Adyghe language

Adyghe (/ˈædɪɡeɪ/ or /ˌɑːdɪˈɡeɪ/;[2] Adyghe: Адыгабзэ, romanized: Adıgabzə, [aːdəɣaːbza]), also known as West Circassian (Adyghe: кӀахыбзэ, romanized: k’axıbzə), is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken by the western subgroups of Circassians.[3] It is spoken mainly in Russia, as well as in Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Israel, where they settled after the Circassian genocide. It is closely related to the Kabardian (East Circassian) language, though some reject the distinction between the two languages in favor of both being dialects of a unitary Circassian language.

Adyghe
West Circassian
Адыгабзэ
Native toAdygea
Krasnodar Krai
EthnicityCircassians
Native speakers
300,000 (2015)[1]
Early forms
Dialects
Cyrillic
Latin
Arabic
Official status
Official language in
Russia
  • Adygea
Recognised minority
language in
Israel
Jordan
Syria
Language codes
ISO 639-2ady
ISO 639-3ady
Glottologadyg1241
Distribution of the Adyghe language in Adygea, Russia (2002)
Total percentage of the population speaking Adyghe or Kabardian language in Turkey (1965)
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Since 1936, the Cyrillic script has been used to write Adyghe. Before that, an Arabic-based alphabet was used. In recent years, a new Latin script has been devised that seeks to include phonemes from all the Adyghe and Kabardian dialects, as well as other North Caucasian languages.

The language is referred to by its speakers, just like Kabardian, as Adıgabzə or Adyghabze, and alternatively transliterated in English as Adygean, Adygeyan or Adygei. The literary language is based on the Temirgoy dialect. Adyghe and Russian are the two official languages of the Republic of Adygea in the Russian Federation.

There are around 128,000 speakers of Adyghe in Russia, almost all of them native speakers. In total, some 300,000 speak it worldwide. The largest Adyghe-speaking community is in Turkey, spoken by the post Russian–Circassian War (circa 1763–1864) diaspora; in addition to that, the Adyghe language is spoken by the Cherkesogai in Krasnodar Krai.

Adyghe belongs to the family of Northwest Caucasian languages. Kabardian (also known as East Circassian) is a very close relative, treated by some as a dialect of Adyghe or of an overarching Circassian language. Ubykh, Abkhaz and Abaza are somewhat more distantly related to Adyghe.

Dialects
The West Circassian (Adyghe) dialects family tree

Phonology
Main article: Adyghe phonology

Adyghe exhibits a large number of consonants: between 50 and 60 consonants in the various Adyghe dialects. All dialects possess a contrast between plain and labialized glottal stops. A very unusual minimal contrast, and possibly unique to the Abzakh dialect of Adyghe, is a three-way contrast between plain, labialized and palatalized glottal stops (although a palatalized glottal stop is also found in Hausa and a labialized one is found in Tlingit). The Black Sea dialect of Adyghe contains a very uncommon sound: a bidental fricative [h̪͆], which corresponds to the voiceless velar fricative [x] found in other varieties of Adyghe.

Labial Alveolar Post-alveolar Alveolo-
palatal		 Retroflex Velar Uvular Pharyngeal Glottal
plain lab. plain lab. lat. plain lab. plain lab. plain lab. plain lab.
Nasal m n
Plosive voiceless p t k1 kʷ q qʷ ʔ ʔʷ
voiced b d ɡ1 ɡʷ
ejective pʼ pʷʼ tʼ tʷʼ kʼ kʷʼ
Affricate voiceless t͡s t͡sʷ t͡ʃ t͡ʂ
voiced d͡z d͡zʷ d͡ʒ
ejective t͡sʼ t͡ʃʼ t͡ʂʼ
Fricative voiceless f s ɬ ʃ ʃʷ ɕ ʂ x χ χʷ ħ
voiced v1 z ɮ ʒ ʒʷ ʑ ʐ ɣ ʁ ʁʷ
ejective ɬʼ ʃʼ ʃʷʼ
Approximant j w
Trill r
  1. Consonants that exist only in borrowed words.
  2. Note: Adyghe has many consonants that appear in dialects, and has a complex system of consonant allophony. More information on those can be found at Adyghe phonology.

In contrast to its large consonant inventory, Adyghe has only three phonemic vowels in a vertical vowel system.[4]

Central
Close-mid ə
Open-mid ɐ
Open aː

Grammar
Main article: Adyghe grammar

Adyghe, like all Northwest Caucasian languages, has a basic agent–object–verb typology, and is characterised by an ergative construction of the sentence.

Alphabet

The official alphabet for Adyghe is based on Cyrillic. The other one is one of the transliterations based on the current Cyrillic alphabet used in diaspora by Circassian activists and academics.

Cyrillic script
А а
[aː]		 Б б
[b]		 В в
[v]		 Г г
[ɣ] or [ɡ]		 Гу гу
[ɡʷ]		 Гъ гъ
[ʁ]		 Гъу гъу
[ʁʷ]		 Д д
[d]
Дж дж
[d͡ʒ]		 Дз дз
[d͡z]		 Дзу дзу
[d͡zʷ]		 Е е
[ja/aj]		 Ё ё
[jo]		 Ж ж
[ʒ]		 Жъ жъ
[ʐ]		 Жъу жъу
[ʐʷ]
Жь жь
[ʑ]		 З з
[z]		 И и
[jə/əj]		 Й й
[j]		 К к
[k]		 Ку ку
[kʷ]		 Къ къ
[q]		 Къу къу
[qʷ]
Кӏ кӏ
[t͡ʃʼ/kʼ]		 Кӏу кӏу
[kʷʼ]		 Л л
[ɮ] or [l]		 Лъ лъ
[ɬ]		 Лӏ лӏ
[ɬʼ]		 М м
[m]		 Н н
[n]		 О о
[aw/wa]
П п
[p]		 Пӏ пӏ
[pʼ]		 Пӏу пӏу
[pʷʼ]		 Р р
[r]		 С с
[s]		 Т т
[t]		 Тӏ тӏ
[tʼ]		 Тӏу тӏу
[tʷʼ]
У у
[w/əw]		 Ф ф
[f]		 Х х
[x]		 Хъ хъ
[χ]		 Хъу хъу
[χʷ]		 Хь хь
[ħ]		 Ц ц
[t͡s]		 Цу цу
[t͡ʃʷ]
Цӏ цӏ
[t͡sʼ]		 Ч ч
[t͡ʃ]		 ЧI чI
[t͡ʂʼ]		 Чъ чъ
[t͡ʂ]		 Ш ш
[ʃ]		 Шъ шъ
[ʂ]		 Шъу шъу
[ʂʷ] or [ɕʷ]		 Шӏ шӏ
[ʃʼ]
Шӏу шӏу
[ʃʷʼ]		 Щ щ
[ɕ]		 Ъ ъ
[ˠ]		 Ы ы
[ə]		 Ь ь
[ʲ]		 Э э
[a]		 Ю ю
[ju]		 Я я
[jaː]
ӏ
[ʔ]		 ӏу
[ʔʷ]

Latin script
A a
[aː]		 B b
[b]		 V v
[v]		 G g
[ɣ] or [ɡ]		 Gu gu
[ɡʷ]		 Ğ ğ
[ʁ]		 Ğu Ğu
[ʁʷ]		 D d
[d]
Dj dj[5]
[d͡ʒ]		 Dz dz
[d͡z]		 Dzu dzu
[d͡zʷ]		 Ye ye
[ja/aj]		 Yo yo
[jo]		 J j
[ʒ]		 Jz jz
[ʐ]		 Jzü jzü
[ʐʷ]
J j
[ʑ]		 Z z
[z]		 İ i
[jə/əj]		 Y
[j]		 K k
[k]		 Ku ku
[kʷ]		 Q q
[q]		 Qu qu
[qʷ]
K’ k’
[t͡ʃʼ/kʼ]		 K’u k’u
[kʷʼ]		 L l
[ɮ] or [l]		 Tl tl
[ɬ]		 L’ l’
[ɬʼ]		 M m
[m]		 N n
[n]		 Wə wə
[aw/wa]
P p
[p]		 P’ p’
[pʼ]		 P’u p’u
[pʷʼ]		 R r
[r]		 S s
[s]		 T t
[t]		 T’ t’
[tʼ]		 T’u t’u
[tʷʼ]
W w/U u
[w/əw]		 F f
[f]		 X x
[x]		 Xh xh
[χ]		 Xhu xhu
[χʷ]		 H h
[ħ]		 Ts ts
[t͡s]		 Çü çü
[t͡ʃʷ]
Ts’ ts’
[t͡sʼ]		 Ç ç
[t͡ʃ]		 Ç’ ç’
[t͡ʂʼ]		 Çh çh
[t͡ʂ]		 Ṩ ṩ
[ʃ]		 Ş̂ ş̂
[ʂ]		 Ş̂u ş̂u
[ʂʷ] or [ɕʷ]		 Ş́ ş́
[ʃʼ]
Ş́u ş́u
[ʃʷʼ]		 Ş ş
[ɕ]		 I ı
[ə]		 Ə ə
[a]		 Yu yu
[ju]		 Ya ya
[jaː]

Orthography
Cyrillic Romanization IPA Pronunciation Words
А а A a [aː] ачъэ (goat), апчъы (they count)
Б б B b [b] баджэ (fox), бэ (a lot)
В в V v [v]
Г г G g [ɣ] гыны (powder), чъыгы (tree)
Гу гу Gu gu [ɡʷ] гу (heart), гущыӏ (word)
Гъ гъ Ğ ğ [ʁ] гъатхэ (spring), гъэмаф (summer)
Гъу гъу Ğu ğu [ʁʷ] гъунэгъу (neighbor), гъунджэ (mirror)
Д д D d [d] дыджы (bitter), дахэ (pretty)
Дж дж C c [d͡ʒ] джан (shirt), лъэмыдж (bridge)
Дз дз Dz dz [d͡z] дзыо (bag), дзын (to throw)
Дзу дзу Dzu dzu [d͡zʷ] хьандзу (rick), хьандзуачӏ (lower rick)
Е е Ye ye [aj] [ja] ешэн (to catch), еплъын (to look at)
(Ё ё) (Yo yo) [jo] ёлк (Christmas tree)
Ж ж J j [ʒ] жэ (mouth), жакӏэ (beard)
Жъ жъ Jz jz [ʐ] жъы (old), жъажъэ (slow)
Жъу жъу Jzü jzü [ʒʷ] жъун (to melt), жъуагъо (star)
Жь жь J j [ʑ] жьыбгъэ (wind), жьао (shadow)
З з Z z [z] занкӏэ (straight), зандэ (steep)
И и İ i [əj] [jə] ихьан (to enter), икӏыпӏ (exit)
Й й Y y [j] йод (iodine), бай (rich)
К к K k [k] кнопк (button), команд (team, command)
Ку ку Ku ku [kʷ] кушъэ (cradle), ку (cart)
Къ къ Q q [q] къалэ (city), къэкӏон (to come)
Къу къу Qu qu [qʷ] къухьэ (ship), къушъхьэ (mountain)
Кӏ кӏ K’ k’ [kʼ] [tʃʼ] кӏымаф (winter), кӏыхьэ (long), кӏэ (tail), шкӏэ (calf)
Кӏу кӏу K’u k’u [kʷʼ] кӏон (to walk), кӏуакӏэ (strong)
Л л L l [l] лагъэ (painted), лы (meat)
Лъ лъ Tl tl [ɬ] лъэбэкъу (step), лъащэ (lame)
Лӏ лӏ L’ l’ [ɬʼ] лӏы (man), лӏыгъэ (bravery)
М м M m [m] мазэ (moon), мэлы (sheep)
Н н N n [n] нэ (eye), ны (mother)
О о O o [aw] [wa] мощ (that), коны (bin), о (you), осы (snow), ощхы (rain)
П п P p [p] пэ (nose), сапэ (dust)
Пӏ пӏ P’ p’ [pʼ] пӏэ (bed), пӏэшъхьагъ (pillow)
Пӏу пӏу P’u p’u [pʷʼ] пӏун (to rise, to adopt), пӏур (pupil, apprentice)
Р р R r [r] рикӏэн (to pour into), риӏон (to tell him)
С с S s [s] сэ (i, me), сэшхо (sabre)
Т т T t [t] тэтэжъ (grandfather), тэ (we)
Тӏ тӏ T’ t’ [tʼ] тӏы (ram), ятӏэ (dirt)
Тӏу тӏу T’u t’u [tʷʼ] тӏурыс (old), тӏурытӏу (pair)
У у U u [əw] [wə] ушхун (straighten), убэн (tamp, to make smooth)
Ф ф F f [f] фыжьы (white), фэен (to want)
Х х X x [x] хы (sea, six), хасэ (council)
Хъ хъ Xh xh [χ] хъыен (to move), пхъэн (to sow)
Хъу хъу Xhu xhu [χʷ] хъун (to happen), хъурай (circle)
Хь хь H h [ħ] хьэ (dog), хьаку (oven)
Ц ц Ts ts [t͡s] цагэ (rib), цы (hair on body)
Цу цу Tsu tsu [t͡sʷ] цуакъэ (shoe), цу (ox)
Цӏ цӏ Ts’ ts’ [t͡sʼ] цӏынэ (wet), цӏыфы (person)
Ч ч Ç ç [t͡ʃ] чэфы (cheerful), чэты (chicken)
Чӏ чӏ Ç’ ç’ [t͡ʂʼ] чӏыпӏэ (area), чӏыфэ (debt)
Чъ чъ Çh çh [t͡ʂ] чъыгай (oak), чъыӏэ (cold)
Ш ш Ṩ ṩ [ʃ] шы (brother), шыблэ (thunder)
Шъ шъ Ş̂ ş̂ [ʂ] шъэ (hundred), шъабэ (soft)
Шъу шъу Ş̂u ş̂u [ʃʷ] шъугъуалэ (envious), шъукъакӏу (come – to plural)
Шӏ шӏ Ş́ ş́ [ʃʼ] шӏын (to do), шӏэныгъ (knowledge)
Шӏу шӏу Ş́u ş́u [ʃʷʼ] шӏуцӏэ (black), шӏуфэс (greetings)
Щ щ Ş ş [ɕ] щагу (yard), щатэ (sour cream)
(Ъ ъ) - -
Ы ы I ı [ə] ыкӏи (and also), зы (one)
(Ь ь) - -
Э э Ə ə [a] ӏэтаж (floor), нэнэжъ (grandmother)
(Ю ю) (Yu yu) [ju] Юсыф (Joseph), Юныс (Jonah)
Я я (Ya ya) [jaː] яй (theirs), ябгэ (evil)
ӏ ’ [ʔ] ӏэ (hand), кӏасэ (like)
ӏу ü [ʔʷ] ӏукӏэн (to meet), ӏусын (to be near sitting), ӏудан (thread)
  • There are thirteen labialised consonants; however, in some dialects, there are three additional ones: Кхъу [q͡χʷ], Ху [xʷ], Чъу [t͡ɕʷ].

Orthography rules
  • The letter ⟨ы⟩ [ə] is not written after a ⟨у⟩ [w], ⟨й⟩ [j] or a labialised consonant. For example: унэ [wənɐ] "house" instead of уынэ, илъэс [jəɬɐs] "year" instead of йылъэс, шӏу [ʃʷʼə] "well" instead of шӏуы, цумпэ [t͡sʷəmpɐ] "strawberry" instead of цуымпэ.
  • In case the letter ⟨у⟩ is the first letter of a word or when it is not related to any other consonant, it is pronounced as [wə] ⟨уы⟩. For example: унэ instead of уынэ, урыс [wərəs] "Russian" instead of уырыс, куу [kʷəwə] "deep" instead of кууы. When it is related to a consonant, it becomes a vowel and pronounced as [əw~u] ⟨ыу⟩. For example: чэту [t͡ʃɐtəw] "cat" instead of чэтыу, бзу [bzəw] "bird" instead of бзыу, дунай [dəwnaːj] "world" instead of дыуней.
  • In case a labialised consonant is followed by a vowel ⟨э⟩ [ɐ], instead of the letter ⟨у⟩ there is a ⟨о⟩. For example: гъогу [ʁʷɐɡʷ] "road" instead of гъуэгу, машӏо [maːʃʷʼɐ] "fire" instead of машӏуэ, шъо [ʃʷɐ] "you (pl.)" instead of шъуэ.
  • In case a labialised consonant is followed by a vowel ⟨а⟩ [aː] or ⟨и⟩ [əj~i], the labialised consonant letter is written fully. For example: цуакъэ [t͡sʷaːqɐ] "shoes", гуащэ [ɡʷaɕɐ] "princes", шъуи [ʃʷəj] "yours (pl.).
  • In case the letter ⟨о⟩ is the first letter of a word or when it is not related to any other consonant, it is pronounced as [wɐ] ⟨уэ⟩. For example, о [wɐ] "you" instead of уэ, орэд [wɐrɐd] "song" instead of уэрэд, онтэгъу [wɐntɐʁʷ] "heavy" instead of уэнтэгъу, зао [zaːwɐ] "war" instead of зауэ, ныо [nəwɐ] "old lady" instead of ныуэ.
  • In case the letter ⟨е⟩ is the first letter of a word or when it is not related to any other consonant, it is pronounced as [jɐ] ⟨йэ⟩. For example: еӏо [jɐʔʷɐ] "he says" instead of йэӏо, еплъы [jɐpɬə] "he sees" instead of йэплъы, мые [məjɐ] "apple" instead of мыйэ, бае [baːjɐ] "rich" instead of байэ, шъэжъые [ʂɐʐəjɐ] "knife" instead of шъэжъыйэ. When it's related to a consonant it becomes a vowel and pronounced as [ɐj~e] ⟨эй⟩. For example: делэ [dɐjlɐ] "fool" instead of дэйлэ, къедж [qɐjd͡ʒ] "read" instead of къэйдж, непэ [nɐjpɐ] "today" instead of нэйпэ.
  • In case the letter ⟨и⟩ is the first letter of a word or when is not related to any other consonant, it is pronounced as [jə] ⟨йы⟩. For example: илъэс [jəɬɐs] "year" instead of йылъэс, иунэ [jəwənɐ] "his house" instead of йыуын, шӏои [ʃʷʼɐjə] "dirty" instead of шӏойы, дэи [dɐjə] "bad" instead of дэйы. When it's related to a consonant it becomes a vowel and pronounced as [əj~i] ⟨ый⟩. For example: сиӏ [səjʔ] "I have" instead of сыйӏ, уиунэ [wəjwənɐ] "your house" instead of уыйуынэ, къины [qəjnə] "hard" instead of къыйны.

Vowels

The vowels are written ⟨ы⟩ [ə], ⟨э⟩ [ɐ] and ⟨а⟩ [aː]. Other letters represent diphthongs: ⟨я⟩ represents [jaː], ⟨и⟩ [jə] or [əj], ⟨о⟩ [wɐ] or [ɐw], ⟨у⟩ represent [wə] or [əw], and ⟨е⟩ represents [jɐ] or [ɐj].

Other writing systems

Although Adyghe is officially written in the Cyrillic script and unofficially in the Latin script, the language has been historically written in a version of the Arabic script before 1927, and then a version of the Latin alphabet implemented by the Soviet Union until 1938.

  • Adyghe Arabic alphabet used before 1927
  • Adyghe Latin alphabet used from 1927–38
  • Adyghe Latin alphabet used from 1927–38
  • Adyghe Latin and Adyghe Cyrillic alphabets compared
  • Adyghe Latin alphabet letters
  • Adyghe Arabic alphabet letters

Examples of literary Adyghe

Native vocabulary
Adyghe (Cyrillic) Adyghe (Latin) Pronunciation Translation
сэ sə [sɐ] I
пшъашъэ pş̂aş̂ə [p͡ʂaːʂɐ] girl
тӀыс t’ıs [tʼəs] to sit
тэдж tədj [tɐd͡ʒ] to stand
Тэу ущыт? Təu uşıt? [tɐw wəʃət] How are you?
СышӀу. Sış́u. [səʃʼəw] I am fine.
шы ṩı [ʃə] horse
щы şı [ɕə] three
жъуагъо jzuağo [ʐʷaːʁʷɐ] star
тыгъэ tığə [təʁɐ] sun
мазэ mazə [maːzɐ] moon
цуакъэ tsuaqə [t͡sʷaːqɐ] shoe
шъукъеблагъ ş̂uqeblağ [ʂʷəqɐjblaːʁ] welcome
лъэхъуамбэ tləxhuambə [ɬɐχʷaːmbɐ] toe
хьамлыу hamlıu [ħaːmləw] worm
кӀэнкӀэ k’ənk’ə [kʼɐŋkʼɐ] egg
хьампӀырашъу hamp’ıraş̂u [ħaːmpʼəraːʂʷ] butterfly
мэшӀоку məş’oku [mɐʃʼʷɐkʷ] train
пхъэтӀэкӀу pxhət’ək’u [p͡χɐtʼɐkʼʷ] chair
тхьалъыкӀо thatlık’wə [t͡ħaːɬəkʼʷɐ] prophet
къамзэгу qamzəgu [qaːmzɐɡʷ] ant
псычэт psıçət [p͡sət͡ʃɐt] duck

Loanwords
Adyghe (Cyrillic) Adyghe (Latin) Pronunciation Translation Origin
Республикэ Respublikə [rʲespublʲikɐ] Republic Latin rēs pūblicus (public concern)
компутер komputer [komputʲer] computer Latin com putāre (to settle together)
математикэ matematikə [maːtʲemaːtʲikɐ] math Ancient Greek "μάθημα" máthēma (study, knowledge)
спорт sport [sport] sports French desport (entertainment)
быракъ bıraq [bəraːq] flag Turkic batrak (spear, stick)
къартӏоф qart’of [qaːrtʼʷɐf] potato German Kartoffel (potato)
томат tomat [tomaːt] tomato Nahuan tomatl
орэндж wərənc [wɐrɐnd͡ʒ] orange Persian نارنگ nârang or نارنج nâranj
нэмаз nəmaz [nɐmaːz] salah (Islamic praying) Persian نماز namâz
къалэ qalə [qaːlɐ] city Akkadian kalakku (fort)
дунай dıwnay [dəwnaːj] earth Arabic دنيا dunyā (world)

Adyghe outside Circassia

Adyghe is taught outside Circassia in a Jordanian school for the Jordanian Adyghes, Prince Hamza Ibn Al-Hussein Secondary School in the capital Amman. This school, which was established by the Adyghe Jordanians with support from the late king Hussein of Jordan, is one of the first schools for the Adyghe communities outside Circassia. It has around 750 Jordanian Adyghe students, and one of its major goals is to preserve Adyghe among newer Adyghe generations, while also emphasising the traditions of the Adyghes.[6]

Adyghe is spoken by Circassians in Iraq and by Circassians in Israel, where it is taught in schools in their villages. It is also spoken by many Circassians in Syria, although the majority of Syrian Circassians speak Kabardian.

Publications

There are many books written in or translated into Adyghe. An Adyghe translation of the Quran by Ishak Mashbash is available. The New Testament and many books of the Old Testament have been published in Adyghe by the Institute for Bible Translation in Moscow.

UNESCO 2009 map of endangered languages

According to the UNESCO 2009 map entitled "UNESCO Map of the World's Languages in Danger", the status of the Adyghe language in 2009, along with all its dialects (Adyghe, Western Circassian tribes) and (Kabard-Cherkess, Eastern Circassian tribes), is classified as vulnerable.[7]

Sample text

John 1:1
AdygheAdyghe (Latin)English translation

УблапӀэм ыдэжь ГущыӀэр щыӀагъ. Ар Тхьэм ыдэжь щыӀагъ, а ГущыӀэри Тхьэу арыгъэ. УблапӀэм щегъэжьагъэу а ГущыӀэр Тхьэм ыдэжь щыӀагъ. Тхьэм а ГущыӀэм зэкӀэри къыригъэгъэхъугъ. Тхьэм къыгъэхъугъэ пстэуми ащыщэу а ГущыӀэм къыримыгъгъэхъугъэ зи щыӀэп. МыкӀодыжьын щыӀэныгъэ а ГущыӀэм хэлъыгъ, а щыӀэныгъэри цӀыфхэм нэфынэ афэхъугъ. Нэфынэр шӀункӀыгъэм щэнэфы, шӀункӀыгъэри нэфынэм текӀуагъэп.

Ublap’əm ıdəj Guşı’ər şı’ağ. Ar Thəm ıdəj şı’ağ, a Guşı’əri Thəw arığə. Ublap’əm şeğəjağəu a Guşı’ər Thəm ıdəj şı’ağ. Thəm a Guşı’ər zəç’əri qıriğəğəxhuğ. Thəm qığəxhuğə pstəumi aşışəu a Guşı’əm qırimığğəxhuğə zi şı’əp. Mık’odıjın şı’ənığə a Guşı’əm xətlığ, a şı’ənığəri ts’ıfxəm nəfınə afəxhuğ. Nəfınər ş’unç’ığəm şənəfı, ş́unç’ığəri nəfınəm tek’uağəp.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one was in the beginning With God. All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence. What has come into existence by means of him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light is shining in the darkness, but the darkness has not overpowered it.

Article 1 of the UDHR

The following texts are excerpts from the official translations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Adyghe and Kabardian, along with the original declaration in English.

Adyghe[8]Adyghe (Latin)Adyghe (IPA)English[9]Kabardian equivalent[10]Kabardian (Latin)

Цӏыф Фэшъуашэхэм Афэгъэхьыгъэ Дунэепстэу Джэпсалъ (1-нэрэ пычыгъу)

Цӏыф пстэури шъхьэфитэу, ялъытэныгъэрэ яфэшъуашэхэмрэкӏэ зэфэдэу къалъфы. Акъылрэ зэхэшӏыкӏ гъуазэрэ яӏэшъы, зыр зым зэкъош зэхашӏэ азфагу дэлъэу зэфыщытынхэ фае.

Ts’ıf Fəş̂uaṩəxəm Afəğəhığə Dunəyəpstəu Djəpsatl (1-nərə pıçığu)

Ts’ıf pstəuri ş̂həfitəu, yatlıtənığərə yafəş̂uaṩəxəmrək’ə zəfədəu qatlfı. Aqılrə zəxəş́ık’ ğuazərə ya’əş̂ı, zır zım zəqoṩ zəxaş́ə azfagu dətləu zəfışıtınxə fayə.

[t͡sʼəf fɐʂʷaːʃɐxɐm aːfɐʁɐħəʁɐ dəwnɐjɐp͡stɐw d͡ʒɐp͡saːɬ | zənɐ pət͡ʃəʁʷ]

[t͡sʼəf p͡stɐwrəj ʂ͡ħɐfəjtɐw | jaːɬətɐnəʁɐrɐ jaːfɐʂʷaːʃɐxɐmrɐkʼɐ zɐfɐdɐw qaːɬfə ‖ aːqəlrɐ zɐxɐʃʼəkʼ ʁʷaːzɐrɐ jaːʔɐʂə | zər zəm zɐqʷɐʃ zɐxaːʃʼɐ aːzfaːɡʷ dɐɬɐw zɐfəɕətənxɐ faːjɐ ‖]

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 1)

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.

Цlыху Хуэфащэхэм Теухуа Дунейпсо Джэпсалъэ (1-нэ пычыгъуэ)

ЦIыху псори щхьэхуиту, я щIыхьымрэ я хуэфащэхэмрэкIэ зэхуэдэу къалъхур. Акъылрэ зэхэщIыкI гъуазэрэ яIэщи, зыр зым зэкъуэш зэхащӏэ яку дэлъу зэхущытын хуейхэщ.

Ts’ıxu Xuəfaşəxəm Teuxua Duneypso Djəpsatlə (1-nə pıçığuə)

Ts’ıxu psori şhəxuitu, ya ş’ıxımrə ya xuəfaşəxəmrək’ə zəxuədəu qatlxur. Aqılrə zəxəş’ık’ ğuazərə ya’eşi, zır zım zəquəṩ zəxaş’ə yaku dətlu zəxuşıtın xueyxəş.

See also

References
  1. "Adyghe". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  2. "Adyghe". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. Aydın, Şamil Emre (2015), Çerkes Diyalektleri ISBN 9786056569111
  4. Applebaum, Ayla; Gordon, Matthew (2013). "A Comparative Phonetic Study of the Circassian Languages". Berkeley Linguistics Society. University of California, Santa Barbara.
  5. "C" is used instead of "Dj" by Circassians in Turkey
  6. Circassians bid to save ancient language. Al Jazeera. 14 May 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  7. "UNESCO Map of World's language in Danger" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  8. "Ohchr |".
  9. "Ohchr |".
  10. "Ohchr |".
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