illativi

Illativi are a group of languages spoken in the Caucasus region, primarily in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. They are part of the North Caucasian language family and are closely related to the Lezgian language. The illativi languages include the following dialects: Akhvakh, Andi, Archi, Bagvalal, Budukh, Gunzib, Karata, Khvarshi, Kichip, Kizikurumi, Kusiya, Rutul, Tabasaran, and Tsakhur. These languages are spoken by approximately 100,000 people, with the majority of speakers residing in Dagestan.

The illativi languages share several phonological and grammatical features, such as a complex system of vowel harmony and a rich system of case marking. They also have a significant number of loanwords from Russian, the dominant language in Dagestan. Despite their similarities, each illativi dialect has its own unique vocabulary and grammatical structures.

The illativi languages are under threat due to the dominance of Russian in education and media, as well as the influence of Islam, which has led to a decline in the use of these languages in daily life. Efforts are being made to preserve and promote the illativi languages, including the development of educational materials and the establishment of language centers. However, the long-term viability of these languages remains uncertain.