Tsezic languages explained

Tsezic
Region:	Southwest Dagestan
Familycolor:	Caucasian
Fam1:	Northeast Caucasian
Glotto:	tsez1239
Glottorefname:	Tsezic
Map:	Northeast Caucasian languages.png

The Tsezic languages (also called Didoic languages) form one of the seven main branches of the Northeast Caucasian language family. It branches into Tsez–Hinukh and Bezhta–Hunzib–Khwarshi, according to research published in 2009.^[1] They were formerly classified geographically into East Tsezic (Hinukh, and Bezhta) and West Tsezic (Tsez, Khwarshi, and Hunzib).The Avar language serves as the literary language for speakers of Tsezic languages.

Internal branching

Schulze (2009) gives the following family tree for the Tsezic languages:

• Tsezic languages
  • Tsez–Hinukh
    • Tsez (15,400)
    • Hinukh (550)
  • Bezhta–Hunzib–Khwarshi
    • Bezhta (6200)
    • Hunzib (1840)
    • Khwarshi (1870)

Figures retrieved from Ethnologue.^[2]

Kassian and Testelets (2015) do not consider Tsez and Hinukh to form a distinct subgroup.^[3]

See also

• Languages of the Caucasus

Notes and References

1. http://wolfgangschulze.in-devir.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=63 The Languages of the Caucasus, by Wolfgang Schulze (2009)
2. http://www.ethnologue.com Ethnologue
3. Алексей Касьян, Яков Тестелец. Филогения цезской языковой группы: лексикостатистика и грамматические инновации. X традиционные чтения памяти С. А. Старостина, РГГУ, Москва, 27 марта 2015 г.