Abkhaz alphabet
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The current Abkhaz alphabet is a modified variant of the Cyrillic script used for the Abkhaz language.
Abkhaz was not a written language until the 19th century. Until then, Abkhazians—especially elites—had been using Greek (until c. 9th century), Georgian (9–19th centuries), and partially Turkish (18th century).[2]
History
[edit]The first Abkhaz alphabet was created in 1862 by Peter von Uslar. It had 55 letters and was based on the Cyrillic script. Another version, having 51 letters, was used in 1892 by Dimitry Gulia and K. Machavariani.[3][4] In 1909, the alphabet was again expanded to 55 letters by Andria Tchotchua to adjust to the extensive consonantal inventory of Abkhaz.
In 1926, during the korenizatsiya policy in the Soviet Union, the Cyrillic alphabet was replaced by a Latin alphabet devised by Nikolay Marr. It featured 76 letters and was called the "Abkhaz analytical alphabet". In 1928, this was replaced by another Latin alphabet. From 1938 to 1954 the Abkhaz language was written in Georgian Mkhedruli script.
Since 1954, the Abkhaz language has been written in a new 58-letter (now 64-letter) Cyrillic alphabet (see chart below). Of these, 38 are graphically distinct; the rest are digraphs with ⟨ь⟩ and ⟨ә⟩ which indicate palatalization and labialization, respectively. In 1996, the most recent reform of the alphabet was implemented: while labialization had hitherto been marked with two additional letters, ә and у (у was used in the digraphs гу, ҕу, ку, қу, ҟу, and ху, which were not considered separate letters), since then only ә was retained in this function. Unusually, the Cyrillic plosive letters к п т represent ejective consonants; the non-ejectives (pulmonic consonants) are derived from these by means of a descender at the bottom of the letter. In the case of the affricates, however, the plain letters are pulmonic, and the derived letters ejective.
The modern Abkhaz orthography gives preference to the letters г к п т х ч with descender (ӷ қ ԥ ҭ ҳ ҷ). The letters (ҕ ҧ) had previously (before 1996) had a hook, which ҕ still does in Yakut.[5] In pre-Soviet alphabets the hook was also used in ӄ ꚋ, see above.
The letters ь and ә are used as parts of digraphs, but are listed separately in the alphabet.[6] Besides the digraphs listed in the alphabet, the letter ь occurs in ль /lʲ/, which is used in some loanwords.[7]
Comparison table
[edit]Letters or digraphs in brackets are not part of the alphabet.[8] Letters without a modern equivalent represent phonemes only present in the Bzyb dialect, as the literary standard dialect switched from Bzyb to Abzhywa.[9]
| Modern Cyrillic[10] | Name | Georgian script | Soviet Latin script | Analytical alphabet | Translation committee | Uslar alphabet | ISO[11] | TITUS[11] (Chirikba,
where different[12]) |
IPA Value[13] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| А а | а | ა | a | a | а | а | a | а | /ɑ/ |
| Б б | бы | ბ | b | b | б | б | b | b | /b/ |
| В в | вы | ვ | v | v | в | в | v | v | /v/ |
| Г г | гы | გ | g | g | г | г | g | g | /ɡ/ |
| Гь гь | гьы | გჲ | (gı) | gˌ | г̆ | (гј) | gʹ | gʹ | /ɡʲ/ |
| Гә гә (pre-1996: Гу гу) | гәы | (გუ) | (gu) | g˚ | (гу) | (гу) | ga̋[14] | gᵒ[14] | /ɡʷ/ |
| Ӷ ӷ (pre-1996: Ҕ ҕ) | ӷы | ღ | ƣ | ǧ | ҕ | г̓ | ğ | ɣ | /ʁ/ |
| Ӷь ӷь (pre-1996: Ҕь ҕь) | ӷьы | ღჲ | (ƣı) | ǧˌ | ҕ̆ | (г̓ј) | ğʹ | ɣʹ | /ʁʲ/ |
| Ӷә ӷә (pre-1996: Ҕу ҕу) | ӷәы | (ღუ) | (ƣu) | ǧ˚ | (ҕу) | (г̓у) | ğa̋ [14] | ɣᵒ [14] | /ʁʷ/ |
| Д д | ды | დ | d | d | д | д | d | d | /d/ |
| Дә дә | дәы | დჿ | đ | d˚ | ꚁ | д̓ | da̋ | dᵒ | /dʷ/ |
| Е е | е | ე | e | e | е | е | e | e | /e/ |
| Ж ж | жы | ჟჾ | ƶ | ȷ | ж | ж | ž | ž | /ʐ/ |
| Жь жь | жьы | ჟ | File:Latin small letter reversed Ghe with long leg.svg | ȷˌ | ӂ | (жј) | žʹ | žʹ | /ʒ/ |
| Жә жә | жәы | ჟჿ | j | ȷ˚ | ꚅ | ꚅ | ža̋ | žᵒ | /ʒʷ/ |
| ȷˌ˚ | ꚅ̆ | ꚅ̓ | /ʑʷ/ | ||||||
| З з | зы | ზ | z | z | з | з | z | z | /z/ |
| ⱬ | /ʑ/ | ||||||||
| Ӡ ӡ | ӡы | ძ | ᴣ | ď | ӡ | ꚉ | ź | ʒ | /d͡z/ |
| ďˌ | /d͡ʑ/ | ||||||||
| Ӡә ӡә | ӡәы | ძჿ | ⱬ | ď˚ | ꚃ | ꚃ | źa̋ | ʒᵒ | /d͡ʑʷ/ |
| И и | Иы | ი | i | i | і | і | i | i, j | /j(i), i(:)/ |
| y | ј | /j/ | |||||||
| К к | кы | კ | ⱪ | k | к | к | k | ḳ (kʼ) | /kʼ/ |
| Кь кь | кьы | კჲ | (ⱪı) | ⱪ | к̆ | (кј) | kʹ | ḳʹ (kʼʹ) | /kʲʼ/ |
| Кә кә (pre-1996: Ку ку) | кәы | (კუ) | (ⱪu) | k˚ | (ку) | (ку) | ka̋ [14] | ḳᵒ[14] (kʼᵒ) | /kʷʼ/ |
| Қ қ | қы | ქ | k | q | ӄ | к̓ | ķ | k | /k/ |
| Қь қь | қьы | ქჲ | (kı) | qˌ | ӄ̆ | (к̓ј) | ķʹ | kʹ | /kʲ/ |
| Қә қә (pre-1996: Ӄу ӄу) | қәы | (ქუ) | (ku) | q˚ | (ӄу) | (к̓у) | ķa̋ [14] | kᵒ [14] | /kʷ/ |
| Ҟ ҟ | ҟы | ყ | q | k̇ | ԛ | ԛ | k̄ | q̇ (qʼ) | /qʼ/ |
| Ҟь ҟь | ҟьы | ყჲ | (qı) | ⱪ̇ | q̆ | (ԛј) | k̄ʹ | q̇ʹ (qʼʹ) | /qʲʼ/ |
| Ҟә ҟә (pre-1996: Ҟу ҟу) | ҟәы | (ყუ) | (qu) | k̇˚ | (ԛу) | (ԛу) | k̄a̋ [14] | q̇ᵒ[14] (qʼᵒ) | /qʷʼ/ |
| Л л | лы | ლ | l | l | л | л | l | l | /l/ |
| М м | мы | მ | m | m | м | м | m | m | /m/ |
| Н н | ны | ნ | n | n | н | н | n | n | /n/ |
| О о | о | ო | o | o | о | о | o | o | /o/ |
| П п | пы | პ | File:Latin small letter open P.svg | p | п | п | p | ṗ (pʼ) | /pʼ/ |
| Ԥ ԥ (pre-1996: Ҧ ҧ) | ԥы | ფ | p | File:Latin small letter abkhasian Che.svg | ҧ | п̓ | ṕ | p | /pʰ/ |
| Р р | ры | რ | r | r | р | р | r | r | /r/ |
| С с | сы | ს | s | s | с | с | s | s | /s/ |
| sˌ | ҫ | /ɕ/ | |||||||
| Т т | ты | ტ | File:Latin small letter T with descender.svg | t | т | т | t | ṭ (tʼ) | /tʼ/ |
| Тә тә | тәы | ტჿ | File:Latin small letter Tp with descender.svg | t˚ | ꚍ̆ | ꚍ̆ | ta̋ | ṭᵒ (tʼᵒ) | /tʷʼ/ |
| Ҭ ҭ | ҭы | თ | t | ϑ | ꚋ | т̓ | ţ | t | /tʰ/ |
| Ҭә ҭә | ҭәы | თჿ | File:Latin small letter Tp.svg | ϑ˚ | ꚍ | ꚍ | ţa̋ | tᵒ | /tʷʰ/ |
| У у | уы | უ | u | w | у | у | u | w, u[15] | /u(ː),w(ɵ)/ |
| Ф ф | фы | ჶ | f | f | ф | ф | f | f | /f/ |
| Х х | хы | ხ | x | q̇ | х | х | h | x | /χ/ |
| Хь хь | хьы | ხჲ | (xı) | q̇ˌ | х̆ | (хј) | hʹ | xʹ | /χʲ/ |
| Хә хә (pre-1996: Ху ху) | хәы | (ხუ) | (xu) | q̇˚ | (ху) | (ху) | ha̋ | xᵒ | /χʷ/ |
| q̱̇ | х̍ | /χˤ/ | |||||||
| q̱̇˚ | (х̍у) | /χˤʷ/ | |||||||
| Ҳ ҳ | ҳы | ჰ | h | ħ | һ | һ | h̦ | ḥ (h) | /ħ/ |
| Ҳә ҳә | ҳәы | ჰჿ | ħ | ħ˚ | ꚕ | ꚕ | h̦a̋ | ḥᵒ (hᵒ) | /ħʷ/ |
| Ц ц | цы | ც | c | ϑ̇ | ц | ц | c | c | /t͡sʰ/ |
| ϑ̇ˌ | ц̍ | /t͡ɕ/ | |||||||
| Цә цә | цәы | ცჿ | File:Latin small letter reversed Ghe with low left hook.svg | ϑ̇˚ | ꚏ | ꚏ | ca̋ | cᵒ | /t͡ɕʷʰ/ |
| Ҵ ҵ | ҵы | წ | File:Latin small letter C with descender.svg | ṫ | ҵ | ц̓ | c̄ | c̣ (cʼ) | /t͡sʼ/ |
| Ҵә ҵә | ҵәы | წჿ | File:Latin small letter reversed Ghe with stroke.svg | ṫ˚ | ꚏ̆ | ꚏ̆ | c̄a̋ | c̣ᵒ (cʼᵒ) | /t͡ɕʷʼ/ |
| ṫˌ | т̨ | /t͡ɕʼ/ | |||||||
| Ч ч | чы | ჩ | ɥ | ϑ̣ | ч | ч | č | čʹ | /t͡ʃʰ/ |
| Ҷ ҷ | ҷы | ჭ | File:Latin small letter turned H with stroke.svg | ṭ | ꚓ | ч̓ | c̦ | č̣ʹ (čʼʹ) | /t͡ʃʼ/ |
| Ҽ ҽ | ҽы | ჩჾ | File:Latin small letter abkhasian Che.svg | ϑ̱̣ | ҽ | ꚇ | c̆ | č | /ʈ͡ʂʰ/ |
| Ҿ ҿ | ҿы | ჭჾ | File:Latin small letter abkhasian Che with descender.svg | ṯ̣ | ҽ̆ | ꚇ̆ | ̦c̆ [16] | č̣ (čʼ) | /ʈ͡ʂʼ/ |
| Ш ш | шы | შჾ | File:Latin small letter S with descender.svg | ш | ш | ш | š | š | /ʂ/ |
| Шь шь | шьы | შ | ſ | щ | ш̆ | ш̆ | šʹ | šʹ | /ʃ/ |
| Шә шә | шәы | შჿ | File:Lower case reversed f.svg | ш˚ | ꚗ | щ | ša̋ | šᵒ | /ʃʷ/ |
| щ˚ | ꚗ̆ | щ̆ | /ɕʷ/ | ||||||
| Ы ы | ы | ჷ | ə | ə | ѵ | ѵ | y | ə | /ɨ/ |
| Ҩ ҩ | ҩы | ჳ | y | w̧ | ҩ | ҩ | ò | ʿᵒ (jᵒ) | /ɥ/ |
| Џ џ | џы | ჯჾ | File:Latin small letter script G with ascender.svg | ḓ | џ | d̂[17] | ǯ[17] | /ɖ͡ʐ/ | |
| Џь џь | џьы | ჯ | ꝗ | ḏ̣ | џ̆ | џ | d̂ [17] | ǯʹ [17] | /d͡ʒ/ |
| Ь ь | ჲ | ı | ј | ʹ | /◌ʲ/ | ||||
| Ә ә | უ | (u) | у | a̋ | /◌ʷ/ |
Text comparison
[edit]Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
| Cyrillic script | Uslar Cyrillic | Translation Committee | Georgian script | Latin script (ISO 9) | IPA transcription | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Дарбанзаалак ауаҩы дшоуп ихы дақәиҭны. Ауаа зегь зинлеи патулеи еиҟароуп. Урҭ ирымоуп ахшыҩи аламыси, дара дарагь аешьеи аешьеи реиԥш еизыҟазароуп. | Дарбанзаалак ауаҩѵ дшоуп іхѵ дак̓уіт̓нѵ. Ауаа зегј зінлеі патулеі еіԛароуп. Урт̓ ірѵмоуп ахшѵҩі аламѵсі, дара дарагј аеш̆еі аеш̆еі реіп̓ш еізѵԛазароуп. | Дарбанзаалак ауаҩѵ дшоуп іхѵ даӄуіꚋнѵ. Ауаа зег̆ зінлеі патулеі еіԛароуп. Урꚋ ірѵмоуп ахшѵҩі аламѵсі, дара дараг̆ аеш̆еі аеш̆еі реіҧш еізѵԛазароуп. | დარბანზაალაკ აუაჳჷ დშოუპ იხჷ დაქჿითნჷ. აუაა ზეგჲ ზინლეი პატულეი ეიყაროუპ. ურთ ირჷმოუპ ახშჷჳი ალამჷსი, დარა დარაგჲ აეშჲეი აეშჲეი რეიფშ ეიზჷყაზაროუპ. | Darbanzaalak auaòy dšoup ihy daķãiţny. Auaa zegʹ zinlei patulei eik̄aroup. Urţ irymoup ahšyòi alamysi, dara daragʹ aešʹei aešʹei reipš eizyk̄azaroup. | [dɑɾbɑnzɑːlɑkʼ ɑwɑɥˤə tʂɑwəpʼ jəχə dɑkʷʰəjtʰnə ǁ ɑwɑː zɑjəgʲ zɑjənlɑjə pʼatʼəwlɑjə jɑjəqʼɑɾɑwəpʼ ǁ wəɾtʰ jəɾəmɑwəpʼ ɑχʂəɥˤəj ɑlɑməsəj | dɑɾɑ dɑɾɑgʲ ɑjɑʃɑjə ɾɑjəpʰʂ ɑjəzəqʼɑzɑɾɑwəpʼ ǁ] | All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Марр, Николай Яковлевич (1864–1934): Абхазский аналитический алфавит. (in: Труды яфетического семинария, vol. I, Leningrad 1926), p. 51, table 2
- ↑ Бгажба Х. С. Из истории письменности в Абхазии. — Тбилиси. 1967. С. 34
- ↑ Mikaberidze, Alexander (2015-02-06). Historical Dictionary of Georgia. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781442241466.
- ↑ Campbell, George L. (2000). Compendium of the World's Languages: Abaza to Kurdish. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780415202961.
- ↑ Proposal to encode two Cyrillic characters for Abkhaz (PDF), International Organization for Standardization, 2008-05-10, p. 18, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09
- ↑ Chirikba, Viacheslav A. (2003). Abkhaz. LINCOM GmbH. p. 15. ISBN 3895861367.
- ↑ АԤСУА БЫЗШӘА АҨЫШЬАԤҞАРАҚӘА. Ирҽеиу, ихарҭәаау 4-тәи аҭыжьра (PDF) (in Abkhazian). Аҟәа: Акьыԥхь аҩны. 2019. p. 46.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Бгажба, Хухут Соломонович (1964). Бзыбский диалект абхазского языка: Исследования и тексты [Bzyb dialect of the Abkhaz language] (in Russian). Тбилиси: Издательство Академии Наук Грузинской ССР. pp. 410–415.
- ↑ Comrie, Bernard (1981). The Languages of the Soviet Union. Cambridge language surveys. London New York Melbourne [etc.]: Cambridge university press. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-521-23230-2.
- ↑ The letters are listed per Hewitt, George (1998). The Abkhazians. St. Martin's press. p. 172.. In Chirikba, Viacheslav A. (2003). Abkhaz. LINCOM GmbH. p. 15. ISBN 3895861367. ь and ә are included as separate letters.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Pedersen, Thomas T. "Transliteration of Abkhaz" (PDF). Transliteration of Non-Roman Scripts. Institute of the Estonian Language. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ↑ Chirikba, Viacheslav A. (2003). Abkhaz. LINCOM GmbH. pp. 18–21. ISBN 3895861367.
- ↑ The IPA transcriptions are given per Hewitt, George (2010). Abkhaz (PDF). LINCOM. p. 19., but the labialisation is represented by /ʷ/ as in Hewitt, B. G. (1979). "Abkhaz". Lingua Descriptive Studies. 2: 259.. The transcription of vowels is not consistent in the scholarly literature, see Abkhaz phonology#Vowels for details.
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 Pedersen uses the pre-1996 reform alphabet in which these were not considered separate letters. See the transliterations in note 4.1 on page 3
- ↑ Prior to the 1996 reform ⟨у⟩ indicated labialisation after certain letters which is transliterated as ⟨ᵒ⟩ in the TITUS system
- ↑ The lower hook is centered
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 ISO 9 and TITUS transliteration not provided by T. Pedersen
External links
[edit]- PT Sans and PT Serif fonts
- Deja Vu fonts
- Теимураз Гванцеладзе: «Из истории перехода абхазского книжного языка на грузинскую графику»
- "Lengua Abjasiana". Proel: Lenguas del Mundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
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