Лезги чӏал
Lezgian
NE Caucasian (Lezgic)
Lezgian (лезги чӀал lezgi čʼal) is the largest Lezgic Northeast Caucasian language, with ~800K speakers across southern Daghestan (Russia) and northern Azerbaijan. One of the major literary languages of Daghestan, with a Cyrillic-based literary tradition since 1928 (after brief Latin and Arabic phases). Has rich consonant clusters, four ejective series (voiceless, voiced, ejective, fortis), and an unusual two-way distinction between regular and pharyngealized vowels in some analyses. Co-official in Daghestan. Notable Lezgian poets include Suleiman Stalsky (1869–1937, "Lezgian Homer"). Sister languages within Lezgic include Tabasaran, Agul, Rutul, and Tsakhur.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Lezgian
Water
яд
/jad/
Fire
цӏай
/tsʼaj/
Sun
рагъ
/raʁ/
Moon
варз
/varz/
Mother
диде
/dide/
Father
буба
/buba/
Eat
тӏуьн
/tʼyn/
Drink
хъун
/qun/
Love
кӏан хьун
/kʼan χun/
Heart
рикӏ
/rikʼ/
Tree
тар
/tar/
House
кӏвал
/kʼval/
Dog
кицӏ
/kitsʼ/
Cat
кац
/kats/
Hand
гъил
/ʁil/
Eye
вил
/vil/
Hello
салам
/salam/
Thank you
чухсагъул
/tʃuxsaʁul/
One
сад
/sad/
Good
хъсан
/qsan/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related NE Caucasian (Lezgic) languages
| Meaning | Lezgian | Aghul | Tabasaran | Budukh | Kryts | Rutul | Tsakhur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | яд /jad/ | хьед /ħed/ | штар /ʃtar/ | хьед /ħed/ | xed /xed/ | хьед /ħed/ | хьад /ħad/ |
| Fire | цӏай /tsʼaj/ | цӏай /tsʼaj/ | цӏа /tsʼa/ | цӏай /tsʼaj/ | ts'a /t͡sʼa/ | цӏай /tsʼaj/ | цӏай /tsʼaj/ |
| Sun | рагъ /raʁ/ | рагъ /raʁ/ | рагъ /raʁ/ | рагъ /raʁ/ | vïrïğ /vɨrɨʁ/ | варагъ /waraʁ/ | верг /verɡ/ |
| Moon | варз /varz/ | ваз /vaz/ | варз /varz/ | ваз /vaz/ | vats /vat͡s/ | ваз /waz/ | ваз /vaz/ |
| Mother | диде /dide/ | баб /bab/ | бай /baj/ | баб /bab/ | dada /dada/ | нин /nin/ | йед /jed/ |
| Father | буба /buba/ | ада /ada/ | дад /dad/ | дада /dada/ | buba /buba/ | дид /did/ | дакӏ /dakʼ/ |
| Eat | тӏуьн /tʼyn/ | ифи /ifi/ | ипӏуб /ipʼub/ | ухьун /uħun/ | ulkura /ulˈkura/ | ухьун /uħun/ | аӏкӏвыс /aʕkʷʼəs/ |
| Drink | хъун /qun/ | ахъан /aqʼan/ | ужуб /uʒub/ | эджи /edʒi/ | hatsra /hat͡sˈra/ | эджин /edʒin/ | ийыхьес /iijəħes/ |
| Love | кӏан хьун /kʼan χun/ | кӏанди /kʼandi/ | ккунивал /kːunival/ | — /—/ | mukan /muˈkan/ | — /—/ | ыкӏикна /əkʼikna/ |
| Heart | рикӏ /rikʼ/ | юкӏ /jukʼ/ | юкӏ /jukʼ/ | юкӏ /jukʼ/ | rikʼ /rikʼ/ | юкӏ /jukʼ/ | йикӏ /jikʼ/ |
| Tree | тар /tar/ | тар /tar/ | гар /ɡar/ | тар /tar/ | xer /xer/ | хыл /χɨl/ | йывон /jəvon/ |
| House | кӏвал /kʼval/ | кьали /qʼali/ | хал /xal/ | кӏул /kʼul/ | xal /xal/ | хал /χal/ | хав /xav/ |
| Dog | кицӏ /kitsʼ/ | хвай /xwaj/ | хю /xy/ | хвар /χʷar/ | xveqʼ /χveqʼ/ | хыних /χɨniχ/ | хӏвай /ħʷaj/ |
| Cat | кац /kats/ | кац /kats/ | кет /ket/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | гету /ɡetu/ | кӏет /kʼet/ |
| Hand | гъил /ʁil/ | хил /xil/ | хил /xil/ | кул /kul/ | kul /kul/ | хыл /χɨl/ | хыл /xəl/ |
| Eye | вил /vil/ | ул /ul/ | ул /ul/ | ул /ul/ | ul /ul/ | ул /ul/ | ул /ul/ |
| Hello | салам /salam/ | салам /salam/ | салам /salam/ | салам /salam/ | — /—/ | салам /salam/ | салам /salam/ |
| Thank you | чухсагъул /tʃuxsaʁul/ | баркалла /baɾkalːa/ | чухсагъул /tʃuxsaʁul/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | бахытыд /baxətəd/ |
| One | сад /sad/ | са /sa/ | саб /sab/ | са /sa/ | sa /sa/ | са /sa/ | са /sa/ |
| Good | хъсан /qsan/ | хъвай /qwaj/ | ужу /uʒu/ | — /—/ | yiğin /jiˈʁin/ | йишды /jiʃdɨ/ | йишда /jiʃda/ |
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