Department of Caucasian Languages

The general research theme of the Department is "Caucasian Languages in Synchrony and Diachrony: Typological and Theoretical Approaches", which is currently subdivided into the following main sections:

  1. Grammatical structure of the Dargwa languages, research supervisor Rasul Mutalov;
  2. Grammaticalization in Caucasian languages, research supervisor Timur Maisak;
  3. History, current status, and development prospects of Northwest Caucasian languages, research supervisor Viacheslav Chirikba.

Research activities of the Department aim at studying the structure and history of Caucasian languages, namely Nakh-Dagestanian and Abkhaz-Circassian, from typological and theoretical perspectives, i.e. identifying the peculiarities of their grammatical structures, tracing the processes of grammaticalization and areal and genetic relations between the said languages.

In 2020–2022, within the framework of Department activities, research project no. 20-18-00159 "Language relationship and chronology of ethno-linguistic branching in the research of Moscow School of Comparative Linguistics: legacy, innovation, significance for related sciences and science studies" is carried out under the supervision of Igor Kuznetsov.

From 1988 till 2020, a working group of the Atlas Linguarum Europae project was part of the Department.

The History of the Department

The Laboratory of Caucasian Languages was founded in 1922 in Leningrad at the Japhetic Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which subsequently developed into the Institute of Language and Thought. The Moscow branch of the latter institute was first represented by the Section of Caucasian Japhetic Languages, created in 1943 on the basis of the previously established Research Committee on Ethnic and Linguistic Cultures of the North Caucasian Communities.

As soon as the Leningrad Japhetic Institute was disbanded in 1950, the Department of Caucasian Languages was transferred to Moscow and merged with the Laboratory of Iranian Languages. This association existed until 1958. In that period, the department was headed by Yunus Desheriev, a specialist in Nakh languages. Evgeny Bokaryov, Mukhadin Kumakhov, Zara Kumakhova, Said Khaidakov and Amin Shagirov were among the staff at the time. Besides, Iosoif Kusikyan and Eteri Tumanyan, specialists in the Armenian language, along with Bukar Talibov, worked there for a while.

From 1956 to 1971 Evgeny Bokaryov, who was mainly conducting research on comparative-historical aspects of the Nakh-Dagestanian languages, was Head of the Department. He then was succeeded by Georgy Klimov, a prominent specialist in Kartvelian languages, who held the position for the following 25 years. From 1997 till 2002, the Department was run by Amin Shagirov, a specialist in lexicology and etymology of the Northwest Caucasian languages. From 2002 till 2014, Prof. Mikhail Alekseev, PhD, headed the Department. Since 2014 the Department is led by Yakov Testelets.

Recent Publications

  • Alekseev M. E. Alipbi. Èksperimental’nyj bukvar’ cezskogo jazyka [Experimental Dictionary of the Tsez Language]. M., 1993.
  • Alekseev M. E. Sravnitel’no-istoričeskaja morfologija naxsko-dagestanskix jazykov. Kategorii imeni [Comparative-Historical Morphology of the Nakh-Dagestanian languages. Name Categories]. M.: Academia, 2003. — 246 pp.
  • Alekseev M. E. Perevod Biblii na jazyki narodov Rossii: sociolingvističeskie aspekty [Biblical Translations into Russian: Sociolinguistic Aspects]. M.: Academia, 2011. — 150 pp.
  • Alekseev M. E. (sost.) Kto est’ kto v kavkazovedenii? Biobibliografičeskij slovar’-spravočnik [Glossary of Caucasology]. M.: Academia, 1999. — 196 pp.
  • Alekseev M. E., Ataev B. M. Avarskij jazyk [Avar Language]. M.: Academia, 1998. — 144 pp. ["Jazyki narodov Rossii"]
  • Alekseev M. E., Zagirov V. M. Škol’nyj ètimologičeskij slovar’ tabasaranskogo jazyka [School Etymological Dictionary of Tabasaran Language]. Maxačkala, 1991.
  • Alekseev M. E., Kazenin K. I., Sulejmanov M. S. Dagestanskie narody Azerbajdžana: politika, istorija, kul’tura [Azerbaïdjan’s Dagestani peoples: Politics, History, Culture]. M.: Evropa, 2006.
  • Alekseev M. E., Šejxov È. M. Lezginskij jazyk [Lezgian Language]. M.: Academia, 1997. ["Jazyki narodov Rossii"]
  • Alekseev M. E., Šixalieva S. X. Tabasaranskij jazyk [Tabasaran Language]. M.: Academia, 2003. — 140 pp. ["Jazyki narodov Rossii"]
  • Aliroev I. Ju. Čečenskij jazyk [Chechen Language]. M.: Academia, 1999; 2001. — 147 pp. ["Jazyki narodov Rossii"]
  • Kazenin K. I. Sintaksis sovremennogo lakskogo jazyka [Syntax of Modern Lak Language]. Maxačkala: IJaLI DNC RAN, Izd-vo ALEF, 2013. — 328 pp.
  • Klimov G. A. Drevnejšie indoevropeizmy kartvel’skix jazykov [Ancient Indo-European elements of Kartvelian Languages]. M.: Nasledie, 1994. — 249 pp.
  • Kumaxov M.A., Kumaxova Z. Ju. Nartskij èpos: jazyk i kul’tura [Nart Saga: Language and Culture]. M.: Nasledie, 1998. — 310 pp.
  • Majsak T. A. Tipologija grammatikalizacii konstrukcij s glagolami dviženija i glagolami pozicii [Typology of Grammaticalization of Verbs of Movement and Position. M.: Jazyki slavjanskoj kul’tury, 2005. — 478 pp.
  • Majsak T. A. Agul’skie teksty 1900—1960-x godov [Aghul Texts of the 1900—1960s]. [Issledovanija i materialy po jazykam Kavkaza, vyp. 2.] M.: Academia, 2014. — 496 pp.
  • Mutalov R. O. Slovoobrazovatel’nyj slovar’ glagolov icarinskogo dialekta darginskogo jazyka [Derivational Dictionary of Icari Dialect of Dargin Language]. M.: Izd. centr ISAA pri MGU, 2011. — 936 pp.
  • Šejxov È. M. Sopostavitel’naja grammatika lezginskogo i russkogo jazykov [Contrastive Grammar of Lezgian and Russian Languages]. M., 2004. — 262 pp.
  • Tense, mood, aspect and finiteness in East Caucasian languages. / Ed. by G. Authier, T. Maisak. Bochum: Brockmeyer, 2011. — 204 pp.
  • The semantics of verbal categories in Nakh-Daghestanian languages: Tense, aspect, evidentiality, mood and modality / Ed. by D. Forker, T. Maisak. Leiden: Brill, 2018. — 218 pp.
  • Alekseev M. E., Azaev X. G. Botlixsko-russkij slovar’ [Botlikh-Russian dictionary]. / Ed. by T. A. Majsak. M.: Academia, 2019. — 560 pp.
  • Čirikba V. A. Razvitie abxazskogo jazyka v uslovijax poliètničeskogo občšestva: vyzovy i perspektivy [Development of Abkhaz in polyethnic society: challenges and perspectives. Suxum: Dom pečati, 2012. — 62 pp.
  • Čirikba V. A. Abxazsko-abazinskij alfavit na latinskoj grafičeskoj osnove: proekt [Abkhaz-Abaza alphabet in Latin script: a project] / Еизаку аҧсуа-абаза алфавит алатин шьаҭала / Латин хıарыф зыщата йщтıу аҧсуа-абаза алфавит. Аҟәа: Alašara, 2019. — 32 pp.

Contact

Address: Moscow 125009
B. Kislovsky per. 1/12
Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, room 45 
Tel.: (495) 691-63-06
E-mail: kavkaz (at) iling-ran.ru