Circassian languages

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Circassian language)
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 (/ɜːrˈkɛs/ 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,[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
Kuban river

Temirgoy

Abzakh

Bzhedugh

Black Sea coast

Shapsug

Natkhuaja

A Circassian dialects family tree.
Yinal speaking Adyghe and Kabardian
  • Circassian languages

Alphabet[edit]

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[edit]

The major differences in the Circassian dialects

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

  • 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[edit]

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

See also[edit]

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.
  6. ^ Aydın, Şamil Emre (2015), Çerkes Diyalektleri, ISBN 9786056569111
  7. ^ Reza, Hirtenstein & Gholami 2021.

Sources[edit]

Literature[edit]