Svan-Abkhaz-Adyghe Linguistic Parallels and Borrowings — the topic of establishing connections between the Abkhaz-Adyghe languages and the Svan language is highly relevant in linguistic science. It is of interest to almost everyone, from linguists to students, forum participants, and politicians. This topic is quite often discussed on the Internet. But no website has so far summarized the data, hypotheses, and results of these numerous studies. This material aims to fill this gap and professionally reveal all the secrets of this most interesting topic.
Mythological Parallels
From Svan mythology, the character აფსაათ (Apsaat) is known. It is recorded in the following variants: აფსათ||აფსაასტ||აფსაასდ (Apsat, Apsaast, Apsaasd). According to legend, Apsaat is the king of birds. According to Svan belief, hunting over birds is under his authority. However, according to some traditions, Apsaat is the shepherd of beasts and controls all hunting. The source of the name of this mythological character is the Abkhaz and Abaza languages: in Abkhaz — аҧсаа'тә (apsaatv), in Abaza — pssgIachIvy, meaning "bird." According to user Chkoni, "the source of Svan Apsaat-a, Ossetian Æfsati, Karachay Apsaty, and Balkar Avshati is the Abkhaz language. Moreover, in Balkar and Karachay, it is considered an Ossetian borrowing."
Lexical Borrowings from Abkhaz-Abaza
The next Abkhaz-Abaza borrowing in the Svan language is the words ჯირა||ჯიჰრა (jira – jihra) meaning "oak tree" (compare: in Abkhaz — аджь — "oak", аджьра — "oak grove"; in the Abaza language — джьчIвы — "oak"). In Svan (as well as in Georgian), the native Kartvelian root for oak tree has been forgotten. The root is preserved in Mingrelian and Laz: ჭყონი (chqoni: Mingr.) = ჭკონი (chqoni: Laz.) = oak tree.
Other Abkhaz-Adyghe borrowings in the Svan language — the word მუს (mus) — "snow" (compare with the Abkhaz word "асы'", Abaza "sy", and Adyghe word "osy" in the same meaning). Rain in Svan is უჩხა, ვუჩხა (uchkha, vuchkha). Borrowed from Circassian: уэшх (Circ.) — rain. From the Abkhaz-Adyghe languages, the refrains ვარადა, სივარადა "varada, sivarada" are borrowed. These refrains are found in Mingrelian, Svan, Upper Adjarian songs, as well as in songs performed among Georgians living in Turkey.
As Chkoni notes, "in Svan, the word chazh(ў)/chäzh/chäzh is used to denote a horse. This root cannot be reconstructed at the level of the common Kartvelian proto-language, since it does not find regular correspondences in other Kartvelian languages. On the other hand, it can be linked to the common Abkhaz-Abaza "(a)chy" — "tshy" (horse). I think, the author continues, that Svan borrowed the diminutive form "chyzhǝ" (chy-zhǝ: little horse)." I believe that this is not the only Abkhaz-Abaza borrowing in Kartvelian denoting a horse. It is also worth noting Achu(a) (აჩუ(ა): Mingr. Georgian "horse" in child language. Apparently from Abkhaz "achy"), chani (ჭანი: Mingr. Georgian "gelding", "castrated horse". Probably from Abkhaz-Abaza achan "mare"). Also included here is chaki (ჭაკი: Mingr. Georgian "mare"), where the same Abkhaz root "chy" (horse) can be distinguished.
Svan-Adyghe Parallels
Lexical Borrowings in Svan from Adyghe
Svan. wed "dew" — Adyg. ue "hail".
Svan. lemesk//lemesg "fire"; lalamesk//lamesk "hearth" (root mesk) — Adyg. maskIe "spark" (etymology "fiery tail" from the verb sy- "to burn").
Svan. xada//xeda "which" — Adyg. het(a) "who, which".
Svan. žinaγ "lamb" — Adyg. shyne "lamb".
Svan. paqv "hat" — Adyg. paIo, Shaps.-Khakuchin pakIu "hat" (here alternating ejectives Iue//kIue, as in Ias//kIas).
Svan. teten "awl" — Adyg. dydy "same".
Svan. zač "kidney (organ)", Mingr. čača — Adyg. zhezhii "same".
Svan. čače, Mingr. bzake "beard" — Adyg. zhakIe "beard".
Svan. nekča "eyebrow" — Adyg. naptse "same".
Svan. xway "many" — Adyg. khoe "very many, plenty".
Svan. aw "no" — Adyg. khau "same".
Svan. eзa, eзi "he" — Adyg. ezy "he himself".
Svan. eзj-ar "they" — Adyg. ezykher "they themselves".
Svan. gwal, Mingr. agwara "barn" — Abaz. gilarta "same".
Svan. tqer "dirt" — Adyg.-Shaps. ya-tkIe "same" (but Osset. Dig. lækheræ, Iron. lækhir — viscous, liquid, wet).
Svan. kwecen "wheat" — Adyg. kuetsy "same".
Svan. mencla "grasshopper" — Ubykh. maca "same", Adyg. matsI "locust".
Svan. leγw "meat" — Adyg. ly "same".
Svan. kurpi, kiret "round" — Adyg. khurai "same".
Svan. baq, ba®q "step" — Adyg. beku "gap between legs", lebeku "step", where le- "leg".
Svan. gwej "to grind" — Adyg. guy- "to crush, pound".
Svan. guem "pantry" — Adyg. kuen, Kab. guen "woven granary".
Svan. zentx "oats" — Adyg. zentkh "same".
Svan. kaw "wattle fence" in kawiš qor "gate (qor) of the fence" — Adyg. cheu, Shaps. kieu "wattle fence".
Svan. majd "hunger" — Adyg. melakIe, Kab. mezhalIe "starving, hungry" (both from *melalIe, where lIe- "to die"), Abkh. a-mla "hunger" ("l" turned into "d").
Svan. mekw "haystack" — Adyg. meku "hay".
Svan. tqwib, Mingr. tqupi, tkubi "twins" — Adyg.-Shaps. tku "two", b- "child" (from Adyg. by-n "children").
Svan. un(u)gir, Mingr. unageri "saddle" — Adyg. uanegu lit. "middle of the saddle" (cf. Osset. uanikiiafsa "girth strap").
Svan. pusd "master" — Adyg. pshchy "prince, lord" (Adyg. borrowings according to Rogava).
Svan. naγwžur "young man" — Adyg. nybzhegu "comrade, peer" (metathesis <nažuγwr).
Svan. pxule "toe" — Adyg. Ie-phxua-mbe, where Ie-hand, phxue-finger, mbe -?; Adyg. le-noga *phxuale "toe".
Sources:
Ethnogenesis of the Abkhazians. D.A. Arshba, 2015
Mythological Parallels
From Svan mythology, the character აფსაათ (Apsaat) is known. It is recorded in the following variants: აფსათ||აფსაასტ||აფსაასდ (Apsat, Apsaast, Apsaasd). According to legend, Apsaat is the king of birds. According to Svan belief, hunting over birds is under his authority. However, according to some traditions, Apsaat is the shepherd of beasts and controls all hunting. The source of the name of this mythological character is the Abkhaz and Abaza languages: in Abkhaz — аҧсаа'тә (apsaatv), in Abaza — pssgIachIvy, meaning "bird." According to user Chkoni, "the source of Svan Apsaat-a, Ossetian Æfsati, Karachay Apsaty, and Balkar Avshati is the Abkhaz language. Moreover, in Balkar and Karachay, it is considered an Ossetian borrowing."
Lexical Borrowings from Abkhaz-Abaza
The next Abkhaz-Abaza borrowing in the Svan language is the words ჯირა||ჯიჰრა (jira – jihra) meaning "oak tree" (compare: in Abkhaz — аджь — "oak", аджьра — "oak grove"; in the Abaza language — джьчIвы — "oak"). In Svan (as well as in Georgian), the native Kartvelian root for oak tree has been forgotten. The root is preserved in Mingrelian and Laz: ჭყონი (chqoni: Mingr.) = ჭკონი (chqoni: Laz.) = oak tree.
Other Abkhaz-Adyghe borrowings in the Svan language — the word მუს (mus) — "snow" (compare with the Abkhaz word "асы'", Abaza "sy", and Adyghe word "osy" in the same meaning). Rain in Svan is უჩხა, ვუჩხა (uchkha, vuchkha). Borrowed from Circassian: уэшх (Circ.) — rain. From the Abkhaz-Adyghe languages, the refrains ვარადა, სივარადა "varada, sivarada" are borrowed. These refrains are found in Mingrelian, Svan, Upper Adjarian songs, as well as in songs performed among Georgians living in Turkey.
As Chkoni notes, "in Svan, the word chazh(ў)/chäzh/chäzh is used to denote a horse. This root cannot be reconstructed at the level of the common Kartvelian proto-language, since it does not find regular correspondences in other Kartvelian languages. On the other hand, it can be linked to the common Abkhaz-Abaza "(a)chy" — "tshy" (horse). I think, the author continues, that Svan borrowed the diminutive form "chyzhǝ" (chy-zhǝ: little horse)." I believe that this is not the only Abkhaz-Abaza borrowing in Kartvelian denoting a horse. It is also worth noting Achu(a) (აჩუ(ა): Mingr. Georgian "horse" in child language. Apparently from Abkhaz "achy"), chani (ჭანი: Mingr. Georgian "gelding", "castrated horse". Probably from Abkhaz-Abaza achan "mare"). Also included here is chaki (ჭაკი: Mingr. Georgian "mare"), where the same Abkhaz root "chy" (horse) can be distinguished.
Svan-Adyghe Parallels
- ცუდყვავილა მუღვა [mughva] smallpox — mygho (1. unlucky and bringing misfortune to others; 2. unlucky; ill-fated).
- ცხოვარი ღველაქ [ghvelak] ram, sheep — ghelhehu (year-old castrated lamb).
- კრკო შგვიბ [shgvib] acorn — myshkIu "acorn".
- აზნაური ვარგ [varg] nobleman (prince) — uerk "nobleman, noble".
- გული გვი [gvi] heart — gu "heart".
- მგელი თხერე [tkhere] wolf — tyghuzh "wolf".
- ფუღური ბარღვ [barghv] hollow — ghurb "hollow" (ba-r-ghu<*ghu-r-b).
Lexical Borrowings in Svan from Adyghe
Svan. wed "dew" — Adyg. ue "hail".
Svan. lemesk//lemesg "fire"; lalamesk//lamesk "hearth" (root mesk) — Adyg. maskIe "spark" (etymology "fiery tail" from the verb sy- "to burn").
Svan. xada//xeda "which" — Adyg. het(a) "who, which".
Svan. žinaγ "lamb" — Adyg. shyne "lamb".
Svan. paqv "hat" — Adyg. paIo, Shaps.-Khakuchin pakIu "hat" (here alternating ejectives Iue//kIue, as in Ias//kIas).
Svan. teten "awl" — Adyg. dydy "same".
Svan. zač "kidney (organ)", Mingr. čača — Adyg. zhezhii "same".
Svan. čače, Mingr. bzake "beard" — Adyg. zhakIe "beard".
Svan. nekča "eyebrow" — Adyg. naptse "same".
Svan. xway "many" — Adyg. khoe "very many, plenty".
Svan. aw "no" — Adyg. khau "same".
Svan. eзa, eзi "he" — Adyg. ezy "he himself".
Svan. eзj-ar "they" — Adyg. ezykher "they themselves".
Svan. gwal, Mingr. agwara "barn" — Abaz. gilarta "same".
Svan. tqer "dirt" — Adyg.-Shaps. ya-tkIe "same" (but Osset. Dig. lækheræ, Iron. lækhir — viscous, liquid, wet).
Svan. kwecen "wheat" — Adyg. kuetsy "same".
Svan. mencla "grasshopper" — Ubykh. maca "same", Adyg. matsI "locust".
Svan. leγw "meat" — Adyg. ly "same".
Svan. kurpi, kiret "round" — Adyg. khurai "same".
Svan. baq, ba®q "step" — Adyg. beku "gap between legs", lebeku "step", where le- "leg".
Svan. gwej "to grind" — Adyg. guy- "to crush, pound".
Svan. guem "pantry" — Adyg. kuen, Kab. guen "woven granary".
Svan. zentx "oats" — Adyg. zentkh "same".
Svan. kaw "wattle fence" in kawiš qor "gate (qor) of the fence" — Adyg. cheu, Shaps. kieu "wattle fence".
Svan. majd "hunger" — Adyg. melakIe, Kab. mezhalIe "starving, hungry" (both from *melalIe, where lIe- "to die"), Abkh. a-mla "hunger" ("l" turned into "d").
Svan. mekw "haystack" — Adyg. meku "hay".
Svan. tqwib, Mingr. tqupi, tkubi "twins" — Adyg.-Shaps. tku "two", b- "child" (from Adyg. by-n "children").
Svan. un(u)gir, Mingr. unageri "saddle" — Adyg. uanegu lit. "middle of the saddle" (cf. Osset. uanikiiafsa "girth strap").
Svan. pusd "master" — Adyg. pshchy "prince, lord" (Adyg. borrowings according to Rogava).
Svan. naγwžur "young man" — Adyg. nybzhegu "comrade, peer" (metathesis <nažuγwr).
Svan. pxule "toe" — Adyg. Ie-phxua-mbe, where Ie-hand, phxue-finger, mbe -?; Adyg. le-noga *phxuale "toe".
Sources:
Ethnogenesis of the Abkhazians. D.A. Arshba, 2015
Abkhaz language