Circassian languages

Subdivision of the Northwest Caucasian language family

Circassian

Cherkess
Geographic
distribution| North Caucasus
Ethnicity| Circassians, Cherkesogai
Linguistic classification| Northwest Caucasian

* Circassian

Proto-language| Proto-Circassian
Subdivisions|

* Adyghe
* Kabardian

Language codes
Glottolog| `circ1239`

Circassian

Circassian[a] (Adyghe: Адыгабзэ; Kabardian: Адыгэбзэ), also known as Cherkess (/tʃɜːrˈkɛs/ chur-KESS), is a subdivision of the Northwest Caucasian language family, spoken by the Circassian people. There are two main variants of the Circassian language, defined by their literary standards, Adyghe (кӀахыбзэ; also known as West Circassian) and Kabardian (къэбэрдейбзэ; also known as East Circassian). The languages are highly mutually intelligible with one another, but differ to a degree where they would be considered clear-cut dialects. The earliest extant written records of the Circassian language are in the Arabic script, recorded by the Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi in the 17th century,[1] although the Greek and Georgian alphabets were adapted for them in ancient and medieval times.[2]

There is consensus among the linguistic community about the fact that Adyghe and Kabardian are typologically distinct languages.[3][4][5] However, the local terms for these languages refer to them as dialects. The Circassian people call themselves адыгэ (adyge; English: Adyghe) in their native language. In the southwestern part of European Russia, there is also a Federal Subject called Adygea (Russian: Адыгея, Adygeya), enclaved within Krasnodar Krai, which is named after the Circassian endonym. In the Russian language, the Circassian subdivision is treated as a group of languages and called адыгские (adygskie, meaning the Adyghe languages), whereas the Adyghe language is called адыгейский (adygeyskiy, meaning the language of those in [the Republic of] Adygea). The terms Circassian and Cherkess are sometimes used in several languages as synonyms for the Northwest Caucasian languages in general or the Adyghe language in particular.

## Circassian languages

[edit]

| Proto‑Circassian  |

| East Circassian  |

|  |

Kabardian

|

Besleney

West Circassian (Adyghe)  |

| Kuban river  |

|  |

Temirgoy

|

Abzakh

Bzhedugh

Black Sea coast  |

|  |

Shapsug

|

Natkhuaja

A Circassian dialects family tree.
Yinal speaking Adyghe and Kabardian

* Circassian languages
* Adyghe language
* The Black Sea coast dialects
* Zhaney dialect
* Natukhai dialect (Adyghe: Нэтӏхъуаджэбзэ; Netʼx́uajebze)
* Shapsug dialect (Adyghe: Шапсыгъабзэ; Shapsyǵabze)
* North Shapsugs, Great Shapsugs, Kuban Shapsugs dialect (Adyghe: Шапсыгъэ шху; Shapsyǵ shyxu)
* Temirgoy-Shapsugs, Pseuşko accent (Adyghe: Кӏэмгуе-шапсыгъ; Chʼemgueý-shapsyǵ)
* South Shapsugs, Small Shapsugs, Coastal Shapsugs Black Sea Shapsugs (Adyghe: Шапсыгъэ-цӏыкӏу; Shapsyǵe-tsʼykʼu) dialect.
* Kfar Kama dialect (Adyghe: Кфар Камэм ишапсыгъэбзэ; Kfar Kamem ishapsyǵebze): Shapsug dialect spoken by the villagers of Kfar Kama in Israel.
* Hakuchi dialect (Adyghe: ХьакӀуцубзэ, Къарацхаибзэ; Hakʼutsubze, Qaratsxaibze)
* The Kuban river dialects
* Bzhedug dialect (Adyghe: Бжъэдыгъубзэ; Bɀedyǵubze) : Spoken by the Circassians in Republic of Adygea and Biga.
* Temirgoy (Adyghe: КӀэмыгуябзэ, КӀэмгуибзэ; Chʼemıguıyabze, Chʼemguibze) : Literary Adyghe. Also spoken by the Circassians in Republic of Adygea.
* Abzakh dialect (Adyghe: Aбдзэхабзэ; Abźaxabze) : Spoken by the Circassians in Rehaniya in Israel and the Circassians in Syria from Golan Heights.
* Mamkhegh dialect
* Yegeruqway dialect
* Hatuqwai dialect
* Makhosh dialect
* Kabardian language[3]
* Kabardian
* West Kabardian
* Kuban
* Kuban-Zelenchuk (Cherkess)
* Central Kabardian
* Baksan (Basis for the literary language)
* Malka
* Eastern Kabardian
* Terek
* Mozdok
* North Kabardian
* Mulka
* Zabardiqa (1925 until 1991 Soviet Zaparika)
* Baslaney dialect (Adyghe: Бэслъыныйбзэ; Besłınıýbze)

## Alphabets

[edit]

* Adyghe language (also known as West Circassian, Adyghe: КӀахыбзэ; Kʼaxıbzə, Russian: Адыгейский язык) — The language of the west Circassian tribes: Shapsug, Abzakh, Natukhai, Bzhedug, Temirgoy. The Alphabet is based on the Temirgoy dialect. The Circassian alphabet was created in 1918 by the Kabardian linguist Naguma Shora.

Adyghe alphabet  А а
[aː] | Б б
[b] | В в
[v] | Г г
[ɣ] or [ɡ] | Гу гу
[ɡʷ] | Гъ гъ
[ʁ] | Гъу гъу
[ʁʷ] | Д д
[d]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Дж дж
[d͡ʒ] | Дз дз
[d͡z] | Дзу дзу
[d͡zʷ] | Е е
[ja/aj]  | Ё ё
[jo]  | Ж ж
[ʒ] | Жъ жъ
[ʐ] | Жъу жъу
[ʒʷ] or [ʐʷ]
Жь жь
[ʑ] | З з
[z] | И и
[jə/əj]  | Й й
[j] | К к
[k] | Ку ку
[kʷ] | Къ къ
[q] | Къу къу
[qʷ]
Кӏ кӏ
[t͡ʃʼ/kʼ] | Кӏу кӏу
[kʷʼ] | Л л
[ɮ] or [l] | Лъ лъ
[ɬ] | Лӏ лӏ
[ɬʼ] | М м
[m] | Н н
[n] | О о
[aw/wa]
П п
[p] | Пӏ пӏ
[pʼ] | Пӏу пӏу
[pʷʼ] | Р р
[r] | С с
[s] | Т т
[t] | Тӏ тӏ
[tʼ] | Тӏу тӏу
[tʷʼ]
У у
[w/əw] | Ф ф
[f] | Х х
[x] | Ху ху
[xʷ] | Хъ хъ
[χ] | Хъу хъу
[χʷ] | Хь хь
[ħ] | Ц ц
[t͡s]
Цу цу
[t͡sʷ] | Цӏ цӏ
[t͡sʼ] | Ч ч
[t͡ʃ] | Чӏ чӏ
[t͡ʂʼ] | Чъ чъ
[t͡ʂ] | Ш ш
[ʃ] | Шъ шъ
[ʂ] | Шъу шъу
[ʃʷ] or [ʂʷ]
Шӏ шӏ
[ʃʼ] | Шӏу шӏу
[ʃʷʼ] | Щ щ
[ɕ] | Ъ ъ
[ˠ] | Ы ы
[ə] | Ь ь
[ʲ] | Э э
[a] | Ю ю
[ju]
Я я
[jaː]  | ӏ
[ʔ] | ӏу
[ʔʷ]

* Kabardian language (also known as East Circassian, Adyghe: Къэбэрдейбзэ; Qeberdeýbze, Russian: Кабардино-черкесский) — The language of the east Circassian tribes : Kabarday and Baslaney. The Alphabet is based on the Kabardian dialect.

Kabardian alphabet  А а
[aː] | Э э
[a] | Б б
[b] | В в
[v] | Г г
[ɣ] | Гу гу
[ɡʷ] | Гъ гъ
[ʁ] | Гъу гъу
[ʁʷ]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Д д
[d] | Дж дж
[d͡ʒ] or [ɡʲ] | Дз дз
[d͡z] | Е е
[ja/aj]  | Ё ё
[jo]  | Ж ж
[ʒ] | Жь жь
[ʑ] | З з
[z]
И и
[jə/əj]  | Й й
[j] | К к
[k] | Ку ку
[kʷ] | Къ къ
[q] | Къу къу
[qʷ] | Кхъ кхъ
[q͡χ] | Кхъу кхъу
[q͡χʷ]
Кӏ кӏ
[t͡ʃʼ] or [kʲʼ] | Кӏу кӏу
[kʷʼ] | Л л
[ɮ] or [l] | Лъ лъ
[ɬ] | Лӏ лӏ
[ɬʼ] | М м
[m] | Н н
[n] | О о
[aw/wa]
П п
[p] | Пӏ пӏ
[pʼ] | Р р
[r] | С с
[s] | Т т
[t] | Тӏ тӏ
[tʼ] | У у
[w/əw] | Ф ф
[f]
Фӏ фӏ
[fʼ] | Х х
[x] | Ху ху
[xʷ] | Хъ хъ
[χ] | Хъу хъу
[χʷ] | Хь хь
[ħ] | Ц ц
[t͡s] | Цӏ цӏ
[t͡sʼ]
Ч ч
[t͡ʃ] | Ш ш
[ʃ] | Щ щ
[ɕ] | Щӏ щӏ
[ɕʼ] | Ъ ъ
[ˠ] | Ы ы
[ə] | Ь ь
[ʲ] | Ю ю
[ju]
Я я
[jaː]  | ӏ
[ʔ] | ӏу
[ʔʷ]
Dialectal letters  Гь гь
[ɡʲ] | Кь кь
[kʲ] | Кӏь кӏь
[kʲʼ] | Сӏ сӏ
[sʼ] | Чу чу
[t͡ʃʷ] | ӏь
[ʔʲ]

|
|
|
|
|

## Sound changes

[edit]

The major differences in the Circassian dialects

See also: Proto-Circassian language

Sound changes between Adyghe (Temirgoy) and Kabardian:[6]

* Adyghe a ↔ э Kabardian: адыгабзэ ↔ aдыгэбзэ (Adyghe); бае ↔ бей (rich); аслъан ↔ аслъэн (lion); къэплъан ↔ къаплъэн (tiger); дунай ↔ дуней (world); тхьакӀумэ ↔ тхьэкӀумэ (ear); хьарыф ↔ хьэрф (letter); тхьаркъо ↔ тхьэрыкъуэ (pigeon); Ӏае ↔ Ӏей (ugly); хьамлыу ↔ хьэмбылу (worm); хьау ↔ хьэуэ (no)
* Adyghe ы ↔ э Kabardian: ны ↔ анэ (mother)
* Adyghe э ↔ ы Kabardian: хъэдэн ↔ хъыдан (lilac)
* Adyghe а ↔ ы Kabardian: Ӏахьыл ↔ Ӏыхьлы (cloth)
* Adyghe и ↔ ы Kabardian: мэлэӀич ↔ мэлэӀыч (angel)
* Adyghe ы ↔ и Kabardian: сабый ↔ сабий (child)
* Adyghe ы ↔ е Kabardian: жъэжъый ↔ жьэжьей (kidney); дэжъый ↔ дэжьей (hazelnut)
* Adyghe ц ↔ дз Kabardian: цэ ↔ дзэ (tooth); цыгъо ↔ дзыгъуэ (mouse); пцэжъый ↔ бдзэжьей (fish); уцы ↔ удзы (grass)
* Adyghe цу ↔ в Kabardian: цу ↔ вы (ox); цуакъэ ↔ вакъэ (shoe); цунды ↔ вынд (raven); цунды ↔ вынд (raven); цуабзэ ↔ вабдзэ (ploughshare)
* Adyghe ч ↔ ж Kabardian: чэмы ↔ жэм (cow); чъыгы ↔ жыг (tree); чэщы ↔ жэщ (night); чылэ ↔ жылэ (village, settlement); пчъын ↔ бжын (to count); чъэн ↔ жэн (to run)
* Adyghe ч ↔ дж Kabardian: чэтыу ↔ джэду (cat); чэты ↔ джэд (chicken); апч ↔ абдж (glass)
* Adyghe ч ↔ щ Kabardian: пачъыхь ↔ пащтыхь (king); гъучӏы ↔ гъущӏ (iron); упчӏэ ↔ упщӏэ (question); чыӏу ↔ щӏыӏу (button); чъыӏэ ↔ щӏыӏэ (cold); пчэдыжьы ↔ пщэдджыжь (morning)
* Adyghe дз ↔ з Kabardian: хъырбыдз ↔ хъарбыз (watermelon)
* Adyghe дж ↔ ж Kabardian: баджэ ↔ бажэ (fox); лъэмыдж ↔ лъэмыж (arch, bridge); аджал ↔ ажал (death); хьаджыгъэ ↔ хьэжыгъэ (flour); лъэгуанджэ ↔ лъэгуажьэ (knee); къуаджэ ↔ къуажэ (village)
* Adyghe жь ↔ з Kabardian: ежь ↔ езы (him, itself)
* Adyghe жъ ↔ жь Kabardian: жъы ↔ жьы (old); бжъэ ↔ бжьэ (bowl, horn, slander); жъэн ↔ жьэн (to fry, to grill)
* Adyghe ж ↔ жь Kabardian: бжыхьэ ↔ бжьыхьэ (autumn); жакӀэ ↔ жьакӀэ (beard); бжыдзэ ↔ бжьыдзэ (flea); жэ ↔ жьэ (mouth)
* Adyghe жъу ↔ в Kabardian: жъуагъо ↔ вагъо (star); зэжъу ↔ зэвы (narrow); ӏужъу ↔ ӏувы (wide); гъэжъон ↔ гъэвэн (to boil)
* Adyghe ш ↔ щ Kabardian: нашэ ↔ нащэ (melon)
* Adyghe щ ↔ ш Kabardian: щэ ↔ шэ (milk); щай ↔ шай (tea); щыгъу ↔ шыгъу (salt); ахъщэ ↔ ахъшэ (fund, money); щэбзащ ↔ шабзэ (arrow); щыды ↔ шыд (donkey); щынагъо ↔ шынагъуэ (fear); щыбжьый ↔ шыбжий (black pepper); щэджагъо ↔ шэджагъуэ (noon)
* Adyghe шъ ↔ щ Kabardian: шъабэ ↔ щабэ; шъхьэ ↔ щхьэ (head); шъынэ ↔ щынэ (lamp); дышъэ ↔ дыщэ (gold); пшъашъэ ↔ пщащэ (girl); мышъэ ↔ мыщэ (bear); псэушъхь ↔ псэущхьэ (animal); шъэ ↔ ща (100)
* Adyghe шӀ ↔ щӀ Kabardian: шӀын ↔ щӀын (to do); шӀэн ↔ щӀэн (to know); гъашӀэ ↔ гъащӀэ (life); пшӀы ↔ пщӀы (ten)
* Adyghe кӀ ↔ щӀ Kabardian: кӀэ ↔ щӀэ (new); кӀалэ ↔ щӀалэ (young-man); мэгыкӀэ ↔ мэгыщӀэ (to launder, to wash); тӀэкӀын ↔ тӀэщӀын (to go off on); икӀыӀу ↔ ищӀыӀу (above); макӀэ ↔ мащӀэ (few); хьакӀэ ↔ хьэщӀэ (guest); ӀункӀыбзэ ↔ ӀунщӀыбз (key)
* Adyghe шъу ↔ ф Kabardian: шъоу ↔ фо (honey); шъуз ↔ фыз (wife); ешъон ↔ ефэн (to drink); уашъо ↔ уафэ (sky); уцышъо ↔ удзыфэ (green); къашъо ↔ къафэ (dance); шъо ↔ фэ (color, skin, you (plural)); шъо ↔ фэ (color, skin, you (plural)); нэшъу ↔ нэф (blind)
* Adyghe шӀу ↔ фӀ Kabardian: шӀу ↔ фӀы (well, good); машӀо ↔ мафӀэ (fire); шӀуцӀэ ↔ фӀыцӀэ (black); шӀомыкӀы ↔ фӀамыщӀ (coal); ошӀу ↔ уэфӀ (weather); ӏэшӀу ↔ ӏэфӀ (sweet); шӀошӏын ↔ фӀэщын (sweet)
* Adyghe ф ↔ ху Kabardian: фыжьы ↔ хужьы (white); Ӏофы ↔ Ӏуэху (work, job); мафэ ↔ махуэ (day); гъэмафэ ↔ гъэмахуэ (summer); цӀыфы ↔ цӀыху (person); фабэ ↔ хуабэ (hot); фае ↔ хуей (want, need); фэд ↔ хуэд (like); нэфы ↔ нэху (light); нартыф ↔ нартыху (maize); фэгъэгъун ↔ хуэгъэгъун (to forgive); фэгъэгъун ↔ хуэгъэгъун (to forgive); бжьыныф ↔ бжьыныху (garlic); бзылъфыгъэ ↔ бзылъхугъэ (woman)
* Adyghe хь ↔ хъ Kabardian: нахь ↔ нэхъ (more); шынахьыкӏ ↔ шынэхъыщӏ (younger brother); шынахьыжъ ↔ шынэхъыжь (older brother)
* Adyghe къ ↔ кхъ Kabardian: къэ ↔ кхъэ (grave)
* Adyghe къу ↔ кхъу Kabardian: къуае ↔ кхъуей (cheese); къужъы ↔ кхъужь (pear); къухьэ ↔ кхъухь (ship)
* Adyghe т ↔ д Kabardian: тэ ↔ дэ (we); тамэ ↔ дамэ (shoulder); тамыгь ↔ дамыгъэ (stamp, letter); тыгъужъы ↔ дыгъужь (wolf); тыгъуас ↔ дыгъуасэ (yesterday); ты ↔ адэ (father); тыжьыны ↔ дыжьын (silver); такъикъ ↔ дакъикъэ (minute); атакъэ ↔ адакъэ (rooster, cock); хатэ ↔ хадэ (garden); псычэт ↔ псыджэд (duck); тхьаматэ ↔ тхьэмадэ (leader, boss)
* Adyghe п ↔ б Kabardian: панэ ↔ банэ (thorn); пытэ ↔ быдэ (hard); пчэны ↔ бжэн (goat); пыи ↔ бий (enemy); непэ ↔ нобэ (today); пчъын ↔ бжын (to count)
* Adyghe м ↔ н Kabardian: мамун ↔ номин (monkey)
* Adyghe н ↔ Ø Kabardian: гъунджэ ↔ гъуджэ (mirror)
* Adyghe -Ø ↔ -р Kabardian: Ӏехы ↔ Ӏехыр; сӀехы ↔ сӀехыр; тӀехы ↔ тӀехыр
* Adyghe -Ø ↔ -щ Kabardian: тӀыгъ ↔ тӀыгъщ
* Adyghe Ø- ↔ и- Kabardian: джыри ↔ иджыри (yet)

## Ergative–absolutive

[edit]

In the following example, we demonstrate an ergative–absolutive case marking system while using the same verb "break" in both intransitive and transitive forms:

Ergative language

Sentence:  | ӏанэр мэкъутэ. |  | Лӏым ӏанэр екъутэ.
Word:  | ӏанэ-р | мэкъутэ  |  | Лӏым | ӏанэр | екъутэ
Gloss:  | The table-ABS | breaks  |  | The man-ERG | the table-ABS | breaks
Function:  | S | VERBintrans |  | A | O | VERBtrans
Translation:  | "The table breaks."  |  | "The man breaks the table."

Here, "table" has the absolutive case mark -р /-r/ while "man" has the ergative case mark -м /-m/. We also have the verb "break" in intransitive form "мэкъутэ" and transitive form "екъутэ". In the example above, we specifically used SOV order, but Circassian allows any order.

## Loanwords

[edit]

Circassian languages contain "many loan-words from Arabic, Turkish, Persian (particularly in the area of religion) and Russian".[7]

## See also

[edit]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Circassian phrasebook.

* Circassia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Papşu, Murat (2006)."Çerkes-Adığe yazısının tarihçesi Archived December 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine". Nart, İki Aylık Düşün ve Kültür Dergisi, Sayı 51, Eylül-Ekim 2006. (in Turkish)
2. ^ "The Circassian Alphabet". circassianweb.com. Circassian Family Tree. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
3. ^ a b Kuipers, Aert H. (1960). Phoneme and morpheme in Kabardian (eastern Adyghe). The Hague: Mouton & Co. p. 7.
4. ^ Smeets, Henricus Joannes (1984). Studies in West Circassian phonology and morphology. Leiden: The Hakuchi Press. p. 41\. ISBN 90-71176-01-0.
5. ^ Hewitt, George (2005). "North West Caucasian". Lingua. 115 (1–2): 17. doi:10.1016/j.lingua.2003.06.003. Retrieved 16 April 2017.1–2&rft.pages=17&rft.date=2005&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016/j.lingua.2003.06.003&rft.aulast=Hewitt&rft.aufirst=George&rft_id=https://zenodo.org/record/968232&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Circassian+languages" class="Z3988">
6. ^ Aydın, Şamil Emre (2015), Çerkes Diyalektleri, ISBN 9786056569111
7. ^ Reza, Hirtenstein & Gholami 2021.

1. ^ (/sɜːrˈkæʃən/)

## Sources

[edit]

* Reza, Enayotallah; Hirtenstein, Stephen; Gholami, Rahim (2021). "Cherkess (Circassian)". In Madelung, Wilferd; Daftary, Farhad (eds.). Encyclopaedia Islamica Online. Brill Online. ISSN 1875-9831.

## Literature

[edit]

* A Dictionary of the Circassian Language, in Two Parts. By Dr. L. Loewe.
* Кумахов М. А. Адыгские языки // Языки мира. Кавказские языки. М., 1999. (in Russian)

* v
* t
* e

North Caucasian languages

The proposed North Caucasian language family comprises the Northeast and Northwest Caucasian language families.

Northwest
(Pontic)|

* Abazgi
* Abaza
* Abkhaz
* Bzyb
* Circassian
* Adyghe
* Black Sea coast
* Natukhaj
* Shapsug
* Hakuchi
* Northern
* Kfar Kama
* Kuban River
* Abzakh
* Bzhedug
* Hatuqwai
* Kabardian
* Besleney
* Hattic (proposed)
* Ubykh

Northeast
(Caspian)|

| Avar–Andic|

* Andic
* Andi
* Akhvakh
* Bagvalal–Tindi
* Botlix–Godoberi
* Chamalal
* Karata-Tukita [ru]
* Avar

|

Dargic|

* Chirag

North-Central|

* Mehweb
* Gapshima–Butri [lez]
* Muira [ru]
* Tsudaqar–Usisha
* North Dargwa
* Aqusha
* Literary Dargwa
* Murego–Gubden [uk]
* Kadar
* Mugi [ru]
* Upper Mulebki
* Urakhi

Southern|

* Ashti [ru]–Kubachi
* Sanzhi–Itsari
* Amuzgi–Shiri
* Sanakari–Chakhrizhi
* Southwestern Dargwa
* Sirhwa [lez; uk]
* Tanti
* Upper Vurqni [ru]

Kaitag–Shari|

* Kaitag
* Shari

Tsezic|

* Bezhta–Hunzib–Khwarshi
* Inkhoqwari
* Hinukh–Tsez

Lezgic|

* Archi

Samur|

| Eastern|

* Aghul
* Lezgian
* Tabasaran
* Udi
* Caucasian Albanian

|

Southern|

* Budukh
* Kryts

Western|

* Rutul
* Tsakhur

Nakh|

* Bats
* Vainakh
* Chechen
* Aukh
* Ingush

Other|

* Khinalug
* Lak

Italics indicate extinct languages

* v
* t
* e

Languages of the Caucasus

Caucasian
(areal)|

| South
(Kartvelian)|

* Karto-Zan
* Georgian
* Judaeo-Georgian
* Old Georgian
* Zan
* Laz
* Mingrelian
* Svan

|

Northeast
(Caspian)|

| Avar–Andic|

* Andic
* Andi
* Akhvakh
* Bagvalal–Tindi
* Botlikh–Godoberi
* Chamalal
* Karata
* Avar

|

Dargin|

* Chirag

North-Central|

* Mehweb
* Gapshima
* Muira [ru]
* Tsudaqar–Usisha–Butri
* North Dargwa
* Aqusha
* Literary Dargwa
* Murego–Gubden [uk]
* Kadar
* Mugi [ru]
* Upper Mulebki
* Urakhi

Southern|

* Ashti [ru]–Kubachi
* Sanzhi–Itsari
* Amuzgi–Shiri
* Sanakari–Chakhrizhi
* Southwestern Dargwa
* Sirhwa [lez; uk]
* Tanti
* Upper Vurqni [ru]

Kaitag–Shari|

* Kaitag
* Shari

Lezgic|

* Archi
* Samur
* Eastern
* Aghul
* Lezgin
* Tabasaran
* Southern
* Budukh
* Kryts
* Jek
* Western
* Rutul
* Tsakhur
* Udi
* Caucasian Albanian

Nakh|

* Bats
* Vainakh
* Chechen
* Aukh
* Ingush

Tsezic (Didoic)|

* Bezhta–Hunzib–Khwarshi
* Hinukh–Tsez

Others|

* Khinalug
* Lak

Northwest
(Pontic)|

* Abazgi
* Abaza
* Abkhaz
* Bzyb
* Circassian
* Adyghe
* Kabardian
* Ubykh

Indo-
European|

| Iranian|

* Cimmerian
* Kurdish
* Kurmanji
* Ossetian
* Alanic
* Persian
* Talysh
* Kilit
* Tat
* Judeo-Tat

|

Slavic|

* Belarusian
* Russian
* Ukrainian

Others|

* Armenian
* Classical Armenian
* Middle Armenian
* Eastern
* Western
* Zok
* German
* Pontic Greek

Turkic|

| Kipchak|

* Karachay-Balkar
* Kumyk
* Nogai
* Urum

|

Oghuz|

* Azerbaijani
* Turkish
* Turkmen

Others|

* Kalmyk Oirat
* Lomavren
* Northeastern Neo-Aramaic
* Assyrian
* Bohtan
* Armazic
* Shirvani Arabic

* Italics indicate extinct languages
* Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

See also
Languages of Armenia
Languages of Azerbaijan
Languages of Georgia
Languages of Russia

Authority control databases: National |

* Germany
* Czech Republic
* Israel

|

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