Lezgic languages


The Lezgic languages are one of seven branches of the Northeast [Caucasian languages|Northeast Caucasian language] family. Lezgin and Tabasaran are literary languages. Khinalug may either be Lezgic or an independent branch of the Northeast Caucasian family.

Classification

The Lezgic languages are relevant to the glottalic theory of Indo-European, because several have undergone the voicing of ejectives that have been postulated but widely derided as improbable in that family. The correspondences have not been well worked out, but a few examples are:
  • Non-Lezgic: Avar ; Lezgic: Rutul, Tsakhur 'name'
  • Non-Lezgic: Archi, Lak ; Lezgic: Rutul, Tabassaran, Aɡul 'beard'
  • Non-Lezgic: Avar ; Lezgic: Tabassaran 'moon'
A similar change has taken place in non-initial position in the Nakh languages.