Atlas of the Caucasian Languages
with Language Guide
In series: Linguarium - ATLAS of the LANGUAGES of the WORLD
(ALW)
Linguarium publications | ordering info | sample maps | Languages of the World series |
contents | genealogic chart | introduction | overview |
2 | KARTVELIAN family [26]; south caucasian, kartvelic, iberian; êàðòâåëüñêàÿ, þæíîêàâêàçñêàÿ, èáåðèéñêàÿ; (Grg) kartveluri; #< kartveli 'a Georgian' in Georgian |
All languages of this family are spoken southward of Caucasian Range,
in the western Transcaucasia. It comprises 5 living languages and 1 old
literary language.
K. was earlier believed to form "Ibero-Caucasian" unity along with North Caucasian but now it's proved that K. is independent family possibly comprising part of Nostratic macrofamily where it is close to Indo-European. |
Note: Name of
Ancient Iveria / Iberia kingdom (C, E & SW of Georgia) is base for two
linguonyms:
'iberian' is applied as to the whole Kartvelian
family as to Georgian proper; |
The fact that these languages are related was first noticed by I. Guldenstedt in the 18th century and later proven by G. Rozen, M. Brosset, F. Bopp and others during the 1850's. Maps: #5,6,12-18. |
|
2-A | SOUTH KARTVELIAN group [43], georgian-zanic; þæíîêàðòâåëüñêàÿ, ãðóçèíî-çàíñêàÿ | Includes all Kartvelian languages exc. Svan. |
2-B | ZAN group [57], zanic, colchian, kolkhic, kolchian, laz-mingrelian; çàíñêàÿ, êîëõèäñêàÿ; (Grg) zanuri | Georgia; Turkey. Sometimes (esp. in Georgia) Zan languages are viewed as dialects of a single language although they are inherently unintelligible and lack common formal standard. Maps: #5,14-16,18. |
2-1 | mingrelian, mingrel, megrel, megrelian, odish, eger, egris, iverian; ìåãðåëüñêèé, ìèíãðåëüñêèé, èâåðñêèé; (Grg) megruli, odišuri; ethnonyms: margali, megreli @ margaluri nina | NW. Georgia [~400k (L1), ~1,000k (EG)], including Abkhazia, from where most fled to Georgia (some remained only in SE.); ▶Russia. All bilingual in Georgian which is used as literary language. First attempts to introduce writing were in 1860s (in Cyrillic script). Since 1920s writing became more regular (in Georgian script with additional letters) but was abandoned in 1933. Since then only in 1990s some books in M. appeared in Abkhazia. In Georgia writing in Mingrelian is banned and Mingrelian is often viewed as a dialect of Georgian and speakers as ethnically Georgians. Maps: #5,14,15. |
2-1aa | west mingrelian; samurzaqan-zugdidi, zugdid-samurzakanoyan; | |
2-1aaa | samurzaqan; samurzakan; samurzaqanuli @ murzaqaniši | Å SE. Abkhazia: Gali rayon; partly fled to Georgia |
2-1aab | zugdidi; zugdid; zugdiduri @ zugidiši | Inguri basin: Zugdidi (Zugidi)… |
2-1aac | jvar, dzhvar @ ǯvariši | middle Inguri basin: Jvari and environs |
2-1ab | east mingrelian; senaki, senakian, senak; senak'uri, senak’iši | Rioni north basin: Senak'i (Tskhakaia)… |
2-1aba | martvil, gegechkori @ martviliši | |
2-2 | laz, chan, lazian, lazish; (Tur) lazca; (Grg) č'anuri; ëàçñêèé, ÷àíñêèé @ lazuri nena | Total: up to 33k. NE. Turkey [~30k (L1), ~60k (L2), ~115k (EG) in 1980]: Rize; Artvin ils; ▶W. Anatolia (Bolu, Bursa, Istanbul, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Zonguldak ils); Georgia [~2k]; ▶Belgium, France, Germany, USA. Bilingual in Turkish. In 1984 an alphabet (in Roman script ) was developed in Germany and is sporadically used in Germany and Turkey. Maps: #14,16,18. |
2-2aa | atina, pazar, atinian; @ atinuri | NE. Rize: from Merdivenli to north-east. |
2-2aaa | atina proper | Pazar (Atina)… |
2-2aab | bulep-artashen, ardeşen | Ardeşen (Artashen)… |
2-2ab | vice-arkhava, vitse-arkabe, vitso-arkabian, arhava-vital, findikli-arhavi, @ vic'ur-arkabuli, vijur-arkabuli | NE. Rize: Fındıklı (Vice)…; NW. Artvin: Arhavi (Arkabi)… |
2-2ac | khopian, hopa, xopa, khopa @ xopuri | NW. Artvin: Hopa (Hope)…; Georgia frontier: Adjaria (Sarpi village). |
2-2ad | chhala, çhalu, chhala @ çxaluri | Å NW. Artvin: villages between Hopa & Borçka. |
2-C | GEORGIAN group, iberian; ãðóçèíñêàÿ, èáåðèéñêàÿ | Tradionally all modern varieties are treated as a single language due to common literary language and ethnic consciousness. |
† 2-3 | OLD GEORGIAN; (Grg) šveli kartuli äðåâíåãðóçèíñêèé | Map: #13. |
2-3a | Ancient Georgian; old literary georgian | Georgia, 5-11th cc. From 5th c. Mrglovani (Asomtavruli (="upper-case"), Old Georgian) script; from 9th c. Nuskhuri ((="lower-case"), Nuskha-khutsuri, Khutsuri, Georgian church) script. |
2-3b | Middle Georgian; pre-modern georgian, classic literary Georgian | Georgia, 11-18th cc. From 11th c. Mkhedruli (-xeli (=«soldier's hand»), Saero (="civil"), Georgian civil) script. |
2-3c | Church Georgian | Georgia. Used in Georgian Orthodox church. Khutsuri (Georgian church) script. |
2-4 | GEORGIAN, modern georgian, gruzin, gurji; (Bats) k'oxan; (Arm) vraci; ãðóçèíñêèé; @ kartuli, kharthuli | Total: ~3,290k (L1), ~2,016k (L2). Georgia [~3,062k (L1), 1,927k (L2), 3,497k (EG) in 2001]; Azerbaijan [~14k], Iran [1k-10k], Russia [~45k (L1), 131k (EG)], Turkey [~40k (L1), 91k (EG) in 1980], ▶ Armenia [1,300], Israel [40k-50k in 1995], Kazakhstan [8k], Kyrgyzstan [1k], Tajikistan [808], Turkmenistan [1k], Ukraine [24k], USA [757], Uzbekistan [4k]. National language in Georgia. Maps: #5,12,14-18. |
2-4a | West Georgian, south-west georgian; | Georgia; Turkey Dialects form three groups: Racha-Lechkhum, Imerian and Gurian-Adjarian. |
2-4aa | imerian, imeretian @ imeruli | Å W. Georgia. |
2-4aaa | lower imerian, west imerian @ imer-kvemouri | Å Rioni middle basin. |
2-4aab | upper imerian, east imerian @ imer-zemouri | Transitional to Kartlian. |
2-4ab | rachian, racha, raca @ račuli | Å Rioni upper basin; ▶Adigenis rayon. |
2-4aba | upper racha, mountain racha | |
2-4ac | lechkhumian, lechxum, lecxum, lechkhum @ lečxumuri | Å Rioni upper-middle basin. |
2-4ad | gurian, guri, gurulian @ guruli | Å Guria (Supsa basin). |
2-4ae | adjarian, adzhar, ajarian, acar, acharian, adzar, @ aǯaruli | Å Adjaria [325k]; ▶ Turkey: along the Black Sea coast from Atvin to Giresun, Ordu, Samsun, Sinop; Amasya, Tokat; ▶▶ Sakarya, Bursa, Kocaeli… ils. |
2-4af | macahel, camili, west shavshet | Å Turkey (N. Artvin il): Maçahel (Camili) valley (5 villages). Close to Klarjian. |
2-4b | Klarjian, klardzhi, klardzhian; (when speaking about the previous time) tao-klarjian @ k'larǯuli | Turkey [40k]. Formerly was spoken in the whole Artvin and in north Erzurum ils. Dialects are not mutually intelligible. |
2-4ba | imerkhevian, imerhev, north shavshet @ imerxevuri # imer-hevi = "west valley" | Å NE. Artvin il: Berta upper valley (Meydancık region). It is said they are from Kakheti and thus it can be a dialect of Kakhian. |
2-4bb | klarjian proper, lower choruh, borçka | Å NC. Artvin il: Çoruh lower basin: Borçka…; Murgul (Göktaş) valley. |
2-4bc | parhali, barhal | Å W. Artvin il: Barhal upper valley (3 villages). |
† 2-4bd | tao, oltu | Å Was spoken up to 18th c. in Tao region (NE. Erzurum il). Map: #0. |
2-4c | Georgian proper, kartlian-kaxi, | Georgia; Russia |
2-4ca | modern literary georgian | & Mxedruli-xeli ((=«soldier's hand»), Saero (="civil"), Georgian civil) script. Kartlian model. |
2-4cb | kartlian, kartli, central georgian; @ kartluri | Å C. Georgia: Kura (Mtkvari) middle basin ("Kartli"). |
2-4cba | lower aragvian; @ aragvikvemouri | Å Mtiul-Aragvi, Pshav-Aragvi lower valleys. Influenced by Mtiulian-Pshavian Spoken as L2 or L1 by migrants from Mtiuleti and Pshaveti. |
2-4cbb | borjomian; @ borǯomuri | Å Borjomi gorge: Borjomi, Xashuri… Influenced by Imerian. Spoken by descendants of migrants from Imereti in 19th century. |
2-4cbc | judeo-georgian; @ kivruli; ethnonyms: ebraeli | Not a separate language but a jargon used by Georgian Jews in trading. Includes many roots borrowed from Hebrew. First language of Georgian jews is Georgian. Map: #0. |
2-4cc | kakhian, kaxi, kakhetian, kakh; @ k'axuri | Å E. Georgia (Kakheti). |
2-4cca | tianet; @ tianetuli | Å Iori upper valley: near Sion reservoir. Influenced by Khevsurian, Mtiulian-Pshavian. Spoken as L2 or L1 by migrants from Khevsureti, Mtiuleti and Pshaveti. |
2-4cd | meskhian, mesxet, mesx, meskhetin @ mesxuri | Å S. Georgia: Akhalts’ikhis rayon. ("Samtskxe"). |
2-4ce | javakhian, javax, dzhavakh, jav @ ǯavaxuri | Å S. Georgia: Akhalk'alak'is rayon. |
2-4d | Ingilo-Fereidan; | Azerbaijan; Iran. |
2-4da | ingilo, ingiloian; @ ingilouri | Å NE. Azerbaijan: Alazani valley ("Saingilo"). Bilingual in Azerbaijani. |
2-4daa | aliabad; @ aliabaduri | Å Zaqatal rayon: Aliabad, Mosul. Muslim. |
2-4dab | kaki, kakh; @ kakuri | Å Qəxi rayon: Qaxingilo, Alibeyli… . Orthodox Christian. |
2-4db | fereidan, ferejdan, fereydan, iranian georgian, phereidanian @ pereidnuli | Å Iran: 14 villages in Fars, Gilan, Mazanderan provinces. Displaced in 17th century from E. Georgia (Kakheti, Saingilo). Map: #0. |
2-4e | Mtiulian-Pshavian; aragvian, piedmont georgian | NE. Georgia: C. Dushet'is rayon. |
2-4ea | mtiulian, mtiul, mtiul-gudamkar @ mtiuluri | Å Aragvi basin. |
2-4eb | pshavian, pshav; (Bats) shov; @ pšauri; ethnonyms: pšaveli | Å Aragvi-Pshaveli & upper Iori basins; partly migrated to Kakheti. |
2-4f | Pkhovian, pxov; (Bats) pxev; @ pxouri | NE. Georgia; Russia. |
2-4fa | mokhevian, moxev, mokhe @ moxeuri | Å upper Terek basin: Georgia (Qazbegis rayon), Russia (SE. Northern Ossetia: Chmi…). |
2-4fb | khevsurian, xevsur @ xevsuruli | Å N. Dushet'is rayon; partly migrated to Kakheti. |
2-4fc | tushian, tush, tushin; @ tušuri | N. Akhmetas rayon ("Mountain Tusheti"): only three villages remained; the rest migrated to the lower Kakheti (Kvemo-Kedi…). |
2-4fca | chagma | Å Only in lowlands now (Zemo-Alvani, Kvemo-Alvani). |
2-4fcb | gomecari | |
2-4fcc | pirikiti | |
2-4fcd | tsova-tush georgian @ c'ova-tušuri | Used as L2 by speakers of Bats. Zemo-Alvani. |
2-D | SVAN, north kartvelian, svanic, svanetian, (Grg) svanuri ena; ñâàíñêèé; ethnonyms: šwan-är, svaneli; @ lušnu nin | Georgia [~80k in 1999, ~100k in 2002]. Maps: #5,14,15. |
2-5 | balian, bal, upper svan | NW. Georgia: Mestiis rayon [17,600]; Abkhazia. |
2-5a | Lower Bal, transbalian; (Grg) balskvemouri; íèæíåáàëüñêèé, òàâðàðñêèé | W. & C. Mestiis rayon: (middle-)upper Inguri basin; NE. Abkhazia: upper Kodori basin. |
2-5aa | etseri @ ecer | Etseri village. |
2-5ab | chubekhevi | |
2-5ac | lakhamula @ laxməl | |
2-5ad | pari @ pär | Nakra valley. |
2-5ae | tskhumari @ cxəmar | |
2-5af | becho, bechoy @ bečwi | Dolra valley. |
2-5b | Upper Bal, cisbalian; (Grg) balszemouri; âåðõíåáàëüñêèé, ìóæàëî-ìóëàõñêèé | E. Mestiis rayon: uppermost Inguri basin; NE. Abkhazia: upper & middle Kodori basin. |
2-5ba | latali @ latli | |
2-5bb | lenjeri, mestia-lenjeri @ lenǯär | Mestia and environs. |
2-5bc | mulakhi @ məläx | Nenskra river. |
2-5bd | ipari @ ipär | |
2-5be | kala @ k’al | Nakra valley. |
2-5bf | ushguli @ ušgul | |
2-6 | lower svan, | NW.Georgia: Lentekhis rayon [13,500] (upper Tskhenistskali basin). |
2-6a | Lentekh, lentekhian, lentex; (Grg) lent'exuri; ëåíòåõñêèé @ leltxa | W. Lentekhis rayon. |
2-6aa | bavari-khacheshi @ bavari-xäčeš | upper Kheledula valley. |
2-6ab | lentekh proper | |
2-6ac | khopuri @ qopir | Qopuri valley. |
2-6b | Choluri; (Grg) čoluruli; ÷îëóðñêèé; @ čoluri | C. Lentekhis rayon. |
2-6ba | tekal @ tek’al | |
2-6bb | sakdari, sakdari-chvelieri @ saqdari- čvelieri | Sakdari village. Mixed of Choluri & Lentekh. |
2-6bc | panag @ panagi | |
2-6c | Lashkh, lashkhian, lashx; (Grg) lašxuri; ëàøõñêèé, ëàøõåòñêèé | S. & E. Lentekhis rayon. |
2-6ca | kheledi @ qeled | lower Qeledula river. |
2-6cb | rtskhmeluri @ rcxmeluri | Rtskhmeluri… |
2-6cc | upper lashkh | uppermost Tskhenistskali valley. |
Created on January, 16, 2003 ¦ Last updated on Nov, 19, 2010 18:45