Dargin languages

The Dargin languages consist of a dialect continuum of over 60 Northeast Caucasian languages or dialects spoken by the Dargin people in southcentral Dagestan. Kajtak, Kubachi, Itsari, Mehweb and Chirag are often considered dialects of the same Dargin/Dargwa language. Ethnologue lists these under a common Dargin language, but also states that these may be separate languages from Dargwa proper.[citation needed] Reasons for classifying the southern group of dialects from the northern group is that speakers of the southern dialects have been reported as treating the literary Aqusha dialect as a foreign language. Due to the linguistic fragmentation of the Dargin languages, speakers use Russian as a lingua franca.

Classification

The Dargin languages are classified as follows by Koryakov 2021:

Dargin

• Northern-central group Mehweb Gapshima Muira Tsudaqar-Usisha-Butri Tsudaqar Usisha-Butri North Dargwa Kadar Murego-Gubden Mugi Upper Mulebki Aqusha Aqusha proper Levashi Urakhi Southern group Ashti-Kubachi Ashti Kubachi Sanzhi-Itsari Sanzhi Itsari Sanakari-Chakhrizhi (unclassified) Amuzgi-Shiri Amuzgi Shiri Southwestern Dargwa Tanti Sirhwa Upper Vurquni/Amuq-Khuduts-Kunki Chirag Kaitag group Shari Kaitag

Mutalov 2021 proposes a different classification:

Dargin languages

• North Dargwa Aqusha/North Dargwa Aqusha proper Urakhi Mekegi Gubden Murego Kadar Mugi Muira Gapshima Mehweb Southern Dargwa Sirkhya-Tsudaqar Tsudaqar Usisha Butri Tanti Sirhwa Khuduts Amuq Kunki Sanzhi Itsari Amuzgi-Shiri other dialects Kubachi Kubachi proper Ashti Kaitag Upper Kaitag Lower Kaitag Shari Chakhrizhi-Sanakari Chirag

Glottolog uses a different classification, based on Koryakov 2012.

Dargwic

• Chirag Kubachi North-Central Dargwa Megeb North Dargwa Cudaxar Gapshin-Butrin Kadarskij Muirin Dejbuk Xarbuk Nuclear North Dargwa Aqusha-Uraxi Akusha Uraxa Mugin Murego-Gubden Upper Mulebki South Dargwa Kajtak Southwestern Dargwa Amuzgu-Shiri Sanzhi-Icari Icari Sanzhi Sirhwa-Tanty Upper-Vurqri Amux Khuduts Qunqi

Phonology

The following chart is a collective phoneme inventory of all Dargin languages.

1. Present in the literary standard of Dargwa, but not some other dialects.
2. Present in some dialects, but not the literary standard.

The source is rather ambiguous in its using the term "laryngeal" for a presumed column of consonants that includes both a "voiced" and a "glottalized" plosive. A voiced glottal plosive cannot be made, because the glottis needs to be closed, and an ejective consonant requires an additional closure further up the vocal tract. Pending clarification, this row has been transcribed here as an epiglottal column and a glottal stop, both found in many other East Caucasian languages.