Abazgi languages explained

Abazgi
Also Known As:Abkhaz–Abaza
Region:Caucasus
Familycolor:Caucasian
Fam1:Northwest Caucasian
Protoname:Proto-Abkhaz-Abaza
Child1:Abaza
Child2:Abkhaz
Glotto:abkh1243
Glottorefname:Abkhaz–Abaza
Map:Caucasic languages.svg
Map2:Abaza-Abkhaz language official status map.svg
Mapcaption2:Official status of the Abaza-Abkhaz language(s) in western Caucasus

Abazgi is the branch of the Northwest Caucasian languages that contains the Abaza and Abkhaz languages. "Abazgi" was once the preferred designation, but has now been replaced by "Abkhaz–Abaza".

The literary dialects of Abkhaz and Abaza are two ends of a dialect continuum. Grammatically, the two are very similar; however, the differences in phonology are substantial, and are the main reason many linguists prefer to classify them as distinct languages. Most linguists (see for instance Viacheslav Chirikba 2003) believe that Ubykh is the closest relative of the Abazgi dialect continuum.

Bibliography