Nakh languages

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Nakh
Geographic distribution:	Central Caucasus
Genetic classification:	Northeast Caucasian
Subdivisions:	Vainakh Bats

The Nakh languages are a small family of languages spoken chiefly by the Nakh peoples, in Russia (Chechnya and Ingushetia), in Georgia, and in the Chechen diaspora (mainly the Middle East and Central Asia).

The Nakh languages were historically classified as an independent North-Central Caucasian family, but are now recognized as a branch of the Northeast Caucasian family. They are believed to have split off from the other Northeast languages some 5000-6000 years ago.^[1]

[edit] Classification

• Vainakh languages, a dialect continuum with two literary languages:
  • Chechen — approximately 1,330,000 speakers (2002)^[2].
  • Ingush — approximately 413,000 speakers (2002)^[3].
• Bats or Batsbi — approximately 3,420 (2000)^[4], spoken mostly in Zemo-Alvani, Georgia. Not mutually intelligible with Chechen or Ingush.

[edit] See also

• Languages of the Caucasus
• Northeast Caucasian languages
• Alarodian languages

[edit] References

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