Adyghe | |
---|---|
West Circassian | |
Адыгабзэ | |
Native to | Adygea Krasnodar Krai |
Ethnicity | Circassians, Cherkesogai |
Native speakers | 610,000 (2010–2020)[1] |
Early forms | |
Dialects | |
Cyrillic Latin Arabic | |
Official status | |
Official language in | Russia |
Recognised minority language in | |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-2 | ady |
ISO 639-3 | ady |
Glottolog | adyg1241 |
Distribution of the Adyghe language in Adygea, Russia (2002) | |
Adyghe is classified as Definitely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger [2] | |
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Adyghe (/ˈædɪɡeɪ/ or /ˌɑːdɪˈɡeɪ/;[3][lower-alpha 1] also known as West Circassian, Адыгабзэ /aːdɘɣaːbzɜ/) is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken by the western subgroups of Circassians.[4] It is spoken mainly in Russia, as well as in Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Israel, where Circassians settled after the Circassian genocide (c. 1864–1870). It is closely related to the Kabardian (East Circassian) language, though some reject the distinction between the two languages in favor of both being dialects of a unitary Circassian language.
The literary standard of Adyghe is based on its Temirgoy dialect. Adyghe and Russian are the two official languages of the Republic of Adygea in the Russian Federation.
In Russia, there are around 128,000 speakers of Adyghe, almost all of them native speakers. In total, some 300,000 speak it worldwide. The largest Adyghe-speaking community is in Turkey, spoken by the diaspora from the Russian–Circassian War (c. 1763–1864). In addition, the Adyghe language is spoken by the Cherkesogai in Krasnodar Krai.
Adyghe belongs to the family of Northwest Caucasian languages. Kabardian (also known as East Circassian) is a very close relative, treated by some as a dialect of Adyghe or of an overarching Circassian language. Ubykh, Abkhaz and Abaza are somewhat more distantly related to Adyghe.
Dialects
The Black Sea coast dialects
- Shapsug dialect (Adyghe: Шапсыгъабзэ)
- North Shapsugs, Great Shapsugs, Kuban Shapsugs (Шапсыгъэ шху) dialect
- Kfar Kama dialect (Кфар Камэм ишапсыгъэбзэ)
- Temirgoy-Shapsugs, Pseuşko accent (Кӏэмгуе-шапсыгъ)
- South Shapsugs, Small Shapsugs, Coastal Shapsugs, Black Sea Shapsugs (Шапсыгъэ-цӏыкӏу) dialect
- Hakuchi dialect (Хьакӏуцубзэ, Къарацхаибзэ)
- North Shapsugs, Great Shapsugs, Kuban Shapsugs (Шапсыгъэ шху) dialect
- Natukhai dialect (Adyghe: Нэтӏхъуаджэбзэ)
- Zhaney dialect
The Kuban River dialects
- Bzhedug dialect (Adyghe: Бжъэдыгъубзэ): spoken by Circassians in the Republic of Adygea and the Biga district of the city of Çanakkale in Turkey
- Temirgoy (Adyghe: Кӏэмыгуябзэ, Кӏэмгуибзэ): literary standard of Adyghe. Also spoken by Circassians in the Republic of Adygea
- Abzakh dialect (Adyghe: Aбдзэхабзэ): spoken by Circassians in the village of Rehaniya in Israel and Circassians in Syria from the Golan Heights
- Mamkhegh dialect
- Yegeruqay dialect
- Hatuqwai dialect
- Mequash dialect
Phonology
Adyghe exhibits between 50 and 60 consonants depending on the dialect. All dialects possess a contrast between plain and labialized glottal stops. A very unusual minimal contrast, and possibly unique to the Abzakh dialect of Adyghe, is a three-way contrast between plain, labialized and palatalized glottal stops (although a palatalized glottal stop is also found in Hausa and a labialized one in Tlingit). The Shapsug (Black Sea) dialect of Adyghe contains a very uncommon sound: a voiceless bidental fricative [h̪͆], which corresponds to the voiceless velar fricative [x] found in other varieties of Adyghe. This sound is only known to be used in the Black Sea dialect.
Labial | Alveolar | Post-alveolar | Alveolo- palatal |
Retroflex | Velar | Uvular | Pharyngeal | Glottal | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
plain | lab. | plain | sib. | lab. | plain | lab. | plain | lab. | plain | lab. | plain | lab. | |||||
Nasal | m | mʷ | n | ||||||||||||||
Plosive/ | ejective | pʼ | pʷʼ | tʼ | t͡sʼ | tʷʼ | t͡ʃʼ | t͡ʂʼ | kʼ | kʷʼ | |||||||
voiceless | p | t | t͡s | t͡sʷ | t͡ʃ | t͡ʂ | k1 | kʷ | q | qʷ | ʔ | ʔʷ | |||||
voiced | b | d | d͡z | d͡zʷ | d͡ʒ | ɡ1 | ɡʷ | ||||||||||
Fricative | ejective | ɬʼ | ʃʼ | ʃʷʼ | |||||||||||||
voiceless | f | ɬ | s | ʃ | ʃʷ | ɕ | ʂ | x | xʷ | χ | χʷ | ħ | |||||
voiced | v1 | ɮ | z | ʒ | ʒʷ | ʑ | ʐ | ɣ | ʁ | ʁʷ | |||||||
Approximant | w | j | w | ||||||||||||||
Trill | r |
- These consonants exist only in borrowed words.
- Note: Adyghe has many consonants that appear across its dialects, and thus has a complex system of consonant allophony. More information on those can be found at Adyghe phonology.
In contrast to its large inventory of consonants, Adyghe has only three phonemic vowels in a vertical vowel system.[5]
Central | |
---|---|
Close-mid | ə |
Open-mid | ɐ |
Open | aː |
Grammar
Adyghe, like all Northwest Caucasian languages, has a basic agent–object–verb typology and is characterised by the ergative construction of sentences.
Orthography
The official alphabet for Adyghe is the Cyrillic script, which has been used since 1936. Before that, the Arabic script was used. In recent years, a new Latin script has been devised that seeks to include phonemes from all the Adyghe and Kabardian dialects, as well as other North Caucasian languages.
Cyrillic | Arabic (before 1927) | Scholarly transliteration[6] | Transliteration used in diaspora | IPA | Pronunciation | Examples |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
А а | ا | Ā ā | A a | [aː] | ачъэ, āčă, 'goat'апчъы, āpčə, 'they count' | |
Б б | ب | B b | B b | [b] | баджэ, bāǯʼă, 'fox'бэ, bă, 'a lot' | |
В в[lower-alpha 2] | ڤ | V v | V v | [v] | жъвэ, ẑvă, 'oar', лавэ, lāvă, 'lava' | |
Г г | گ / ݝ | Ɣ ɣ | Ğ ğ | [ɣ] | гыны, ɣənə, 'powder'чъыгы, čəɣə, 'tree' | |
Гу гу | گو | G˚ g˚ | Gu gu | [ɡʷ] | гу, g˚, 'heart'гущыӏ, g˚šʼəʾ, 'word' | |
Гъ гъ | غ | Ġ ġ | Ğ ğ | [ʁ] | гъатхэ, ġātxă, 'spring'гъэмаф, ġămāf, 'summer' | |
Гъу гъу | غو | Ġ˚ ġ˚ | Ğu ğu | [ʁʷ] | гъунэгъу, ġ˚năġ˚, 'neighbour'гъунджэ, ġ˚nǯʼă, 'mirror' | |
Д д | د | D d | D d | [d] | дыджы, dəǯʼə, 'bitter'дахэ, dāxă, 'pretty' | |
Дж дж | ج | Ǯʼ ǯʼ | C c | [d͡ʒ] | джан, ǯʼān, 'shirt'лъэмыдж, łăməǯʼ, 'bridge' | |
Дз дз | ذ | Ʒ ʒ | Ź ź | [d͡z] | дзыо, ʒəo, 'bag'дзын, ʒən, 'to throw' | |
Дзу дзу | ذو | Ʒ˚ ʒ˚ | Ž ž | [d͡zʷ] | хьандзу, ḥānʒ˚, 'rick'хьандзуачӏ, ḥānʒ˚āč̣, 'lower rick' | |
Е е | ه | E e | É é | [ɜj] [jɜ] | ешэн, ešăn, 'to catch'еплъын, epłən, 'to look at' | |
Ё ё[lower-alpha 2] | – | Jo jo | Yo yo | [jo] | ёлк, jolk, 'Christmas tree' | |
Ж ж | غ | Ž ž | Ɉ ɉ | [ʒ] | жэ, žă, 'mouth'жакӏэ, žāč̣ʼă, 'beard' | |
Жъ жъ | ظ | Ẑ ẑ | Ĵ ĵ | [ʐ] | жъы, ẑə, 'old'жъажъэ, ẑāẑă, 'slow' | |
Жъу жъу | ظو | Ẑ˚ ẑ˚ | Ĵu ĵu | [ʒʷ] | жъун, ẑ˚n, 'to melt'жъуагъо, ẑ˚āġo, 'star' | |
Жь жь | ژ | Žʼ žʼ | J j | [ʑ] | жьыбгъэ, žʼəbġă, 'wind'жьао, žʼāo, 'shadow' | |
З з | ز | Z z | Z z | [z] | занкӏэ, zānč̣ʼă, 'straight'зандэ, zāndă, 'steep' | |
И и | تہ | I i | İ i | [ɘj] [jɘ] | ихьан, iḥān, 'to enter'икӏыпӏ, ič̣ʼəṗ, 'exit' | |
Й й | ی | J j | Y y | [j] | йод, jod, 'iodine'бай, bāj, 'rich' | |
К к[lower-alpha 2] | ک | K k | K k | [k] | кнопк, knopk, 'button'команд, komānd, 'team, command' | |
Ку ку | کو | K˚ k˚ | Ku ku | [kʷ] | кушъэ, k˚ŝă, 'cradle'ку, k˚, 'cart' | |
Къ къ | ق | Q q | Q q | [q] | къалэ, qālă, 'city'къэкӏон, qăč̣ʼon, 'to come' | |
Къу къу | قو | Q˚ q˚ | Qu qu | [qʷ] | къухьэ, q˚ḥă, 'ship'къушъхьэ, q˚ŝḥă, 'mountain' | |
Кӏ кӏ | گ / ڃ | Č̣ʼ č̣ʼ | Ḉ ḉ | [kʼ] [tʃʼ] | кӏымаф, č̣ʼəmāf, 'winter'кӏыхьэ, č̣ʼəḥă, 'long'кӏэ, č̣ʼă, 'tail'шкӏэ, šč̣ʼă, 'calf' | |
Кӏу кӏу | ڃو | Ḳ˚ ḳ˚ | Ḱu ḱu | [kʷʼ] | кӏон, č̣ʼon, 'to walk'кӏуакӏэ, ḳ˚āč̣ʼă, 'walking manner' | |
Л л | ل | L l | L l | [l] | лагъэ, lāġă, 'painted'лы, lə, 'meat' | |
Лъ лъ | ه | Ł ł | Ĺ ĺ | [ɬ] | лъэбэкъу, łăbăq˚, 'step'лъащэ, łāšʼă, 'lame' | |
Лӏ лӏ | ࢦ | Ḷ ḷ | Ł ł | [ɬʼ] | лӏы, ḷə, 'man'лӏыгъэ, ḷəġă, 'bravery' | |
М м | م | M m | M m | [m] | мазэ, māză, 'moon'мэлы, mălə, 'sheep' | |
Н н | ن | N n | N n | [n] | нэ, nă, 'eye'ны, nə, 'mother' | |
О о | ۆ | O o | O o | [ɜw] [wɜ] | мощ, mošʼ, 'that'коны, konə, 'bin'о, o, 'you'осы, osə, 'snow'ощхы, ošʼxə, 'rain' | |
П п | پ | P p | P p | [p] | пэ, pă, 'nose'сапэ, sāpă, 'dust' | |
Пӏ пӏ | ࢠ | Ṗ ṗ | Ṕ ṕ | [pʼ] | пӏэ, ṗă, 'bed'пӏэшъхьагъ, ṗăŝḥāġ, 'pillow' | |
Пӏу пӏу | ࢠو | Ṗ˚ ṗ˚ | Ṕu ṕu | [pʷʼ] | пӏун, ṗ˚n, 'to rise; to adopt'пӏур, ṗ˚r, 'pupil; apprentice' | |
Р р | ر | R r | R r | [r] | рикӏэн, rič̣ʼăn, 'to pour'риӏон, riʾon, 'to tell' | |
С с | س | S s | S s | [s] | сэ, să, 'I, me'сэшхо, săšxo, 'sabre' | |
Т т | ت | T t | T t | [t] | тэтэжъ, tătăẑ, 'grandfather'тэ, tă, 'we, us' | |
Тӏ тӏ | ط | Ṭ ṭ | T́ t́ | [tʼ] | тӏы, ṭə, 'ram'ятӏэ, jāṭă, 'dirt' | |
Тӏу тӏу | طو | Ṭ˚ ṭ˚ | T́u t́u | [tʷʼ] | тӏурыс, ṭ˚rəs, 'old'тӏурытӏу, ṭ˚rəṭ˚, 'pair' | |
У у | و | U u / W w | U u | [ɘw] [wɘ] | ушхун, ušx˚n, 'to straighten'убэн, ubăn, 'to tamp; to smoothen' | |
Ф ф | ف / ڡ | F f | F f | [f] | фыжьы, fəžʼə, 'white'фэен, făen, 'to want' | |
Х х | ݗ | X x | X x | [x] | хы, xə, 'sea; six'хасэ, xāsă, 'council' | |
Хъ хъ | خ | Ꭓ ꭓ | Ĥ ĥ | [χ] | хъыен, ꭓəen, 'to move'пхъэн, pꭓăn, 'to sow' | |
Хъу хъу | خو | Ꭓ˚ ꭓ˚ | Ĥu ĥu | [χʷ] | хъун, ꭓ˚n, 'to happen'хъурай, ꭓ˚rāj, 'circle' | |
Хь хь | ح | Ḥ ḥ | H h | [ħ] | хьэ, ḥă, 'dog'хьаку, ḥāk˚, 'oven' | |
Ц ц | ث | C c | Ś ś | [t͡s] | цагэ, cāɣă, 'rib'цы, cə, 'body hair' | |
Цу цу | ثو | C˚ c˚ | Ç̌u ç̌u | [t͡sʷ] | цуакъэ, c˚āqă, 'shoe'цу, c˚, 'ox' | |
Цӏ цӏ | ڗ | C̣ c̣ | S̋ s̋ | [t͡sʼ] | цӏынэ, c̣ənă, 'wet'цӏыфы, c̣əfə, 'person' | |
Ч ч | چ | Čʼ čʼ | Ç ç | [t͡ʃ] | чэфы, čʼăfə, 'cheerful'чэты, čʼătə, 'chicken' | |
Чъ чъ | Č č | Ç̂ ç̂ | [t͡ʂ] | чъыгай, čəɣāj, 'oak'чъыӏэ, čəʾă, 'cold' | ||
Чӏ чӏ | Č̣ č̣ | Ç̇ ç̇ | [t͡ʂʼ] | чӏыпӏэ, č̣əṗă, 'area'чӏыфэ, č̣əfă, 'debt' | ||
Ш ш | Š š | Ṩ ṩ | [ʃ] | шы, šə, 'brother'шыблэ, šəblă, 'thunder' | ||
Шъ шъ | ص | Ŝ ŝ | Ş̂ ş̂ | [ʂ] | шъэ, ŝă, 'hundred'шъабэ, ŝābă, 'soft' | |
Шъу шъу | صو | Ŝ˚ ŝ˚ | Ş̂u ş̂u | [ʃʷ] | шъугъуалэ, ŝ˚ġ˚ālă, 'envious'шъукъакӏу, ŝ˚qāḳ˚, 'to come' | |
Шӏ шӏ | ض | Ṣ̂ ṣ̂ | Ş́ ş́ | [ʃʼ] | шӏын, ṣ̂ən, 'to do'шӏэныгъ, ṣ̂ănəġ, 'knowledge' | |
Шӏу шӏу | ضو | Ṣ̂˚ ṣ̂˚ | Ş́u ş́u | [ʃʷʼ] | шӏуцӏэ, ṣ̂˚c̣ă, 'black'шӏуфэс, ṣ̂˚făs, 'greetings' | |
Щ щ | ش | Šʼ šʼ | Ş ş | [ɕ] | щагу, šʼāg˚, 'yard'щатэ, šʼātă, 'sour cream' | |
(Ъ ъ) | – | – | – | – | ||
Ы ы | ہ | Ə ə | I ı | [ɘ] | ыкӏи, əč̣ʼi, 'and also'зы, zə, 'one' | |
(Ь ь) | – | – | – | [[ʲ]] | ||
Э э | ه | Ă ă | E e | [ɜ] | ӏэтаж, ʾătāž, 'floor'нэнэжъ, nănăẑ, 'grandmother' | |
Ю ю | – | Ju ju | Yu yu | [ju] | Юсыф, Jusəf, 'Joseph'Юныс, Junəs, 'Jonah' | |
Я я | – | Ja ja | Ya ya | [jaː] | яй, jāj, 'theirs'ябгэ, jābɣă, 'evil' | |
Ӏ ӏ | ڈ | ʾ | ʾ | [ʔ] | ӏэ, ʾă, 'hand'кӏасэ, č̣ʼāsă, 'like' | |
Ӏу ӏу | ڈو | ʾ˚ | U u | [ʔʷ] | ӏукӏэн, ʾ˚č̣ʼăn, 'to meet'ӏусын, ʾ˚sən, 'to be near sitting'ӏудан, ʾ˚dān, 'thread' |
Orthography rules
- The letter ⟨ы⟩ [ə] is not written after a ⟨у⟩ [w], ⟨й⟩ [j] or a labialised consonant. For example: унэ [wənɐ] "house" instead of уынэ.
- In case the letter ⟨у⟩ is the first letter of a word or when it is not related to any other consonant, it is pronounced as [wə] ⟨уы⟩. For example: унэ instead of уынэ. When it is related to a consonant, it becomes a vowel and pronounced as [əw~u] ⟨ыу⟩. For example: чэту [t͡ʃɐtəw] "cat" instead of чэтыу.
- In case a labialised consonant is followed by a vowel ⟨э⟩ [ɐ], instead of the letter ⟨у⟩ there is a ⟨о⟩. For example: гъогу [ʁʷɐɡʷ] "road" instead of гъуэгу.
- In case a labialised consonant is followed by a vowel ⟨а⟩ [aː] or ⟨и⟩ [əj~i], the labialised consonant letter is written fully. For example: цуакъэ [t͡sʷaːqɐ] "shoes".
- In case the letter ⟨о⟩ is the first letter of a word or when it is not related to any other consonant, it is pronounced as [wɐ] ⟨уэ⟩. For example, о [wɐ] "you" instead of уэ.
- In case the letter ⟨е⟩ is the first letter of a word or when it is not related to any other consonant, it is pronounced as [jɐ] ⟨йэ⟩. For example: еӏо [jɐʔʷɐ] "he says" instead of йэӏо. When it is related to a consonant, it becomes a vowel and pronounced as [ɐj~e] ⟨эй⟩. For example: делэ [dɐjlɐ] "fool" instead of дэйлэ.
- In case the letter ⟨и⟩ is the first letter of a word or when is not related to any other consonant, it is pronounced as [jə] ⟨йы⟩. For example: илъэс [jəɬɐs] "year" instead of йылъэс. When it is related to a consonant, it becomes a vowel and pronounced as [əj~i] ⟨ый⟩. For example: сиӏ [səjʔ] "I have" instead of сыйӏ.
Vowels
The vowels are written ⟨ы⟩ [ə], ⟨э⟩ [ɐ] and ⟨а⟩ [aː]. Other letters represent diphthongs: ⟨я⟩ represents [jaː], ⟨и⟩ [jə] or [əj], ⟨о⟩ [wɐ] or [ɐw], ⟨у⟩ represent [wə] or [əw], and ⟨е⟩ represents [jɐ] or [ɐj].
Other writing systems
The language of Adyghe is officially written in the Cyrillic script but is also unofficially written in the Latin script, in a version of the Arabic script before 1927, and then a version of the Latin alphabet implemented by the Soviet Union until 1938.
- Adyghe Arabic alphabet used before 1927
- Adyghe Latin alphabet used from 1927 to 1938 (page 1)
- Adyghe Latin alphabet used from 1927 to 1938 (page 2)
- Comparison of Adyghe Latin and Adyghe Cyrillic alphabets
- Adyghe Latin alphabet letters
- Adyghe Arabic alphabet letters
Examples of literary Adyghe
Native vocabulary
Cyrillic | Transliteration | IPA | Translation |
сэ | să | [sɐ] | I |
пшъашъэ | pŝāŝă | [p͡ʂaːʂɐ] | girl |
тӏыс | ṭəs | [tʼəs] | to sit |
тэдж | tăǯʼ | [tɐd͡ʒ] | to stand |
Тэу ущыт? | Tăw ušʼət? | [tɐw‿wəʃət] | How are you? |
Сышӏу. | Səṣ̂˚. | [səʃʷʼ] | I'm fine. |
шы | šə | [ʃə] | horse |
щы | šʼə | [ɕə] | three |
жъуагъо | ẑ˚āġo | [ʐʷaːʁʷɐ] | star |
тыгъэ | təġă | [təʁɐ] | sun |
мазэ | māză | [maːzɐ] | moon |
цуакъэ | c˚āqă | [t͡sʷaːqɐ] | shoe |
шъукъеблагъ | ŝ˚qeblāġ | [ʂʷəqɐjblaːʁ] | welcome |
лъэхъуамбэ | łăꭓ˚āmbă | [ɬɐχʷaːmbɐ] | toe |
хьамлыу | ḥāmləw | [ħaːmləw] | worm |
кӏэнкӏэ | č̣ʼănč̣ʼă | [kʼɐŋkʼɐ] | egg |
хьампӏырашъу | ḥāmṗərāŝ˚ | [ħaːmpʼəraːʂʷ] | butterfly |
мэшӏоку | măṣ̂ok˚ | [mɐʃʼʷɐkʷ] | train |
пхъэтӏэкӏу | pꭓăṭăḳ˚ | [p͡χɐtʼɐkʼʷ] | chair |
тхьалъыкӏо | tḥāłəč̣ʼo | [t͡ħaːɬəkʼʷɐ] | prophet |
къамзэгу | qāmzăg˚ | [qaːmzɐɡʷ] | ant |
псычэт | psəčʼăt | [p͡sət͡ʃɐt] | duck |
Loanwords
Cyrillic | Latin | Pronunciation | Translation | Origin |
республикэ | respublikă | [rʲespublʲikɐ] | republic | Russian республика, from Latin rēs pūblica (public concern) |
компутер | komputer | [komputʲer] | computer | Russian компьютер, from Latin computāre (to settle together) |
математикэ | mātemātikă | [maːtʲemaːtʲikɐ] | mathematics | Russian математика, from Ancient Greek "μάθημα" máthēma (study, knowledge) |
спорт | sport | [sport] | sports | Russian спорт, from English sport |
быракъ | bərāq | [bəraːq] | flag | Turkic batrak (spear, stick) |
къартӏоф | qārṭof | [qaːrtʼʷɐf] | potato | Russian картофель, from German Kartoffel (potato) |
томат | tomāt | [tomaːt] | tomato | Russian томат, from Spanish tomate, from Nahuan tomatl |
орэндж | orănǯʼ | [wɐrɐnd͡ʒ] | orange | Persian نارنگ nârang or نارنج nâranj |
нэмаз | nămāz | [nɐmaːz] | salah (Islamic praying) | Persian نماز namâz |
къалэ | qālă | [qaːlɐ] | city | Akkadian kalakku (fort) |
дунай | dunāj | [dəwnaːj] | earth | Arabic دنيا dunyā (world) |
- There are thirteen labialised consonants; however, in some dialects, there are three additional ones: Кхъу [q͡χʷ], Ху [xʷ] and Чъу [t͡ɕʷ].
Adyghe outside Circassia
Adyghe is taught outside Circassia in Prince Hamza Ibn Al-Hussein Secondary School, a school for Jordanian Adyghes in Jordan's capital city of Amman. This school, established by the Jordanian Adyghes with support from the late king Hussein of Jordan, is one of the first schools for the Adyghe communities outside Circassia. It has around 750 Jordanian Adyghe students, and aims to preserve the Adyghe language and traditions among future generations.[7]
Adyghe is spoken by Circassians in Iraq and by Circassians in Israel, where it is taught in schools in their villages. It is also spoken by many Circassians in Syria, although the majority of Syrian Circassians speak Kabardian.
Publications
There are many books written in or translated into Adyghe. An Adyghe translation of the Quran by Ishak Mashbash is available.[8] The New Testament and many books of the Old Testament have been published in Adyghe by the Institute for Bible Translation in Moscow.
UNESCO 2009 map of endangered languages
According to the UNESCO 2009 map entitled "UNESCO Map of the World's Languages in Danger", the status of the Adyghe language in 2009, along with all its dialects (Adyghe, Western Circassian tribes; and Kabard-Cherkess, Eastern Circassian tribes), is classified as vulnerable.[9]
Sample texts
John 1:1
John 1:1 in Adyghe | Transliteration | English translation |
---|---|---|
Ублапӏэм ыдэжь Гущыӏэр щыӏагъ. Ар Тхьэм ыдэжь щыӏагъ, а Гущыӏэри Тхьэу арыгъэ. Ублапӏэм щегъэжьагъэу а Гущыӏэр Тхьэм ыдэжь щыӏагъ. Тхьэм а Гущыӏэм зэкӏэри къыригъэгъэхъугъ. Тхьэм къыгъэхъугъэ пстэуми ащыщэу а Гущыӏэм къыримыгъгъэхъугъэ зи щыӏэп. Мыкӏодыжьын щыӏэныгъэ а Гущыӏэм хэлъыгъ, а щыӏэныгъэри цӏыфхэм нэфынэ афэхъугъ. Нэфынэр шӏункӏыгъэм щэнэфы, шӏункӏыгъэри нэфынэм текӏуагъэп. |
Ublāṗăm ədăžʼ G˚šʼəʾăr šʼəʾāġ. Ār Tḥăm ədăžʼ šʼəʾāġ, ā G˚šʼəʾări Tḥăw ārəġă. Ublāṗăm šʼeġăžʼāġăw ā G˚šʼəʾăr Tḥăm ədăžʼ šʼəʾāġ. Tḥăm ā G˚šʼəʾăm zăč̣ʼări qəriġăġăꭓ˚ġ. Tḥăm qəġăꭓ˚ġă pstăwmi āšʼəšʼăw ā G˚šʼəʾăm qəriməġġăꭓ˚ġă zi šʼəʾăp. Məč̣ʼodəžʼən šʼəʾănəġă ā G˚šʼəʾăm xăłəġ, ā šʼəʾănəġări c̣əfxăm năfənă āfăꭓ˚ġ. Năfənăr ṣ̂˚nč̣ʼəġăm šʼănăfə, ṣ̂˚nč̣ʼəġări năfənăm teḳ˚āġăp. |
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one was in the beginning With God. All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence. What has come into existence by means of him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light is shining in the darkness, but the darkness has not overpowered it. |
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
UDHR in Adyghe[10] | Transliteration | IPA | English translation |
---|---|---|---|
Цӏыф пстэури шъхьэфитэу, ялъытэныгъэрэ яфэшъуашэхэмрэкӏэ зэфэдэу къалъфы. Акъылрэ зэхэшӏыкӏ гъуазэрэ яӏэшъы, зыр зым зэкъош зэхашӏэ азфагу дэлъэу зэфыщытынхэ фае. | C̣əf pstăwri ŝḥăfităw, jāłətănəġără jāfăŝ˚āšăxămrăč̣ʼă zăfădăw qāłfə. Āqəlră zăxăṣ̂əč̣ʼ ġ˚āzără jāʾăŝə, zər zəm zăqoš zăxāṣ̂ă āzfāg˚ dăłăw zăfəšʼətənxă fāe. | [tsʼəf pstawərəj ʂħafəjtawə jaːɬətanəʁara jaːfaʂʷaːʃaxamratʃʼa zafadawə qaːɬfə aqəɮra zaxaʃʼətʃʼ ʁʷaːzara jaːʔaʃə zər zəm zaqʷaʃ azfaːgʷ daɬawə zafəɕətənxa faːja] | All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. |
See also
- Adyghe Maq, the main Adyghe-language newspaper
- Anthem of the Republic of Adygea
Explanatory notes
References
- ↑ Adyghe at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
- ↑ "UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in danger". www.unesco.org. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
- ↑ "Adyghe". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ↑ Aydın, Şamil Emre (2015), Çerkes Diyalektleri ISBN 9786056569111
- ↑ Applebaum, Ayla; Gordon, Matthew (2013). "A Comparative Phonetic Study of the Circassian Languages". Berkeley Linguistics Society. University of California, Santa Barbara.
- ↑ ADYGHE (ADYGHIAN)
- ↑ Circassians bid to save ancient language. Al Jazeera. 14 May 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
- ↑ "Circassian Quran Website". Circassian Quran. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ↑ "UNESCO Map of World's language in Danger" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ↑ "OHCHR |". www.ohchr.org. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
External links
- Grammar of the Circassian Language. Useful site to learn the Adyghe grammar.
- Louis Loewe (1854). A dictionary of the Circassian language, English-Circassian-Turkish. George Bell.
- Adyghe alphabet, Omniglot.
- "Adyghe transliteration schemes" (PDF)..
- Adyghe sample, Language Museum.
- Learning Adyghe resource.
- Learn Circassian, International Centre for Circassian Studies (ICCS).
- Rferl North Caucasus Radio.
- Adyghe transliteration tool.
- Ancient Adyghe Abkhaz–Abaza Ubykh alphabet.
- How to count in Adyghe language.
- Adyghe language dictionary.
- Recordings of Adyghe language