UNESCO's “Atlas of Endangered Languages” and Georgia

UNESCO’s “Atlas of Endangered Languages” and Georgia

Preamble

Throughout its history Georgia, as an independent country, has found itself at the centre of events taking place in the Caucasus (This is confirmed by the latest Geopolitical processes). Georgia has experienced the assimilatory politics of almost all of the empires known to the world; Georgia has proved itself to be a safe haven and home for a number of small or numerous ethnic groups which had been oppressed in their own motherland. During its history, Georgia has built exemplary traditions of poly-ethnic co-existence of its population. Georgia is a country deeply interested in and following the joint endeavors of European countries to safeguard the vitality of endangered languages and avoid threats caused by the global processes all over the world, At the same time, we appreciate the noble aim of UNESCO’s Atlas of Endangered Languages which aims at revealing fully the contemporary state of endangered languages and ways and means of their protection.

Suggestions about the data of “The Atlas of the World’s endangered languages”

We would like to consider the proposal of the editors of the Atlas and express our opinion regarding the languages which, according to the Atlas, are in an endangered position in Georgia. The data concerning the Georgian (and Caucasian) language situation provided by the Atlas are either obsolete or need re-checking or correcting. At this stage we find it crucial to take into consideration a number of suggestions which seem of principle importance to us: 1. Mengrelian (Zan or Mengrelian-Laz dialect) and Svan cannot be included in the group of the endangered languages for the following reasons: a) from the point of view of origin these related language entities are historical varieties of the National Georgian language. From the sociolinguistic point of view they represent sociolects. In addition, the national identity and cultural and literacy ambitions of the population using them is realised by the Georgian national language; b) a relative decrease in the number of people speaking these language entities is not observed. As well as the historical and ethnographic regions of Mengrelia, Mengrellian is spread all over Georgia. It is spoken by more than half a million people. Similarly, Svan, apart from historical and ethnographic regions of Svaneti, is spread all over Georgia. It is spoken by 80,000 people; c) unless general, global processes are taken into consideration, no other specific tendency of decreasing the transfer of the languages from generation to generation is observed. (see the data of the project” Language situation in modern Georgia”,

1 Volkswagen-stiftung foundation. Coordinators: I .Guippert, M.Tandashvili, 2006- 2008); d) a number of projects and programmes dealing with texts, dictionaries and grammars have been carried out in Georgian Universities and research Institutes recently in order to lay down the academic foundations for the study, exploration and teaching of these (and other) language entities (see e) the special threat which these language entities are exposed to is Russian aggression towards Georgia. It is a fact that the original population, mostly speaking Mengrelian and Svan, was driven out from the territory of Abkhazia.

2. Laz (dialect of Zan or Mengrelian-Lazian) can be considered to be an endangered language entity as it is spoken by a small group of people in the territory of Georgia (not more than 1000 people). We do not possess exact statistical information about Laz people living in Turkey.

3. Part of the population which spoke historical variants of the Georgian national language nowadays resides in the territory of several countries; for example the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkey and Azerbeijan). Their cultural and language state is clearly not homogenous. Moreover, it does not resemble the language situation of the ethnic nationalities of the above-mentioned states living in Georgia. As this is a problem to be dealt with within the frames of International affairs between the states, we prefer to avoid presenting the data available to us regarding the problem.

4. Regarding the data about the ethnic minorities living in Georgia, we would like to make a number of suggestions. a) We would also like to note that several language entities which have been objects of exploration of Georgian linguists are omitted from the Atlas (for example, Khunzurian, Bejitian, Kistian, Laijian). On the other hand, some languages mentioned in the Atlas do not exist at all, in particular Khemshinian ( Homshetsi, Homshetsma) and their speech is not attested in Georgia; b) amongst the endangered languages in the territory of Russia and Azerbeijan, is Avarian (alternative name is Khundzuri). Part of Khundzi people reside in the Kvareli and Lagodekhi regions of Georgia . The number of people speaking this language is 976 (according to 2008 census); c) also in the territory of Georgia, ethnic Bejitians (alternative name is Kaouchian- Hunzibian) live in the Kvareli region. The number of people speaking Bejitian is 1200 (2008 census); d) Georgian linguists discovered a muslim dialect of the Tatian language (which is found in the territory of Iran). The representatives refer to themselves as Laijians, accordingly the language is called Laijian (300 people); e) according to the data of the1989 census, the number of people speaking Abkhazian in Georgia was 95,853, of whom 93,267 people lived in Abkhazia. According to the latest data, the number of Abkhazian people in Abkhazia is no more than 4,500. This can be considered to be the result of the migration caused by the armed conflict in Abkhazia in1992-1993 ;

2 f) We would like to highlight several data regarding Tsova-Tushuri (Batsburi) [See the attached tables]. A study and documentation of the current state of the Caucasian languages spread in Georgia is underway. This was made available because of the International projects as well as by the help of the Rustaveli Fund located in Georgia which financed the project “Mountainous Caucasian languages in Georgia:”. The study was made by the department of Mountainous Iberian-Caucasian languages in the A. Chikobava Research Institute of Linguistics.

In the 21at Century, in most regions 90% of languages will be replaced by dominant languages (Language Vitality and Endangered UNESCO AD HOC Expert Group on Endangered languages Document submitted to the International Expert Meeting on UNOESCO Programme Safeguarding of Endangered Languages Paris, 10-12 2003).

European countries, UNESCO and other international organizations admit that while assessing, planning and correcting a country’s national and language politics the historical experience which the country has gone through over the centuries of should be taken into consideration. At the same time, we should also pay attention to the objective opportunities which would enable the country to comply with the general international principles and demands which are suggested by the fundamental documents: “European Charter of Regional and Minority languages” and “European framework-convention of the protection of rights of national minorities”. According to the Atlas, the major criterion which defines such languages is the “degree” of transfer from generation to generation. This criterion points out the results caused by geopolitical, demographic and social processes. Thus special attention should be paid to significant demographic quakes, which threaten a number of state languages. If we look at the different, non-homogenous states of the languages within the frames of European countries and pay equal attention to the dynamics of local or global changes in relation to each of them, it will become easier to predict that not only those languages which do not possess a discrete alphabet or are spoken by national minorities (which is a relative term) can be included in the group of endangered languages but also ancient languages having long literary traditions which have become victims of geopolitical and demographic catastrophies. It is evident that the “threats” cannot be measured only by the fact whether or not a language presents a “small number of people” or whether it has an impressive literary past, but rather by the fact which threats this language has faced in the definite stages of its historical development. The unbiased witness of this is the history of mankind testifying the death of several languages with a long history of literacy. According to the latest data of UNESCO, 96% of world languages belong to only 3% of the world population and 50% of these languages are losing their “consumers”. By the end of this century, 90% of these languages will be replaced by the dominant languages. This “bald” statistic reveals that a number of languages of “small” nations which have contributed to civilization are also threatened by a real danger of dying out.

3 From this point of view, the Georgian language may become one of the languages to be included in the group of endangered languages. By constitution, Georgian is the national language of Georgia.

In order to assess threats this language may face in the future, several crucial factors must be taken into consideration. 1) Georgian is spoken by only 4 million people. Besides, it is suffering by negative balance and a tendency to decrease. 2) the only unique space where Georgian can exist, function, develop and maintain its old spiritual culture is Georgia and the Caucasus. The concern for the fate of other small nations should be shared. However, the protection of the rights of Georgia and the Georgian language should also be the object of care of the world community. 3) Russian Imperialistic politics have caused Georgia to lose ½ of its territory (partly or wholly) during the last century. From the point of view of historical area (or, rather form the point of view of inner “bio-variety”) of this language, these territories were of major importance. After the latest intervention by Russia, Georgia is not able to control almost 1/5 of the territory it possessed after the collapse of the USSR. This, doubtlessly, means unilateral genocide and a language purge of these regions. Russia’s explicit or implicit aggression forced 300,000 Georgians to leave their homes and acquire the status of misplaced people, mostly by internal migration. It is a well-known fact that the native populations of Abkhazia and Shida Kartli were driven out of the regions by force. If we take into consideration two factors: 1) that this population is mainly unique from the point of view of the language (the dialect) they speak and 2) that this stream of people intensively permeated other peripheral subgroups of Georgian we can argue that small language groups spoken by half a million people came under the threat of demographic catastrophe. 4) As a result of severe political and economic crises, Georgia was left by a million people, mainly in the form of labour migration. Thus, a very most active and lively part of the population is missing from the general demographic picture. This, undoubtedly, signals a serious threat from the point of language use as well.

5) Current economic problems also bring change in the direction of cultural, educational and scientific orientation of a major part of the young generation. Because of this serious economic problem the prestige of Georgian as a native language drops from the older generation to the younger generation. As a consequence of the above, Georgian may be considered to be one of the languages which are referred to in the UNESCO document by the statement: “By the end of the 21 century in most regions 90 % of languages will be replaced by dominant languages”. The historical experience of Georgia in the sphere of language policy could have been used as an example but, taking into consideration the current situation, it is impossible for a country which cannot control the right and prospect of its National language on the occupied territories, to serve as a good example of how to protect and safeguard endangered languages. Let us consider the Gali region in Abkhazia, which was populated

4 only by Georgian citizens. Only a small part of the original population remained or, later, returned there. Before the war there were 58 functioning schools in the Gali region (13,180 pupils). Currently there are only 32 secondary schools with 4,212 pupils. The Russian- Abkhazian administration has introduced the compulsory “principle of the first Russian form” and thus Russian is gradually becoming the language of tuition in these Georgian schools. When this document was being written, from the above schools only 11 were based on Georgian curricula and programmes. . Thus, the territories occupied by Russia are being explicitly subjected to the deliberate, forceful policy of change of the language situation. The problem of saving small languages should be paid special attention in the “Atlas” issued by UNESCO and in the language policy of the Euro Council. These languages have been facing the total danger of deliberate genocide for a long time (see, also Russian data in the “Atlas”). In reality, the Abkhazian language also faces an increasing danger. The Georgian School of Caucasian Studies which has been systematically studying all of the languages which belong to the Iberian-Caucasian family of languages (besides all the languages connected to the statehood of Georgia) has to declare that during last two centuries the politics of planned genocide of Iberian-Caucasian peoples and their languages has been carried out in the Caucasus (and beyond it). In this situation it would be timely and adequate to the civilized world to declare the Caucasus the zone of Bio- variety, ethno-cultural and linguistic catastrophe and plan an active programme to save this linguistic community.

Main Bibliography Before 1990

1. Ciqobava arnold. Wanuri teqstebi. I, xofuri kilokavi. tfilisi, 1929 [Chikobava, Arnold. Chan Texts, I, Xop Dialect. Tbilisi, 1929] 2. xubua makari. megruli teqstebi. tfilisi, 1938. [Khubua Makar. Megrelian Texts. Tbilisi, 1938] 3. JRenti sergi. Wanuri teqstebi. arqabuli kilokavi. Tbilisi, 1938. [Zhgenti Sergi. Chan Texts, Arkab Dialect. Tbilisi, 1938] 4. yifSiZe ioseb. Wanuri teqstebi. gamosacemad moamzada da winasityvaoba daurTo arnold Ciqobavam. Tbilisi. 1939. [Kipshidze Josef. Chan Text., prepared and edited by Arnold Chikobava. Tbilisi, 1939]

5 5. svanuri poezia, I. simRerebi Sekribes da qarTulad Targmnes akaki SaniZem, varlam Tofuriam, meri gujejianma. Tbilisi, 1939. [Svanish Poetry, I. songs were collected and translated into Georgian by Akaki Shanidze, Varlam Topuria, Mary Gujejiani. Tbilisi, 1939] 6. svanuri prozauli teqstebi, I, balszemouri kilo. teqstebi Se- kribes akaki SaniZem da varlam Tofuriam. Tbilisi, 1939. [Svanish Prosaic Texts, I, Balszemouri Dialect. Texts were collected by Akaki Shanidze and Varlam Topuria. Tbilisi, 1939] 7. svanuri prozauli teqstebi, I, balszemouri kilo. teqstebi Se- kribes akaki SaniZem da varlam Tofuriam. Tbilisi, 1939. [Svanish Prosaic Texts, I, Balszemouri Dialect. Texts were collected by Akaki Shanidze and Varlam Topuria. Tbilisi, 1939] 8. vaniliSi memed, Tandilava ali. lazeTi. Tbilisi. 1965. [Vanilish Memed, Tandilava Ali. Lazeti. Tbilisi, 1965] 9. svanuri prozauli teqstebi. II, balsqvemouri kilo, teqstebi Se- kribes: akaki daviTianma, varlam Tofuriam da maqsime qaldanma. Tbilisi, 1967. [Svanish Prosaic Texts, II, Balskvemouri dialect. Texts were collected by Akaki Davitiani, Varlam Topuria and Maxim Kaldani. Tbilisi, 1967] 10. svanuri prozauli teqstebi, t. III, lentexuri kilo, teqstebi Se- kribes da redaqcia gaukeTes varlam Tofuriam da maqsime qaldanma. Tbilisi, 1967. [Svanish Prosaic Texts, III Lentekhi dialect. Texts were collected and edited by Varlam Topuria and Maxim Kaldani. Tbilisi, 1967] 11. kartozia guram. masalebi lazuri zepirsityvierebisaTvis. qar- Tuli literaturis sakiTxebi. Tbilisi, 1968. [Kartozia Guram. Materials for Laz Oral Folklore, Problems of Georgian Literature. Tbilisi, 1968] 12. kartozia guram. lazuri teqstebi (aTinuri kilokavis nimuSebi). `macne", sazogadoebriv mecnierebaTa ganyofilebis organo, 4(55). Tbilisi, 1970. [Kartozia Guram. Laz Texts ( Samples of Atinur Dialect). “Matsne”, The Journal of Social Sciences, 4(55). Tbilisi, 1970]

6 13. samuSia kalistrate. qarTuli xalxuri poeziis masalebi. megruli nimuSebi. Tbilisi, 1971. [Samushia Kalistrate. Materials of Georgian Folk Poetry. Megrelian Samples. Tbilisi, 1971] 14. kartozia guram. lazuri teqstebi. Tbilisi, 1972. [Kartozia Guram. Lazian Texts. Tbilisi, 1972] 15. asaTiani irine. Wanuri (lazuri) teqstebi, I, xofuri kilokavi. Tbilisi, 1974. [Asatiani Irine. Chan ( Laz) Texts, I, Khop Dialect. Tbilisi, 1974] 16. qarTuli xalxuri sityviereba. megruli teqstebi I, poezia. _ gamosacemad moamzada, winasityvaoba da gamokvleva daurTo togo gudavam. Tbilisi, 1975. [Georgian Folk Poetry. Megrelian Texts, I , Poetry. prepared for publication, foreword and study by Togo Gudava. Tbilisi, 1975] 17. eliava givi. abaSisa da gegeWkoris raionebis toponimika. Tbili- si, 1977. [Eliava Givi. Toponimics of Abasha and Gegechkori regions. Tbilisi, 1977] 18. svanuri enis qrestomaTia, teqstebi Sekribes akaki SaniZem, maqsime qaldanma da zurab WumburiZem. Tbilisi, 1978. [Chrestomathy of Svanish Language. Texts were collected by Akaki Shanidze, Maxim Kaldini and Zurab Chumburidze. Tbilisi, 1978] 19. samuSia kalistrate. qarTuli xalxuri poeziis sakiTxebi. megruli nimuSebi. Tbilisi, 1979. [Samushia Kalistrate. Problems of Georgian Folk Poetry. Mengrelian Samples. Tbilisi, 1979] 20. svanuri prozauli teqstebi, t. IV, laSxuri kilo. teqstebi Se- kribes da redaqcia gaukeTes maqsime qaldanma da aleqsandre onianma. Tbilisi, 1979. [Svanish Prosaic Texts, vol IV, Lashkhian dialect. texts were collected and edited by Maxim Kaldani and Aleksandre Oniani. Tbilisi, 1979] 21. quTelia naTela. lazuri paramiTefe. Tbilisi, 1982. [Kutelia Natela. Laz Paramithefe. Tbilisi, 1982] 22. samuSia kalistrate. qarTuli zepirsityviereba. megruli nimuSe- bi. Tbilisi, 1990. [Samushia Kalistrate. Georgian Folklore. Megrelian Samples. Tbilisi, 1990] 1990-2000

7 1. kartozia guram. lazuri teqstebi, II. Tbilisi, 1993. [Kartozia Guram, Laz Texts, II. Tbilisi, 1993] 2. yifSiZe ioseb. megruli enis gramatika. rCeuli Txzulebani. kre- buli gamosacemad moamzada, winasityvaoba da SeniSvnebi daurTo profesorma korneli daneliam. Tbilisi: Tbilisis saxelmwifo universitetis gamomcemloba. 1994. [Kipshidze Josef. Grammar of the Mengrelian Language, Selected Works. Prepared, edited by Professor Korneli Danelia. Tbilisi: Tbilisi State University Publishing House, 1994] 3. xalxuri sibrZne, I. megrul-lazuri andazebi. Semdgenlebi: revaz Serozia, omar memiSiSi. Tbilisi, 1994. [Folk Wisdom, I Mengrelian and Laz Proverbs. Compilers Revaz Sherozia, Omar Memishih. Tbilisi, 1994] 4. liparteliani aslan. svanur-qarTuli leqsikoni (Coluruli kilo). Tbilisi, 1994. [Liparteliani Aslan. Svanish-Georgian Dictionary ( Choloruli Dialect). Tbilisi, 1994] 5. Waraia petre. megrul-qarTuli leqsikoni. Tbilisi, 1997. [Charaia Petre. Megrelian-Georgian Dictionary. Tbilisi, 1997] 6. qarTuli enis leqsika. masalebi megrul-qarTuli leqsikonisTvis. Semdgeneli daniel fifia. Jurnali ,,aia’’ I. Tbilisi, 1997. [Lexis of the Georgian Language. materials for Mengrelian – Georgian dictionary. Compiler Daniel Pipia. Magazine “Aia”, I. Tbilisi, 1997] 7. eliava givi. megrul-qarTuli leqsikoni. Tbilisi, 1997. [Eliava Givi. Megrelian- Georgian Dictionary. Tbilisi, 1997] 8. Ciqvanaia ana. Mmegruli xatovani sityva-Tqmani. Tbilisi, 1998. [Chikvanaia Ana. Megrelian Idioms. Tbilisi, 1997] 9. siWinava giorgi (goneli). leqsebi da patar-patara ambebi. Jurna- li ,,aia’’ I. Tbilisi, 1998. [Sichinava Giorgi ( Goneli). Poems and short tales. Magazine “Aia”, I. Tbilisi, 1998] 10. oniani aleqsandre. svanuri ena. Tbilisi: sulxan-saba orbelianis Tbilisis saxelmwifo pedagogiuri universitetis gamomcemloba. 1998. [Oniani Aleksandre. Svanish Language. Tbilisi, 1998]

8 11. kilanava beJan. cxraasi megruli sityva. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,inteleqti’’. 1998. [Kilanava Bezhan. Nine hundred Megrelian Words. Tbilisi: Publishing House ,,Intellect’’. 1998] 12. qanTaria omiko. `Ce raSi do TuTarCela~ (leqsebis broSura). zugdidi, 1999. [Kantaria Omiko Che rashi do Tutarchela, ( poems). Zugdidi, 1999] 13. Tofuria varlam, qaldani maqsime. svanuri leqsikoni. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba “qarTuli ena”. 2000. [Topuria Varlam, Kaldani Maxim. Svanish Dictionar., Tbilisi: Publishing House “Kartuli Ena”, 2000] 2000-2009 14. dondua karpez. svanur-qarTul-rusuli leqsikoni. Tbilisi, 2001. [Dondua Karpez. Svanish-Georgian-Russian Dictionary. Tbilisi, 2001] 15. qajaia oTar. megrul-qarTuli leqsikoni, t. I. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba “nekeri”. 2001. [Kajaia Otar. Megrelian–Georgian Dictionary, Vol I. Tbilisi: Publishing House ,,Nekeri’’, 2001] 16. qajaia oTar. megrul-qarTuli leqsikoni, t. III. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba “nekeri”. 2002. [Kajaia, Otar Megrelian –Georgian Dictionary, Vol II Tbilisi: Publishing House ,,Nekeri’’. 2002] 17. qajaia oTar. megrul-qarTuli leqsikoni, t. III. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba “nekeri”. 2002. [Kajaia, Otar Megrelian –Georgian Dictionary, Vol III . Tbilisi: Publishing House ,,Nekeri’, 2002] 18. CarTolani neli. svanuri teqstebi da leqsika qarTuli Targma- niT, balszemouri kilo. Tbilisi, 2003. [Chartolani Nelly. Svanish texts and Lexis with Georgian Translation, Balszemouri dialec. Tbilisi, 2003] 19. cxadaia paata. samurzayanos istoriuli da Tanamedrove toponi- mia. Tbilisi: Tbilisis universitetis gamomcemloba. 2004. [Tskhadaia Paata. Historical and Modern Toponymy of Samurzakhano. Tbilisi: TSU Press. 2004]

9 20 . 2000 lazuri sityva, saleqsikono masala. Semdgeneli Tea kalandia. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,artanuji”. 2005. [2000 Laz Words, Material for a Dictionary. compiler Tea Kalandia. Tbilisi, 2005] 21. quTelia naTela. lazuris fonematuri sistema. Tbilisi: Tbili- sis saxelmwifo universitetis gamomcemloba. 2005. [Kutelia Natela. The Phonematic System of Laz. Tbilisi: TSU Press, 2005] 22. kartozia guram. lazuri ena da misi adgili qarTveluri enebis sistemaSi. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,nekeri”. 2005. [Kartozia Guram. Laz Language and its Place in the System of the Kartvelian Languages. Tbilisi: Publishing house “Nekeri’’. 2005] 23. 100 lazuri leqsi. Semdgeneli Tea kalandia. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,inteleqti”. 2007. [100 Laz Poems. compiler Tea Kalandia. Tbilsi: Publishing House “Intellect”. 2007] 24. cxadaia paata. samegrelos geografiuli saxelwodebani: II. zug- didis raioni. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,universali’’. 2007. [Tskhadaia Paata, Georgraphical Names of Megrelian, III, Zugdidi Region. Tbilisi: Publishing House “Universal”. 2007] 25. cxadaia paata. samegrelos geografiuli saxelwodebani, III. xo- bis raioni, q. foTi. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,universali’’. 2007. [Tskhadaia Paata, Georgraphical Names of Megrelian, III, Khobi Region. Tbilisi: Publishing House “Universal”. 2007.] 26. niJaraZe besarion. qarTul-svanur-rusuli leqsikoni, balszemouri kilo. Tbilisi, 2007. [Nizharadze Besarion. Georgian-Svan-Russian Dictionary, Balszemouri Dialect. Tbilisi, 2007] 27. danelia korneli. kolxuri (megrul-lazuri) ena. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,universali’’ 2007. [Danelia Korneli. Kolkhian ( Megrelian-Laz) language. Tbilisi: Publishing House “Universal”, 2007] 28. lola nana. Semdgeneli/redaqtori: lili basilaia. wignze muSa- obdnen: magali Todua, lili basilaia. seria `qalTa mexsiereba~, fondi taso. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba `globusi~. 2007. [Lola Nana.

10 Compiler /Editor Lili Basilaia. Also worked Magali Todua, Lili Basilaia, Series “Women’s Memory”, Fund TASO. Tbilisi: Press “ Globusi”. 2007] 29. Ciqobava arnold. Sromebi, t. III, Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,meridiani”. 2008 [ arnold Ciqobava. Wanuris gramatikuli analizi. tfilisi: ssrk mecnierebaTa akademiis saqarTvelos filialis gamomcemloba. 1936]. [Chikobava Arnold. Proceedings, vol. III. Tbilisi: Press “Meridiani”. 2008 ( Arn. Chikobava. Grammatical Analysis of Chan Language. Tbilisi, 1936)] 30. cxadaia paata. samegrelos geografiuli saxelwodebani, IV. Cxo- rowyus raioni. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,universali’’. 2008. [Tskhadaia Paata, Georgraphical Names of Megrelian, IV, Chkhorotskhu Region. Tbilisi: Publishing House “Universal”. 2008] 31. kartozia guram. megruli da lazuri teqstebi. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba `nekeri~. 2008. [Kartozia Guram. Megrelian and Laz Texts. Tbilisi: Press “Nekeri”, 2008] 32. Tofuria varlam. svanuri enis saxelmZRvanelo. Tbilisi: Tbili- sis saxelmwifo universitetis gamomcemloba. 2008. [Topuria Varlam. Textbook of the Svan Language. Tbilisi: TSU Press. 2008] 33. kalandia Tea. lazuri teqstebi. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,artanuji’’. 2009. [Kalandia Tea. Laz Texts. Tbilisi: prublishing House “Artanuji”. 2009] Projects:

1. svanuri. gadaSenebis safrTxis winaSe mdgari enebis Seswavla (ECLING). fondi…Wolkswagen-Stiftung. koordinatorebi: i. giperti, m. TandaSvili. 2002-2005. http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/ [Svanish, The study of Endangered Languages (ECLING) Fund Wolkswagen-stiftung. Coordinators: I. Gippert, M. Tandashvili. 2002-2005. http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/] 2. wova-TuSuri(bacburi) enis teqstebi (eTnografiuli Canawerebi, poezia, Tqmulebebi, zRaprebi). fondi `Ria sazogadoeba _ saqar- Tvelo~. proeqti ganxorcielda 2001-2002. [Texts of Tsova-Tush (Bats)

11 language (Ethnographic Writings, Poetry, Legends, Fairy tales). Fund ,,Open Society-Georgia”. Project was carried out in 2001-2002] 3. enobrivi situacia Tanamedrove saqarTveloSi. fondi…Wolkswagen- stiftung. koordinatorebi: i. giperti, m. TandaSvili. 2006-2008. [Language Situation in Modern Georgia. Fund Wolkswagen-Stiftung. Coordinators: I. Gippert, M. Tandashvili. 2006-2008] 4. monografiis _ ,,megrulis lingvisturi analizi’’ _ momzadeba gamosacemad. saqarTvelos erovnuli samecniero fondi. Semsru- lebeli: ilia WavWavaZis saxelmwifo universiteti. 2006-2009. [Preparation of the monograph “Linguistic Analysis of Mengrelian”. National Scientific Fund of Georgia. Ilya Chavchavadze State University. 2006-2008] 5. kodoris xeobis mosaxleobis metyveleba da misi mimarTeba ze- mosvanur dialeqtebTan. saqarTvelos erovnuli samecniero fondi. Semsrulebeli: arn. Ciqobavas enaTmecnierebis instituti. 2006-2009. [Speech of the population of Kodori Gorge and its attitude towards Zemosvanish dialects. National Scientific Fund of Georgia. Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics. 2006-2009] 6. svanuri enis gramatika. rusTavelis fondi. Semsrulebeli: arn. Ciqobavas enaTmecnierebis instituti. 2009-2011. [Grammar of Svanish Language. Rustaveli Foundation. Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics. 2009- 2011] 7. megruli teqstebis eleqtronuli korpusi. rusTavelis fondi. Semsrulebeli: ilia WavWavaZis saxelmwifo universiteti. 2009- 2011. [Electronic Corpus of Megrelian Texts. Rustaveli Foundation. Ilya Chavchavadze State University. 2009-2011] 8. qarTveluri toponimika (qarTvelur enaTa geografiuli saxele- bis kompiuterizacia, lingvistur-eqstralingvisturi analizi da etimologiuri Ziebani). rusTavelis fondi. Semsrulebeli: iv. ja- vaxiSvilis saxelobis Tbilisis saxelmwifo universiteti. 2009- 2011. [Kartvelian Toponimics (Computerisation of Geographic names of the

12 Kartvelian Languages, Linguistic and Extralinguistic Analysis and Etymological Studies). Rustaveli Foundation. Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. 2009-2011] 9. lazuri teqstebis eleqtronuli arqivi. erovnuli samecniero fondi, prezidentis samecniero granti axalgazrda mecnierTa- Tvis. Semsrulebeli: arn. Ciqobavas enaTmecnierebis institutis TanamSromeli, magistri sofiko berulava. 2009. [Electronic Archive of Lazi Texts. National Scientific Foundation: Scientific Grant form the President of Georgia for young scientists: Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics, 2009-2011] 10. Coluris xeobis svanuris metyvelebis nimuSebi. saqarTvelos erovnuli samecniero fondi, prezidentis samecniero granti axalgazrda mecnierTaTvis. Semsrulebeli: arn. Ciqobavas enaT- mecnierebis institutis mecnieri TanamSromeli nato SavreSiani, 2008. [Samples of speech of Svanish from Choluri Gorge; Scientific Grant form the President of Georgia for young scientists: Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics, 2008]

Udi

Name of Language udiuri Udi (Udi (en); удинский (ru) Related records Udi (Azerbaijan); udi (Georgian) Vitality Definitively endangered In the village of Zinobiani ( Oktomberi) in Qvareli Region, the number of people Number of speakers speaking Udi is 500; many of them moved to Russian Federation. Compare Udi ( Azerbaijan) Georgia: village Zinobiani ( Oktomberi) in Location(s) Qvareli Region. Azerbaijan: settelement Niji. Country or area Georgia; Azerbaijan Coordinates Latitude = 41.8905; longitude = 45.9130 comparable to the codes 639-3 of ISO Comments UDI:02579

Comment Udi people settled in Georgia in 1920-1922 from the village of Vartashan, Azerbaijan. Currently, there are no Udi people in Vartashan, which today is called Oghuz. It can be said that currently Vartashan speech is testified only in Georgia, in the village of Zinobiani (Oktomberi, Qvareli District). Today it is spoken only by elderly people. The youth is not using and is forgetting the native language. The other dialect of Udi – Nijean is still heard in the settlement of Nij, Azerbaijan.

The following projects can serve as sources for Udi:

1. udiuri, gadaSenebis safrTxis winaSe mdgari enebis Seswavla (ECLIN). fondi…Wolkswagen-Stiftung. koordinatorebi: i. giperti, m. TandaSvili. 2002-2005. http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/. [The study of Endangered Languages ( ECLING). Fund Wolkswagen-Stiftung. Coordinators: I. Gippert, M. Tandashvili 2002-2005. http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/] 2. enobrivi situacia Tanamedrove saqarTveloSi. fondi…Wolkswagen- stiftung. koordinatorebi: i. giperti, m. TandaSvili. 2006-2008. [Language Situation in Modern Georgia. Fund Wolkswagen-Stiftung. Coordinators: I.Gippert, M. Tandashvili 2006-2008]

3. mTis kavkasiuri enebi saqarTveloSi. rusTavelis fondi. Semsru- lebeli: arn. Ciqobavas enaTmecnierebis instituti. 2008-2010. [Mountainous Caucasian Languages in Georgia. Rustaveli Foundation. Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics. 2008-2011]

14 Tsova-Tush

Name of Language Tsova-Tush

Alternate names Bbacburi, Tsova-Tush (Bats; Tsova-Tush ) Vitality severely endangered Number of speakers fewer than 1000 speakers Location(s) Zemo Alvani in Akhmeta District Country or area Georgia Coordinates Llatitude = 42.0982; longitude = 45.0878 comparable to the codes 639-3 of ISO UDI; comparable Comments to the codes 639-3 of ISO UDI:02579 Number of the registration: 01357

Comment The name of the language in Georgian is Tsova-Tush. The term Bats can be considered to be an alternative name as it is already fixed in the Georgian literature (as an influence of Russian Бацбийский язык.) Currently, this language is spoken by fewer than 1000 people. Tsova Tush is spoken only by the elderly. It should be noted that the national Tsova-Tush people identify themselves with the Georgians. This language is under the category: severly endangered and can be considered as approaching critical danger state. Latest sources: 1. wova-TuSuri, gadaSenebis safrTxis winaSe mdgari enebis Se- swavla (ECLING). fondi…Wolkswagen-stiftung. koordinatorebi: i. giperti, m. TandaSvili. 2002-2005. http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/ [Tsova-Tush, The study of Endangered Languages ( ECLING). Fund Wolkswagen-Stiftung. Coordinators: I. Gippert, M. Tandashvili 2002-2005. http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/] 2. WrelaSvili kote. wova-TuSuri ena. Tbilisi: Tbilisis saxelmwifo universitetis gamomcemloba. 2002. [Chrelashvili Kote, Tsova Tush language. Tbilisi: TSU Press, 2002]

15 Abkhaz

Name of Language Abkhaz

Vitality endangered

Number of Speakers up to 45,000-in Georgian

In Georgia Abkhazs live in Abkhazia and Adjara, mainly in Batumi and surrounding villages, where they settled after the events traditionally referred in Georgia location(s) as“ Mujakhirs”..Some of the Abkhazs immigrated to Turkey, Russia and other parts of Central and Eastern part of Europe. Related language is Abaz in Russian Federation.

Country or area Georgia, Russian Federation and Turkey.

coordinates latitude 43.1330; longitude: 40.8471

remarks Number of registration: 01392

Comment The crucial, historical tragedy of the Abkhaz people was a destructive event called “Mujakhirs” which was authorised by the Russian Empire in 1866-1877. As a result of this, the major part of the population was forced to leave their motherland. Approximately 135,000 people of Abkhaz and Adigei origin settled in Turkey. In 1920 Abkhaz Mujakhirs addressed Georgian Government with the request to be allowed to return to Goergia. The Georgian took this request to the Highest Council of Antanta. Unfortunatly, due to re-annexation of Georgia this was not possible. The offsprings of Abkhaz Mujakhirs still live in Batumi and surrounding villages. The project financed by the “Rustaveli Foundation” – “Mountainous Caucasian Languages in Georgia” conducted by the Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics (2008-2010) presents the opportunity to study their speech.

16 Bibliography: (2000-2009)

1. lomTaTiZe qeTevan. abazuri ena (qarTul da rusul enebze). Tbi- lisi: gamomcemloba ,,universali”. 2006. [Lomtatidze Ketevan. Abaz Language. (In Georgian and Russian languages). Tbilisi: Publishing House “Universal”, 2006] 2. gvancelaZe Teimuraz. afxazuri da qarTuli enebis Semswavlel- TaTvis, t. I, afxazuri enis gramatikuli mimoxilva (qarTul enaze) da afxazur-qarTuli leqsikoni. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,, inteleqti”. 2003. (dafinansda iuneskos mier) [Gvantseladze Teimuraz. For the learners of Abkhaz and Georgian Languages, vol I. Review of Abkhazian Grammar (in Georgian) and Abkhaz-Georgian Dictionary. Tbilisi: Publishing house “ Intellekti”. 2003 ( financed by UNESCO) 3. gvancelaZe Teimuraz. afxazuri da qarTuli enebis Semswavlel- TaTvis, t. II, qarTuli enis gramatikuli mimoxilva (afxazur enaze) da qarTul- afxazuri leqsikoni. Tbilisi: gamomcemloba ,,inteleqti”. 2003. (dafinansda iuneskos mier). [Gvantseladze Teimuraz. For the learners of Abkhaz and Georgian Languages,vol II. Review of Georgian Grammar (in Abkhaz) and Georgian –Abkhaz Dictionary. Tbilisi: Publishing house “ Intellekti”. 2003 ( financed by UNESCO)] 4. gvancelaZe Teimuraz. Mmcire afxazur-qarTuli leqsikoni. Tbili- si: Tbilisis universitetis gamomcemloba. 2000.G[Gvantseladze Teimuraz. Brief Abkhaz Georgian dictionary. Tbilisi: Tbilisi State University Press. 2000] 5. maWavariani nana. mcenareTa leqsika afxazurSi (semantikur-struq- turuli analizi). Tbilisi. 2006. [Machavariani Nana. Lexis denoting plants in Abkhaz ( Semantic and Structural analysis). Tbilisi, 2006] 6. maWavariani nana. sintaqsur mimarTebaSi Semavali zmnuri katego- riebi afxazursa da qarTulSi. Tbilisi. 2006.. [Machavariani Nana. Syntactic relationships of Verbal Categories in Georgian and Abkhaz. Tbilisi, 2006]

Projects

1. enobrivi situacia Tanamedrove saqarTveloSi. fondi…Wolkswagen- stiftung. koordinatorebi: i. giperti, m. TandaSvili. 2006-2008. [Language Situation in Modern Georgia, Fund Wolkswagen-Stiftung. Coordinators: I. Gippert, M.Tandashvili 2006-2008]

2. mTis kavkasiuri enebi saqarTveloSi. rusTavelis fondi. Semsru- lebeli: arn. Ciqobavas enaTmecnierebis instituti. 2008-2010. [Mountainous Caucasian Languages in Georgia. Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics, 2008-2010]