Caucasian languages (areal grouping)

E57217

Caucasian languages (areal grouping) refers to a proposed geographical grouping of the diverse indigenous language families spoken in the Caucasus region, such as Kartvelian, Northwest Caucasian, and Northeast Caucasian, without implying a proven genetic relationship among them.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Caucasian languages 3

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf areal language grouping
language grouping by geography
linguistic area
contrastedWith Indo-European languages of the Caucasus
Iranian languages of the Caucasus
Turkic languages of the Caucasus
distinguishedFrom Caucasian language family (hypothetical genetic unit)
doesNotImply proven genetic relationship
groupingCriterion geographical proximity
shared areal features
hasAlternativeName Caucasian languages (areal grouping)
surface form: Caucasian languages

languages of the Caucasus
hasCharacteristic complex consonant systems in many member languages
ergative or split-ergative alignment in many member languages
high linguistic diversity
presence of ejective consonants in many member languages
rich case morphology in many member languages
strong areal convergence effects
hasDebatedStatus genetic unity of member families is unproven
hasExampleLanguage Abkhaz language
surface form: Abkhaz

Adyghe
Avar
Chechen language
surface form: Chechen

Georgian language
surface form: Georgian

Lezgian
Mingrelian language
surface form: Mingrelian
hasMemberType indigenous language of the Caucasus
hasStatus primarily descriptive and areal, not genealogical
hasSubgroup North Caucasian languages (areal sense)
South Caucasian languages (areal sense)
hasTimeDepth includes languages with very long local histories
includesLanguageFamily Northwest Caucasian languages
surface form: Abkhaz–Adyghean languages

Kartvelian languages
Northeast Caucasian languages
surface form: Nakh–Dagestanian languages

Northeast Caucasian languages
Northwest Caucasian languages
Kartvelian languages
surface form: South Caucasian languages
locatedInContinent Eurasia
refersToRegion Caucasus
spokenIn Armenia
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Iranian Azerbaijan
surface form: Iran (Caucasus region)

Russia
Lazistan
surface form: Turkey (Caucasus region)
usedInDiscipline areal linguistics
historical linguistics
typological linguistics

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Kartvelian languages arePartOf Caucasian languages (areal grouping)
Caucasian languages (areal grouping) hasAlternativeName Caucasian languages (areal grouping)
this entity surface form: Caucasian languages
Pontic Greek influencedBy Caucasian languages (areal grouping)
this entity surface form: Caucasian languages
Northeast Caucasian languages partOf Caucasian languages (areal grouping)
this entity surface form: Caucasian languages