Information about Northeast Caucasian (or Nakho-Dagestanian or Caspian) languages

Where are the Northeast Caucasian languages spoken?

These languages are spoken in Russia, in the autonomous republics of Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia, as well as Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Total number of speakers (estimated):

Nearly 2 900 000 according to the site ethnologue.com (SIL)

Figures provided by UNESCO are too fragmented to be used to estimate the total population

Classification

The Northeast Caucasian language family includes 20 languages

Nakh Sub-family

Batsi: 500 speakers according to UNESCO and 6000 according to SIL

Veinak Branch

Ingush: 450 000 speakers according to SIL

Chechen: 1 300 000 speakers according to SIL

Avar-Andi Sub-family

Avar: 780 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 600 000 according to SIL

Andi Branch

Andi: 23 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 10 000 according to SIL

Akvakh: 3 500 speakers according to SIL

Bagvalal: 5 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 2 000 according to SIL

Botlikh: 4 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 5000 according to SIL

Chamalal: 5 000 speakers according to UNESCO and SIL

Ghodoberi: 4 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 3000 according to SIL

Karata: 5000 speakers according to UNESCO and SIL

Tindi: 6 700 speakers according to SIL

Tsez Sub-family

Eastern Branch

Bezhta: 5 000 speakers according to UNESCO and SIL

Hinukh: 500 speakers according to UNESCO and 200 according to SIL

Western Branch

Darga (dialect group): 350 000 speakers according to SIL

Hunzib: 800 speakers according to UNESCO and 2 000 according to SIL

Khinalug: 2 000 speakers according to SIL

Kwarshi (alternate name: Khvarshi): 500 speakers according to UNESCO and 3 000 according to SIL

Isolates:

Lak: 150 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 120 000 according to SIL

Tzez: 15 000 speakers according to UNESCO and SIL

Comments on the classification of Northeast Caucasian languages:

These languages have long been considered to be part of the “Caucasian” languages family. This hypothetical family consisted of three main branches: the Northeast Caucasian languages, the Northwest Caucasian languages and South Caucasian languages. The validity of this larger family is not, however, widely accepted today by linguists. At best, if the term “Caucasian Languages” is sometimes still used, it is a geographical rather than a linguistic reference. Starostin proposed the consolidation of the two northern families, but this grouping is still controversial. As a result, all three families are presented separately here.

Are Northeast Caucasian languages in danger?

According to UNESCO most of these languages are endangered. The Chechen language has the greatest vitality while Lak, Darghe, Avar and Ingush are considered “vulnerable” (level 1 on a scale of 5). All the other languages are in danger with Batsi, Hinukh, and Hunzib being probably the most threatened in the short term.