Circassian languages

Circassian
Cherkess
EthnicityCircassians, Cherkesogai
Geographic
distribution
North Caucasus
Linguistic classificationNorthwest Caucasian
  • Circassian
Proto-languageProto-Circassian
Subdivisions
Glottologcirc1239
 Circassian

Circassian (/sɜːrˈkæʃən/ sur-KASH-ən), also known as Cherkess (/tʃɜːrˈkɛs/ chur-KESS), is a subdivision of the Northwest Caucasian language family, spoken by the Circassian people. There are two Circassian languages, defined by their literary standards, Adyghe (кӀахыбзэ; also known as West Circassian), with half a million speakers, and Kabardian (къэбэрдейбзэ; also known as East Circassian), with a million. 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 languages are in the Arabic script, recorded by the Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi in the 17th century, although the Greek and Georgian alphabets were adapted for them in ancient and medieval times.

There is consensus among the linguistic community about the fact that Adyghe and Kabardian are typologically distinct languages. 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

Proto‑Circassian
East Circassian
West Circassian
Kuban river
Black Sea coast
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
    • Kabardian language
      • Kabardian
        • West Kabardian
        • 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)

Alphabet

Adyghe alphabet
А а
[]
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
[]
Къ къ
[q]
Къу къу
[]
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
[]
Пӏу пӏу
[pʷʼ]
Р р
[r]
С с
[s]
Т т
[t]
Тӏ тӏ
[]
Тӏу тӏу
[tʷʼ]
У у
[w/əw]
Ф ф
[f]
Х х
[x]
Ху ху
[]
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 alphabet
А а
[]
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
[]
Къ къ
[q]
Къу къу
[]
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
[]
Р р
[r]
С с
[s]
Т т
[t]
Тӏ тӏ
[]
У у
[w/əw]
Ф ф
[f]
Фӏ фӏ
[]
Х х
[x]
Ху ху
[]
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
[]
Кӏь кӏь
[kʲʼ]
Сӏ сӏ
[]
Чу чу
[t͡ʃʷ]
ӏь
[ʔʲ]

Sound changes

The major differences in the Circassian dialects

Sound changes between Adyghe (Temirgoy) and Kabardian:

  • Adyghe a ↔ э Kabardian: адыгабзэaдыгэбзэ (Adyghe); баебей (rich); аслъанаслъэн (lion); къэплъанкъаплъэн (tiger); дунайдуней (world); тхьакӀумэтхьэкӀумэ (ear); хьарыфхьэрф (letter); тхьаркъотхьэрыкъуэ (pigeon); ӀаеӀей (ugly); хьамлыухьэмбылу (worm); хьаухьэуэ (no)
  • Adyghe ы ↔ э Kabardian: ныанэ (mother)
  • Adyghe э ↔ ы Kabardian: хъэдэнхъыдан (lilac)
  • Adyghe а ↔ ы Kabardian: ӀахьылӀыхьлы (cloth)
  • Adyghe и ↔ ы Kabardian: мэлэӀичмэлэӀыч (angel)
  • Adyghe ы ↔ и Kabardian: сабыйсабий (child)
  • Adyghe ы ↔ е Kabardian: жъэжъыйжьэжьей (kidney); дэжъыйдэжьей (hazelnut)
  • Adyghe ц ↔ дз Kabardian: цэдзэ (tooth); цыгъодзыгъуэ (mouse); пцэжъыйбдзэжьей (fish); уцыудзы (grass)
  • Adyghe цу ↔ в Kabardian: цувы (ox); цуакъэвакъэ (shoe); цундывынд (raven); цундывынд (raven); цуабзэвабдзэ (ploughshare)
  • Adyghe ч ↔ ж Kabardian: чэмыжэм (cow); чъыгыжыг (tree); чэщыжэщ (night); чылэжылэ (village, settlement); пчъынбжын (to count); чъэнжэн (to run)
  • Adyghe ч ↔ дж Kabardian: чэтыуджэду (cat); чэтыджэд (chicken); апчабдж (glass)
  • Adyghe ч ↔ щ Kabardian: пачъыхьпащтыхь (king); гъучӏыгъущӏ (iron); упчӏэупщӏэ (question); чыӏущӏыӏу (button); чъыӏэщӏыӏэ (cold); пчэдыжьыпщэдджыжь (morning)
  • Adyghe дз ↔ з Kabardian: хъырбыдзхъарбыз (watermelon)
  • Adyghe дж ↔ ж Kabardian: баджэбажэ (fox); лъэмыджлъэмыж (arch, bridge); аджалажал (death); хьаджыгъэхьэжыгъэ (flour); лъэгуанджэлъэгуажьэ (knee); къуаджэкъуажэ (village)
  • Adyghe жь ↔ з Kabardian: ежьезы (him, itself)
  • Adyghe жъ ↔ жь Kabardian: жъыжьы (old); бжъэбжьэ (bowl, horn, slander); жъэнжьэн (to fry, to grill)
  • Adyghe ж ↔ жь Kabardian: бжыхьэбжьыхьэ (autumn); жакӀэжьакӀэ (beard); бжыдзэбжьыдзэ (flea); жэжьэ (mouth)
  • Adyghe жъу ↔ в Kabardian: жъуагъовагъо (star); зэжъузэвы (narrow); ӏужъуӏувы (wide); гъэжъонгъэвэн (to boil)
  • Adyghe ш ↔ щ Kabardian: нашэнащэ (melon)
  • Adyghe щ ↔ ш Kabardian: щэшэ (milk); щайшай (tea); щыгъушыгъу (salt); ахъщэахъшэ (fund, money); щэбзащшабзэ (arrow); щыдышыд (donkey); щынагъошынагъуэ (fear); щыбжьыйшыбжий (black pepper); щэджагъошэджагъуэ (noon)
  • Adyghe шъ ↔ щ Kabardian: шъабэщабэ; шъхьэщхьэ (head); шъынэщынэ (lamp); дышъэдыщэ (gold); пшъашъэпщащэ (girl); мышъэмыщэ (bear); псэушъхьпсэущхьэ (animal); шъэща (100)
  • Adyghe шӀ ↔ щӀ Kabardian: шӀынщӀын (to do); шӀэнщӀэн (to know); гъашӀэгъащӀэ (life); пшӀыпщӀы (ten)
  • Adyghe кӀ ↔ щӀ Kabardian: кӀэщӀэ (new); кӀалэщӀалэ (young-man); мэгыкӀэмэгыщӀэ (to launder, to wash); тӀэкӀынтӀэщӀын (to go off on); икӀыӀуищӀыӀу (above); макӀэмащӀэ (few); хьакӀэхьэщӀэ (guest); ӀункӀыбзэӀунщӀыбз (key)
  • Adyghe шъу ↔ ф Kabardian: шъоуфо (honey); шъузфыз (wife); ешъонефэн (to drink); уашъоуафэ (sky); уцышъоудзыфэ (green); къашъокъафэ (dance); шъофэ (color, skin, you (plural)); шъофэ (color, skin, you (plural)); нэшъунэф (blind)
  • Adyghe шӀу ↔ фӀ Kabardian: шӀуфӀы (well, good); машӀомафӀэ (fire); шӀуцӀэфӀыцӀэ (black); шӀомыкӀыфӀамыщӀ (coal); ошӀууэфӀ (weather); ӏэшӀуӏэфӀ (sweet); шӀошӏынфӀэщын (sweet)
  • Adyghe ф ↔ ху Kabardian: фыжьыхужьы (white); ӀофыӀуэху (work, job); мафэмахуэ (day); гъэмафэгъэмахуэ (summer); цӀыфыцӀыху (person); фабэхуабэ (hot); фаехуей (want, need); фэдхуэд (like); нэфынэху (light); нартыфнартыху (maize); фэгъэгъунхуэгъэгъун (to forgive); фэгъэгъунхуэгъэгъун (to forgive); бжьыныфбжьыныху (garlic); бзылъфыгъэбзылъхугъэ (woman)
  • Adyghe хь ↔ хъ Kabardian: нахьнэхъ (more); шынахьыкӏшынэхъыщӏ (younger brother); шынахьыжъшынэхъыжь (older brother)
  • Adyghe къ ↔ кхъ Kabardian: къэкхъэ (grave)
  • Adyghe къу ↔ кхъу Kabardian: къуаекхъуей (cheese); къужъыкхъужь (pear); къухьэкхъухь (ship)
  • Adyghe т ↔ д Kabardian: тэдэ (we); тамэдамэ (shoulder); тамыгьдамыгъэ (stamp, letter); тыгъужъыдыгъужь (wolf); тыгъуасдыгъуасэ (yesterday); тыадэ (father); тыжьыныдыжьын (silver); такъикъдакъикъэ (minute); атакъэадакъэ (rooster, cock); хатэхадэ (garden); псычэтпсыджэд (duck); тхьаматэтхьэмадэ (leader, boss)
  • Adyghe п ↔ б Kabardian: панэбанэ (thorn); пытэбыдэ (hard); пчэныбжэн (goat); пыибий (enemy); непэнобэ (today); пчъынбжын (to count)
  • Adyghe м ↔ н Kabardian: мамунномин (monkey)
  • Adyghe н ↔ Ø Kabardian: гъунджэгъуджэ (mirror)
  • Adyghe -Ø ↔ -р Kabardian: ӀехыӀехыр; сӀехысӀехыр; тӀехытӀехыр
  • Adyghe -Ø ↔ -щ Kabardian: тӀыгътӀыгъщ
  • Adyghe Ø- ↔ и- Kabardian: джырииджыри (yet)

Loanwords

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

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-29 03:15 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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