Mordvinic languages
| Mordvinic | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity: | Mordvins |
| Geographic distribution: |
Southwestern and Southeastern Russia |
| Linguistic classification: | Uralic
|
| Subdivisions: | |
The Mordvinic languages,[1] alternatively Mordvin languages,[2] or Mordvinian languages (Russian: Мордовские языки, Mordovskie yazyki, the official Russian term for the language pair),[3] are a subgroup of the Uralic languages, comprising the closely related Erzya language and Moksha language.[4] Previously considered a single "Mordvin language",[5] it is now treated as a small language family. Due to differences in phonology, lexicon, and grammar, Erzya and Moksha are not mutually intelligible, to the extent that Russian language is often used for intergroup communications.[6]
The two Mordvinic languages also have separate literary forms. The Erzya literary language was created in 1922 and the Mokshan in 1923.[7]
Phonological differences between the two languages include:[5]
- Moksha retains a distinction between the vowels /ɛ, e/ while in Erzya, both have merged as /e/.
- In unstressed syllables, Erzya features vowel harmony like many other Uralic languages, using [e] in front-vocalic words and [o] in back-vocalic words. Moksha has a simple schwa [ə] in their place.
- Word-initially, Erzya has a postalveolar affricate /tʃ/ corresponding to a fricative /ʃ/ in Moksha.
- Next to voiceless consonants, liquids /r, rʲ, l, lʲ/ and the semivowel /j/ are devoiced in Moksha to [r̥ r̥ʲ l̥ l̥ʲ ȷ̊].
The medieval Meshcherian language may have been Mordvinic, or close to Mordvinic.
References [edit]
- ^ Bright, William (1992). International Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-505196-4.
- ^ Mordvin languages @ google books
- ^ Dalby, Andrew (1998). Dictionary of Languages. Columbia University Press.
- ^ Grenoble, Lenore (2003). Language Policy in the Soviet Union. Springer. p. A80. ISBN 978-1-4020-1298-3.
- ^ a b Raun, Alo (1988). In Sinor, Denis. The Uralic languages: Description, history and foreign influences. BRILL. p. A96. ISBN 978-90-04-07741-6.
- ^ Minahan, James (2000). One Europe, Many Nations. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. A489. ISBN 978-0-313-30984-7.
- ^ Wixman, Ronald (1984). The Peoples of the USSR. M.E. Sharpe. p. A137. ISBN 978-0-87332-506-6.
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