AbkhazoAbazin

AbkhazoAbazin, also written Abkhaz–Abazin, refers to a branch of the Northwest Caucasian language family that comprises two closely related languages, Abkhaz and Abazin. These languages are spoken by the Abkhaz and Abazin peoples of the western Caucasus, with most speakers in Abkhazia, a region of Georgia, and smaller communities in Russia, Turkey, and the Georgian interior. Abkhaz is the region’s dominant language, widely used in education and public life in Abkhazia, while Abazin has a much smaller speaker base and is considered endangered.

Classification and features: The Abkhaz–Abazin languages form a sub-branch within the Northwest Caucasian family, often referred to as the Abkhaz–Abaza grouping. They share typological traits common to Northwest Caucasian languages, including a large consonant inventory and highly synthetic verb morphology with extensive affixation marking person, tense, aspect, and mood. They generally use Cyrillic-based orthographies in modern writing.

Geographic and cultural context: The two languages reflect long-standing cultural traditions of the Abkhaz and Abazin peoples in the western Caucasus. Efforts to document and revitalize Abkhaz, and to preserve Abazin among diaspora and in Georgia, include language programs, literature, and media in Abkhaz and, to a lesser extent, Abazin. Diaspora communities in Russia and Turkey maintain linguistic and cultural ties through community schools and cultural associations.

See also: Abkhaz language; Abazin language; Northwest Caucasian languages; Abkhazia.