Caucasian Languages

Caucasian Languages, geographical group of languages indigenous to the Caucasus (also known as Caucasia), a mountainous region of Asia that lies between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. These languages date back thousands of years and appear to be unrelated to languages outside the region. The Caucasian languages are usually divided into two families: North and South. No relationship has been established between the South Caucasian, or Kartvelian, language family and the North Caucasian group. Georgian, the language of Georgia and neighboring areas, is the most widely spoken of the South Caucasian languages.

Languages in the North Caucasian group include Chechen, spoken in Chechnya, and closely related Ingush, spoken in nearby Ingushetia. Abkhaz (see Abkhazia), Abaza, and Adyghe are among the North Caucasian languages spoken in Georgia. Other North Caucasian languages are spoken in Azerbaijan and Dagestan.

Caucasian languages tend to be agglutinative in type and show some inflection. In general, they are characterized by combinations of consonants, especially of gutturals and sibilants, which are difficult to pronounce. However, the languages in these two language families vary strikingly in their grammar and word formation. See also Georgian Literature.