Draft:Sanzhi language

Dargin language

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Sanzhi
Sanzhi Dargwa
сунглан гъай sunglan ʁaj
Pronunciation	[sunglan ʁaj]
Native to	Russia
Region	Dagestan
Ethnicity	Sanzhi Dargwa (sunglan-te)
Native speakers	250 (2019)
Language family	Northeast Caucasian Dargin Southern Sanzhi-Itsari Sanzhi
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–
Glottolog	sanz1248
ELP	Sanzhi Dargwa
Sanzhi (and Itsari)

Sanzhi (Sanzhi: sunglan ʁaj, also called Sanzhi Dargwa)^[1] is an endangered Dargin language spoken by about 250 people in Dagestan^[2], closely related to Itsari. It is considered critically endangered due to its obsolescence in favor of Russian.^[3][4][5][3] The language is unwritten.^[6]

History

In the 1970s, the Sanzhis left their original village of Sanzhi [ru], which is believed to have been inhabited for around 10,000 years,^[7] and moved to the lowlands, predominantly the village of Druzhba.^[3] In the summers, however, they still return to Sanzhi to do various activities like fishing and berry picking.^[2]

Phonology

Consonants

^[8]

		Bilabial	Alveolar	Postalveolar	Palatal	Velar		Uvular		Pharyngeal/ Epiglottal	Glottal
						plain	lab.	plain	lab.
Stop	plain	p	t			k	kʷ	q[a]	qʷ	ʡ	ʔ
	voiced	b	d			g	gʷ
	ejective	pʼ	tʼ			kʼ	kʼʷ	qʼ	qʼʷ
	geminate	pː	tː			kː	kːʷ	qː	qːʷ
Fricative	plain		s	ʃ		x	xʷ	χ	χʷ	ħ	h
	voiced		z	ʒ				ʁ	ʁʷ
	geminate		sː	ʃː		xː		χː	χːʷ
Affricate	plain		t͡s	t͡ʃ
	ejective		t͡sʼ	t͡ʃʼ
	geminate		t͡sː	t͡ʃː
Naal		m	n
Liquid			r l
Semivowel		w			j

1. /q/ and /qʷ/ are realized with significant affrication, such that they are pronounced more like /q͡χ/ and /q͡χʷ/. This is not present in the ejective /q’/ and the geminates /qː/ and /qːʷ/.

Younger speakers tend to pronounce the labialized consonants as plain ones.

Vowels

Sanzhi has 7 vowels, 4 plain ones and 3 pharyngealized vowels.

^[9]

	Front		Central		Back
	plain	phar.	plain	phar.	plain	phar.
Close	i	[iˁ]			u	uˁ
Mid	e
Open			a	aˁ

References

1. Koryakov, Yuri (2021-01-01). "Коряков (2021) Даргинские языки и их классификация [Dargwa languages and their classification]". Дурхъаси хазна. Сборник статей к 60-летию Р. О. Муталова / Ред. Т. А. Майсак, Н. Р. Сумбатова, Я. Г. Тестелец. М.: Буки Веди, 2021. — 480 с. — ISBN 978-5-6045633-5-9.
2. Forker 2019, p. 1.
3. Forker 2019.
4. "Dictionaria -". dictionaria.clld.org. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
5. "Languages". DOBES. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
6. Forker 2019, p. 7.
7. "Архивы Санжи". WelcomeDagestan.ru. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
8. Forker 2019, p. 20.
9. Forker 2019, p. 24.

Sources

• Forker, Diana (2019-07-17). A grammar of Sanzhi Dargwa. Language Science Press (published 2020). doi:10.5281/zenodo.3339225. ISBN 9783961101962.

North Caucasian languages
The proposed North Caucasian language family comprises the Northeast and Northwest Caucasian language families.
Northwest (Pontic)	Abazgi Abaza Abkhaz Bzyb Chakobsa Circassian Adyghe Black Sea coast Natukhaj Shapsug Hakuchi Northern Kfar Kama Kuban River Abzakh Bzhedug Hatuqwai Kabardian Besleney Hattic (proposed) Ubykh
Northeast (Caspian)	Avar–Andic Andic Andi Akhvakh Bagvalal–Tindi Botlix–Godoberi Chamalal Karata-Tukita [ru] Avar Dargic Chirag North-Central Mehweb Gapshima–Butri [lez] Muira [ru] Tsudaqar–Usisha North Dargwa Aqusha Literary Dargwa Murego–Gubden [uk] Kadar Mugi [ru] Upper Mulebki Urakhi Southern Ashti [ru]–Kubachi Sanzhi–Itsari Amuzgi–Shiri Sanakari–Chakhrizhi Southwestern Dargwa Sirhwa [lez; uk] Tanti Upper Vurqni [ru] Kaitag–Shari Kaitag Shari Tsezic Bezhta–Hunzib–Khwarshi Inkhoqwari Hinukh–Tsez Lezgic Archi Samur Eastern Aghul Lezgian Tabasaran Udi Caucasian Albanian Southern Budukh Kryts Western Rutul Tsakhur Nakh Bats Vainakh Chechen Aukh Ingush Other Khinalug Lak
Italics indicate extinct languages