Laz is a Kartvelian language. It is sometimes considered as a southern dialect of Zan languages, the northern dialect being the Mingrelian language.
Today, the area where Laz is spoken stretches from the village Sarpi of Khelvachauri district in Georgia to the village Kemer of Rize province in Turkey. Laz is spoken also in Western Turkey in the villages created by Laz muhajirs in 1877–1878. In Georgia, out of Sarpi, the Laz language islets were also in Abkhazia, but the fate of them is obscure at present.
Laz is divided into three dialects: Khopa-Chkhala, Vitze-Arkabe and Atina-Artasheni. Dialectical classification is mainly conditioned by phonetic characteristics. More specifically, the crucial point is the reflexes of the Kartvelian phoneme , which is maintained only in the Khopa-Chkhala dialect but has different reflections in Vitze-Arkabe and Atina-Artasheni dialects (see below).
Phonology and writing system
Vowels
Laz vowel inventory consists of five sounds: a, e, i, o, u.
+Laz vowel scheme front back nonlabial labial high i u mid e o low a
Consonants
The consonant inventory of Laz varies among the dialects. A full set of sounds is present in the Khopa-Chkhala dialect, while the Vitze-Arkabe and Atina-Artasheni dialects lost glottalized uvular q.
+ Consolidated table of Laz consonants labial dental alveolar velar uvular laryngeal nasals stops affricates fricatives liquids glides
Phonological processes
Uvular q sound change
Glottalized uvular q is preserved only in the Khopa-Chkhala dialect before the vowels and the consonants v and l. This sound is also evidenced after glottalized stops and affricates in several words, such as p̌qorop (I love smb./sth.); ǩqorop (I love you); t̆qubi (twins), ǯqv-/ǯqvin- (to reconcile); ç̌qint̆i (fresh-soft and unripe). But in the most of cases *t̆q → t̆ǩ; *ǯq → ǯǩ; *ç̌q → ç̌ǩ.
In the Vitze-Arkabe dialect, in the neighborhood of consonants *q → ǩ (exception is the verb ovapu ← *oqvapu "to be"). In the word-initial prevocalic and in the intervocalic positions *q → ∅.
In Atina-Artasheni dialect: in word-initial prevocalic position q → ∅. E.g. *qoropa → oropa "love", *qona → ona "cornfield" etc. in intervocalic position *q → y/∅. E.g. *loqa → *loʔa → loya/loa "sweet", *luqu → *luʔu → luu "cabbage" etc. word-initial qv → ǩv/v. E.g. qvali → ǩvali/vali "cheese, *qvaci → ǩvaci/vaci "testicle" etc. intervocalic qv → y. E.g. *oqvapu → oyapu "to be/become", *iqven → iyen "s/he will be/become" etc. in all other cases q → ∅
Regressive assimilation
The most common types are: regressive voicing: s → z t → d k → g ş → j ç → c p → b regressive devoicing: b → p g → k regressive glottalization b → p̌ p → p̌ g → ǩ
Dissimilative deletion of consonant
In some morphological contexts featuring two consonants n split only with a vowel, the former can be deleted. miqonun → miqoun (I have {an animate object}), iqvasinon → iqvasion (s/he will be), mulunan → *muluan → mulvan (they are coming).
Another dissimilation, presumably sporadic, occurs in deǩiǩe → deiǩe (minute); note also that the Arabic source of this word دقيقة daqīqa contains a uvular , and as above uvulars are unstable in Laz.
Intervocalic reduction of r This process is evidenced in the Khopa-Chkhala and Vitze-Arkabe dialects, where in intervocalic position facultatively r → y → ∅.
Palatalization of velars In the Atina-Artasheni dialect, the velars followed by the front vowels e and i and the glide y transform to alveolar affricates: g → c ǩ → ç̌ k → ç
Alphabet
Laz is written in a Georgian script or in the Latin script (as used in Turkish, but with specific Laz extensions).
Georgian (Mkhedruli) Latin (Turkey) Latin (rare) IPA Orthographic alphabets Transcriptions ა a a ბ b b გ g g დ d d ე e e ვ v v ზ z z თ t t ი i i კ ǩ, or kʼ ḳ ლ l l მ m m ნ n n ჲ y y ო o o პ p̌, or pʼ ṗ ჟ j ž რ r r ს s s ტ t̆, or tʼ ṭ უ u u ფ p p ქ k k ღ ğ ɣ ყ q qʼ შ ş š ჩ ç č ც ʒ, or з Extension consonant for the Altaic (Turkish) version of the Latin alphabet, often represented with the digit three (3) (currently missing from Unicode ?); the Cyrillic letter ze (З/з) has been borrowed in newspapers published in the Socialist Republic of Georgia (within USSR) to write the missing Latin letter; modern orthographies used today also use the Latin digraphs Ts/ts for З/з and Ts’/ts’ for(З’/з’ c ძ ž, or zʼ ʒ წ ǯ, or зʼ ċ ჭ ç̌, or çʼ č’ ხ x x ჯ c ǯ ჰ h h ჶ f f
Grammatical cases
Laz has eight grammatical cases: nominative, ergative, dative, genitive, lative, ablative, instrumental and almost extinct adverbial.
MarkerNominative -i/-eErgative -kDative -sGenitive -işLative -işaAblative -işeInstrumental -iteAdverbial -ot
Example of adjective declension
MarkerStem: mcveş- ("old")Nominative -i mcveş-iErgative -k mcveş-i-kDative -s mcveş-i-sGenitive -iş mcveş-işLative -işa mcveş-işaAblative -işe mcveş-işeInstrumental -ite mcveş-iteAdverbial -ot mcveş-ot
Example of noun declension
MarkerStem: ǩoç- ("man")Nominative -i ǩoç-iErgative -k ǩoç-i-kDative -s ǩoç-i-sGenitive -iş ǩoç-işLative -işa ǩoç-işaAblative -işe ǩoç-işeInstrumental -ite ǩoç-iteAdverbial -ot n/a
Nouns
As in other South Caucasian languages, Laz distinguishes two classes of nouns and classifies objects as:
'Intelligent' entities. Respective interrogative is mi? (who?) 'Non-intelligent' entities. Respective interrogative is mu? (what?)
Noun classification scheme
ConcreteAbstractAnimateInanimateHuman and "sentient" beings (e.g. God, deities, angels)AnimalsInanimate physical entitiesAbstract objectsIntelligentNon-Intelligentmi? ("who?")mu? ("what?")
Numerals
The Laz numerals are near identical to their Megrelian equivalents with minor phonetic differences. The number system is vigesimal like in Georgian.
Cardinal numbers
Almost all basic Laz cardinal numbers stem from the Proto-Kartvelian language, except ar(t) (one) and eči (twenty), which are reconstructed only for the Karto-Zan chronological level, having regular phonetical reflexes in Zan (Megrelo-Laz) and Georgian. The numeral šilya (thousand) is a Pontic Greek loanword and is more commonly used than original Laz vitoši.
Laz cardinal numbers compared to Megrelian, Georgian and Svan
LazMegrelianGeorgianSvan 1 ar(t) arti erti ešxu 2 jur/cur žiri/žəri ori yori 3 sum sumi sami semi 4 otxo otxi otxi oštxw 5 xut xuti xuti woxušd 6 anşi amšvi ekvsi usgwa 7 şkvit škviti švidi išgwid 8 ovro ruo rva ara 9 çxoro čxoro cxra čxara 10 vit viti ati ešd 11 vitoar vitaarti tertmeṭi ešdešxu 12 vitojur vitožiri tormeṭi ešdori 13 vitosum vitosumi cameṭi ešdsemi 14 vitotxo vitaantxi totxmeṭi ešdoštx 15 vitoxut vitoxuti txutmeṭi ešdoxušd 20 eçi eči oci yerwešd 21 eçidoar ečdoarti ocdaerti yerwešdiešxu 30 eçidovit ečdoviti ocdaati semešd 40 jurneçi žaarneči ormoci woštxuešd 50 jurneçidovit žaarnečdoviti ormocdaati woxušdešd 60 sumeneçi sumoneči samoci usgwašd 70 sumeneçidovit sumonečdoviti samocdaati išgvidašd 80 otxoneçi otxoneči otxmoci arašd 90 otxoneçidovit otxonečdoviti otxmocdaati chxarašd 100 oşi oši asi ašir 101 oşi do ar ošarti aserti ašir i ešxu 102 oşi do jur ošžiri asori ašir i yori 110 oşi do vit ošviti asati ašir i ešd 200 juroşi žiroši orasi yori ašir 500 xutoşi xutoši xutasi woxušd aršir 1000 şilya/vitoşi antasi atasi atas 1999 şilya çxoroş otxoneçdovit̆oçxoro antas čxoroš otxonečdovitočxoro atas cxraas otxmocdacxrameṭi atas čxara ašir chxarašd chxara 2000 jurşilya žiri antasi ori atasi yori atas 10000 vit şilya viti antasi ati atasi ešd atas
Ordinal numbers
Ordinal numbers in Laz are produced with the circumfix ma-...-a, which, in contrast with Megrelian, may be extended with suffix -n. The circumfix ma-...-a originates from Proto-Kartvelian and has regular phonetical equivalents in Georgian (me-...-e) and Svan (me-...-e)
Ordinal numbers' derivation rule
LazMegrelianGeorgianSvan ma-NUMBER-a(ni) ma-NUMBER-a me-NUMBER-e me-NUMBER-e
Laz ordinal numbers compared to Megrelian, Georgian and Svan
LazMegrelianGeorgianSvan 1st maartani ṗirveli ṗirveli manḳwi 2nd majura(ni) mažira meore merme 3rd masuma(ni) masuma mesame meseme 4th maotxa(ni) maotxa/mantxa meotxe meuštxwe 5th maxuta(ni) maxuta mexute meuxušde 6th maanşa(ni) maamšva meekvse meusgwe 7th maşkvita(ni) maškvita mešvide meyšgwide 8th maovra(ni) maruo merve meare 9th maçxora(ni) mačxora mecxre meyčxre 10th mavita(ni) mavita meate meyšde 11th mavitoarta(ni) mavitaarta metertmeṭe meyšdešxue 12th mavitojura(ni) mavitožira metormeṭe meyšdore 13th mavitosuma(ni) mavitosuma mecameṭe meyšdseme 14th mavitotxa(ni) mavitaantxa metotxmeṭe meyšdoštxe 15th mavitoxuta(ni) mavitoxuta metxutmeṭe meyšdoxušde 20th maeça(ni) maeča meoce meyerwešde 21st eçidomaarta(ni) ečdomaarta ocdameerte 30th ečidomavita(ni) ečdomavita ocdameate mesemešde 40th majurneça(ni) mažaarneča meormoce meuštxuešde 50th jurneçidomavita(ni) žaarnečdomavita ormocdameate meuxušdešde 60th masumeneça(ni) masumoneča mesamoce meusgwešde 70th sumeneçidomavita(ni) sumonečdomavita samocdameate meyšgwidešde 80th maotxoneça(ni) maotxoneča meotxmoce mearašde 90th otxoneçidomavita(ni) otxonečdomavita otxmocdameate mečxarašde 100th maoşa(ni) maoša mease meašire 101st oşmaarta(ni) ošmaarta asmeerte 102nd oşmajura(ni) ošmažira asmeore 110th oşmavita(ni) ošmavita asmeate 200th majuroşa(ni) mažiroša meorase meyorašire 500th maxutoşa(ni) maxutoša mexutase meuxušdašire 1000th maşilya(ni)/mavitoşa(ni) maantasa meatase meatase
Fractional numbers
The fractional numbers' derivation rule in Laz and Megrelian is akin to Old Georgian and Svan.
Fractional numbers' derivation rule
Laz Megrelian Georgian Svan Old New na-NUMBER-al/or na-NUMBER-al/or na-NUMBER-al me-NUMBER-ed na-NUMBER-al/ul
Laz fractional numbers compared to Megrelian, Georgian and Svan
Laz Megrelian Georgian Svan Old New whole mteli teli mrteli mteli tel half gverdi gverdi naxevari naxevari xənsga 1/3 nasumori nasumori nasamali mesamedi nasemal 1/4 naotxali naotxali/naantxali naotxali meotxedi naoštxul 1/5 naxutali naxutali naxutali mexutedi naxušdal 1/6 naanşali naamšvali naekvsali meekvsedi nausgwul 1/7 naşkvitali naškvitali našvidali mešvidedi nayšgwidal 1/8 naovrali naruali narvali mervedi naaral 1/9 naçxorali načxorali nacxrali mecxredi načxaral 1/10 navitali navitali naatali meatedi naešdal 1/11 navitoartali navitaartali natertmeṭali metertmeṭedi naešdešxul 1/12 navitojurali navitožirali natormeṭali metormeṭedi naešdoral 1/20 naeçali naečali naocali meocedi nayerwešdal 1/100 naoşali naošali naasali measedi naaširal 1/1000 naşilyali/navitoşali naantasali naatasali meatasedi naatasal
Pronouns
Personal pronouns
Laz MegrelianGeorgian Khopa-Chkhala Vitze-Arkabe Atina-Artasheni I ma(n) ma ma ma me You (sing.) si(n) si si si šen That (close to speaker) aya haya ham ena esa This ia heya him ina isa We çki çku şǩu čki/čkə čven You (pl.) tkvan tkvan t̆ǩva tkva tkven Those antepe hamtepe hani enepi eseni These entepe hemtepe hini inepi isini
Possessive pronouns
Laz MegrelianGeorgian Khopa-Chkhala Vitze-Arkabe Atina-Artasheni My çkimi çkimi şǩimi čkimi/čkəmi čemi Your (sing.) skani skani sǩani skani šeni His/her/its muşi muşi himuşi muši misi Our çkini çkuni şǩuni čkini/čkəni čveni Your (pl.) tkvani tkvani t̆ǩvani tkvani tkveni Their mutepeşi hemtepeşi nişi inepiš mati
Verbs Laz verbs are inflected for seven categories: person, number, version, tense, mood, aspect and voice.
Person and Number
In Laz, like Mingrelian, Georgian, and Svan, verbs can be unipersonal, bipersonal, and tripersonal.
Monovalent verbs have only subjective person and are intransitive. Bivalent verbs have one subject and one object (direct or indirect). They are: transitive if the object is direct intransitive if the object is indirect Trivalent verbs have one subject and two objects (one direct and the other indirect) and are ditransitive.
+Verb personality table Unipersonal Bipersonal Tripersonal intransitive transitive intransitive ditransitive Subject + + + + Direct ObjectN/A +N/A + Indirect ObjectN/AN/A + +