руш) | riş (риш) | reş (реш) | nım (ным) |
| bridegroom | ččam (ччам) | čam (чам) | jam (жам) | jam (жам) | čama (чама) |
| dwelling | ḱwal (кIвал) | xal (хал) | xal (хал) | xal (хал) | xav (хав) |
| land | ččil (ччил) | čil (чил) | jil (жил) | naḉ (начь) | jdil (ждил) |
| winter | q́üd (кьуьд) | ğurd (гIурд) | qürd (къюрд) | q́üd (кьуьд) | q́udum (кьудум) |
| goat | c̣eh (цIегь) | c̣eh (цIегь) | c̣ih (цIигь) | c̣i (цIи) | c̣e (цIеь) |
| ice | murk (мурк) | murk (мурк) | mirkḱ (миркк) | meḱ (мекI) | muk (мук) |
| shovel | qusu (къусу) | ḱiṭa (кIитIа) | q́ursi (кьурси) | ber (бер) | bel (бел) |
| mill | reh (регь) | rax̣ (рахъ) | rağmi (рагъIми) | räh (рэх) | yoha (йоха) |
| meat | yak (як) | yaḱ (йакI) | yikk (иикк) | yak (йак) | çuru (чуру) |
| bride | swas (свас) | sus (сус) | şwuşw (швушв) | swas (свас) | istax (истах) |
| horn | karç (карч) | ḱarç (кIарч) | ḱarç (кIарч) | kaç (кач) | ğaç (гъач) |
| fire | c̣ay (цIай) | c̣ay (цIай) | c̣a (цIа) | c̣ay (цIай) | c̣a (цIа) |
| eagle | leḳ (лекь) | luḱ (лукI) | lüḱ (люкь) | leg (лег) | ḱatir (кьатир) |
| language | mez (мез) | mez (мез) | mez (мез) | miz (миз) | miz (миз) |
See also
References
- ^ a b 7. НАСЕЛЕНИЕ НАИБОЛЕЕ МНОГОЧИСЛЕННЫХ НАЦИОНАЛЬНОСТЕЙ ПО РОДНОМУ ЯЗЫКУ
- ^ a b Languages in the Caucasus, by Wolfgang Schulze (2009) Archived 2011-06-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Enthnologue report for Lezgi". Ethnologue.com. 1999-02-19. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
- ^ "Владение языками и использование языков населением Российской Федерации согласно переписи населения 2021 года". Archived from the original on 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ Paul Fallon, 2002. The synchronic and diachronic phonology of ejectives, p 245.
- ^ Ikhilov, Mikhail. "НАРОДНОСТИ ЛЕЗГИНСКОЙ ГРУППЫ" (PDF).

