Adyghe language

Adyghe (/ˈædɪɡeɪ/ or /ˌɑːdɪˈɡeɪ/;[3][lower-alpha 1] also known as West Circassian, Адыгабзэ /aːdɘɣaːbzɜ/) is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken by the western subgroups of Circassians.[4] It is spoken mainly in Russia, as well as in Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Israel, where Circassians settled after the Circassian genocide (c. 1864–1870). 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, Cherkesogai
Native speakers
610,000 (2010–2020)[1]
Early forms
Dialects
Cyrillic
Latin
Arabic
Official status
Official language in
 Russia
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-2ady
ISO 639-3ady
Glottologadyg1241
Distribution of the Adyghe language in Adygea, Russia (2002)
Adyghe is classified as Definitely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger
[2]
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The literary standard of Adyghe is based on its Temirgoy dialect. Adyghe and Russian are the two official languages of the Republic of Adygea in the Russian Federation.

In Russia, there are around 128,000 speakers of Adyghe, 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 diaspora from the Russian–Circassian War (c. 1763–1864). In addition, 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

The Black Sea coast dialects
  • Shapsug dialect (Adyghe: Шапсыгъабзэ)
    • North Shapsugs, Great Shapsugs, Kuban Shapsugs (Шапсыгъэ шху) dialect
    • Temirgoy-Shapsugs, Pseuşko accent (Кӏэмгуе-шапсыгъ)
    • South Shapsugs, Small Shapsugs, Coastal Shapsugs, Black Sea Shapsugs (Шапсыгъэ-цӏыкӏу) dialect
    • Hakuchi dialect (Хьакӏуцубзэ, Къарацхаибзэ)
  • Natukhai dialect (Adyghe: Нэтӏхъуаджэбзэ)
  • Zhaney dialect

The Kuban River dialects

Phonology
Main article: Adyghe phonology

Adyghe exhibits between 50 and 60 consonants depending on the dialect. 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 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. This sound is only known to be used in the Black Sea dialect.

Labial Alveolar Post-alveolar Alveolo-
palatal		 Retroflex Velar Uvular Pharyngeal Glottal
plain lab. plain sib. lab. plain lab. plain lab. plain lab. plain lab.
Nasal m mʷ n
Plosive/

Affricate

 voiceless p t t͡s t͡sʷ t͡ʃ t͡ʂ k1 kʷ q qʷ ʔ ʔʷ
voiced b d d͡z d͡zʷ d͡ʒ ɡ1 ɡʷ
ejective pʼ pʷʼ tʼ t͡sʼ tʷʼ t͡ʃʼ t͡ʂʼ kʼ kʷʼ
Fricative voiceless f ɬ s ʃ ʃʷ ɕ ʂ x xʷ χ χʷ ħ
voiced v1 ɮ z ʒ ʒʷ ʑ ʐ ɣ ʁ ʁʷ
ejective ɬʼ ʃʼ ʃʷʼ
Approximant w j w
Trill r
  1. These consonants exist only in borrowed words.
  2. Note: Adyghe has many consonants that appear across its dialects, and thus has a complex system of consonant allophony. More information on those can be found at Adyghe phonology.

In contrast to its large inventory of consonants, Adyghe has only three phonemic vowels in a vertical vowel system.[5]

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 the ergative construction of sentences.

Orthography

The official alphabet for Adyghe is the Cyrillic script, which has been used since 1936. Before that, the Arabic script 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.

Cyrillic Arabic (before 1927) Scholarly transliteration[6] Transliteration used in diaspora IPA Pronunciation Examples
А а ا Ā ā A a [aː] ачъэ, āčă, 'goat'
апчъы, āpčə, 'they count'
Б б ب B b B b [b] баджэ, bāǯʼă, 'fox'
бэ, bă, 'a lot'
В в[lower-alpha 2] ڤ V v V v [v] жъвэ, ẑvă, 'oar', лавэ, lāvă, 'lava'
Г г گ / ݝ Ɣ ɣ Ğ ğ [ɣ] гыны, ɣənə, 'powder'
чъыгы, čəɣə, 'tree'
Гу гу گو G˚ g˚ Gu gu [ɡʷ] гу, g˚, 'heart'
гущыӏ, g˚šʼəʾ, 'word'
Гъ гъ غ Ġ ġ Ğ ğ [ʁ] гъатхэ, ġātxă, 'spring'
гъэмаф, ġămāf, 'summer'
Гъу гъу غو Ġ˚ ġ˚ Ğu ğu [ʁʷ] гъунэгъу, ġ˚năġ˚, 'neighbour'
гъунджэ, ġ˚nǯʼă, 'mirror'
Д д د D d D d [d] дыджы, dəǯʼə, 'bitter'
дахэ, dāxă, 'pretty'
Дж дж ج Ǯʼ ǯʼ C c [d͡ʒ] джан, ǯʼān, 'shirt'
лъэмыдж, łăməǯʼ, 'bridge'
Дз дз ذ Ʒ ʒ Ź ź [d͡z] дзыо, ʒəo, 'bag'
дзын, ʒən, 'to throw'
Дзу дзу ذو Ʒ˚ ʒ˚ Ž ž [d͡zʷ] хьандзу, ḥānʒ˚, 'rick'
хьандзуачӏ, ḥānʒ˚āč̣, 'lower rick'
Е е ه E e É é [ɜj] [jɜ] ешэн, ešăn, 'to catch'
еплъын, epłən, 'to look at'
Ё ё[lower-alpha 2] – Jo jo Yo yo [jo] ёлк, jolk, 'Christmas tree'
Ж ж غ Ž ž Ɉ ɉ [ʒ] жэ, žă, 'mouth'
жакӏэ, žāč̣ʼă, 'beard'
Жъ жъ ظ Ẑ ẑ Ĵ ĵ [ʐ] жъы, ẑə, 'old'
жъажъэ, ẑāẑă, 'slow'
Жъу жъу ظو Ẑ˚ ẑ˚ Ĵu ĵu [ʒʷ] жъун, ẑ˚n, 'to melt'
жъуагъо, ẑ˚āġo, 'star'
Жь жь ژ Žʼ žʼ J j [ʑ] жьыбгъэ, žʼəbġă, 'wind'
жьао, žʼāo, 'shadow'
З з ز Z z Z z [z] занкӏэ, zānč̣ʼă, 'straight'
зандэ, zāndă, 'steep'
И и تہ I i İ i [ɘj] [jɘ] ихьан, iḥān, 'to enter'
икӏыпӏ, ič̣ʼəṗ, 'exit'
Й й ی J j Y y [j] йод, jod, 'iodine'
бай, bāj, 'rich'
К к[lower-alpha 2] ک K k K k [k] кнопк, knopk, 'button'
команд, komānd, 'team, command'
Ку ку کو K˚ k˚ Ku ku [kʷ] кушъэ, k˚ŝă, 'cradle'
ку, k˚, 'cart'
Къ къ ق Q q Q q [q] къалэ, qālă, 'city'
къэкӏон, qăč̣ʼon, 'to come'
Къу къу قو Q˚ q˚ Qu qu [qʷ] къухьэ, q˚ḥă, 'ship'
къушъхьэ, q˚ŝḥă, 'mountain'
Кӏ кӏ گ / ڃ Č̣ʼ č̣ʼ Ḉ ḉ [kʼ] [tʃʼ] кӏымаф, č̣ʼəmāf, 'winter'
кӏыхьэ, č̣ʼəḥă, 'long'
кӏэ, č̣ʼă, 'tail'
шкӏэ, šč̣ʼă, 'calf'
Кӏу кӏу ڃو Ḳ˚ ḳ˚ Ḱu ḱu [kʷʼ] кӏон, č̣ʼon, 'to walk'
кӏуакӏэ, ḳ˚āč̣ʼă, 'walking manner'
Л л ل L l L l [l] лагъэ, lāġă, 'painted'
лы, lə, 'meat'
Лъ лъ ه Ł ł Ĺ ĺ [ɬ] лъэбэкъу, łăbăq˚, 'step'
лъащэ, łāšʼă, 'lame'
Лӏ лӏ ࢦ Ḷ ḷ Ł ł [ɬʼ] лӏы, ḷə, 'man'
лӏыгъэ, ḷəġă, 'bravery'
М м م M m M m [m] мазэ, māză, 'moon'
мэлы, mălə, 'sheep'
Н н ن N n N n [n] нэ, nă, 'eye'
ны, nə, 'mother'
О о ۆ O o O o [ɜw] [wɜ] мощ, mošʼ, 'that'
коны, konə, 'bin'
о, o, 'you'
осы, osə, 'snow'
ощхы, ošʼxə, 'rain'
П п پ P p P p [p] пэ, pă, 'nose'
сапэ, sāpă, 'dust'
Пӏ пӏ ࢠ Ṗ ṗ Ṕ ṕ [pʼ] пӏэ, ṗă, 'bed'
пӏэшъхьагъ, ṗăŝḥāġ, 'pillow'
Пӏу пӏу ࢠو Ṗ˚ ṗ˚ Ṕu ṕu [pʷʼ] пӏун, ṗ˚n, 'to rise; to adopt'
пӏур, ṗ˚r, 'pupil; apprentice'
Р р ر R r R r [r] рикӏэн, rič̣ʼăn, 'to pour'
риӏон, riʾon, 'to tell'
С с س S s S s [s] сэ, să, 'I, me'
сэшхо, săšxo, 'sabre'
Т т ت T t T t [t] тэтэжъ, tătăẑ, 'grandfather'
тэ, tă, 'we, us'
Тӏ тӏ ط Ṭ ṭ T́ t́ [tʼ] тӏы, ṭə, 'ram'
ятӏэ, jāṭă, 'dirt'
Тӏу тӏу طو Ṭ˚ ṭ˚ T́u t́u [tʷʼ] тӏурыс, ṭ˚rəs, 'old'
тӏурытӏу, ṭ˚rəṭ˚, 'pair'
У у و U u / W w U u [ɘw] [wɘ] ушхун, ušx˚n, 'to straighten'
убэн, ubăn, 'to tamp; to smoothen'
Ф ф ف / ڡ F f F f [f] фыжьы, fəžʼə, 'white'
фэен, făen, 'to want'
Х х ݗ X x X x [x] хы, xə, 'sea; six'
хасэ, xāsă, 'council'
Хъ хъ خ Ꭓ ꭓ Ĥ ĥ [χ] хъыен, ꭓəen, 'to move'
пхъэн, pꭓăn, 'to sow'
Хъу хъу خو Ꭓ˚ ꭓ˚ Ĥu ĥu [χʷ] хъун, ꭓ˚n, 'to happen'
хъурай, ꭓ˚rāj, 'circle'
Хь хь ح Ḥ ḥ H h [ħ] хьэ, ḥă, 'dog'
хьаку, ḥāk˚, 'oven'
Ц ц ث C c Ś ś [t͡s] цагэ, cāɣă, 'rib'
цы, cə, 'body hair'
Цу цу ثو C˚ c˚ Ç̌u ç̌u [t͡sʷ] цуакъэ, c˚āqă, 'shoe'
цу, c˚, 'ox'
Цӏ цӏ ڗ C̣ c̣ S̋ s̋ [t͡sʼ] цӏынэ, c̣ənă, 'wet'
цӏыфы, c̣əfə, 'person'
Ч ч چ Čʼ čʼ Ç ç [t͡ʃ] чэфы, čʼăfə, 'cheerful'
чэты, čʼătə, 'chicken'
Чъ чъ Č č Ç̂ ç̂ [t͡ʂ] чъыгай, čəɣāj, 'oak'
чъыӏэ, čəʾă, 'cold'
Чӏ чӏ Č̣ č̣ Ç̇ ç̇ [t͡ʂʼ] чӏыпӏэ, č̣əṗă, 'area'
чӏыфэ, č̣əfă, 'debt'
Ш ш Š š Ṩ ṩ [ʃ] шы, šə, 'brother'
шыблэ, šəblă, 'thunder'
Шъ шъ ص Ŝ ŝ Ş̂ ş̂ [ʂ] шъэ, ŝă, 'hundred'
шъабэ, ŝābă, 'soft'
Шъу шъу صو Ŝ˚ ŝ˚ Ş̂u ş̂u [ʃʷ] шъугъуалэ, ŝ˚ġ˚ālă, 'envious'
шъукъакӏу, ŝ˚qāḳ˚, 'to come'
Шӏ шӏ ض Ṣ̂ ṣ̂ Ş́ ş́ [ʃʼ] шӏын, ṣ̂ən, 'to do'
шӏэныгъ, ṣ̂ănəġ, 'knowledge'
Шӏу шӏу ضو Ṣ̂˚ ṣ̂˚ Ş́u ş́u [ʃʷʼ] шӏуцӏэ, ṣ̂˚c̣ă, 'black'
шӏуфэс, ṣ̂˚făs, 'greetings'
Щ щ ش Šʼ šʼ Ş ş [ɕ] щагу, šʼāg˚, 'yard'
щатэ, šʼātă, 'sour cream'
(Ъ ъ) – – – –
Ы ы ہ Ə ə I ı [ɘ] ыкӏи, əč̣ʼi, 'and also'
зы, zə, 'one'
(Ь ь) – – – [[ʲ]]
Э э ه Ă ă E e [ɜ] ӏэтаж, ʾătāž, 'floor'
нэнэжъ, nănăẑ, 'grandmother'
Ю ю – Ju ju Yu yu [ju] Юсыф, Jusəf, 'Joseph'
Юныс, Junəs, 'Jonah'
Я я – Ja ja Ya ya [jaː] яй, jāj, 'theirs'
ябгэ, jābɣă, 'evil'
Ӏ ӏ ڈ ʾ ʾ [ʔ] ӏэ, ʾă, 'hand'
кӏасэ, č̣ʼāsă, 'like'
Ӏу ӏу ڈو ʾ˚ U u [ʔʷ] ӏукӏэн, ʾ˚č̣ʼăn, 'to meet'
ӏусын, ʾ˚sən, 'to be near sitting'
ӏудан, ʾ˚dān, 'thread'

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.
  • 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. 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.
  • 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.
  • 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".
  • 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.
  • 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. When it is related to a consonant, it becomes a vowel and pronounced as [ɐj~e] ⟨эй⟩. For example: делэ [dɐjlɐ] "fool" instead of дэйлэ.
  • 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. When it is related to a consonant, it becomes a vowel and pronounced as [əj~i] ⟨ый⟩. For example: сиӏ [səjʔ] "I have" instead of сыйӏ.

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

The language of Adyghe is officially written in the Cyrillic script but is also unofficially written in the Latin script, 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 Arabic alphabet used before 1927
  • Adyghe Latin alphabet used from 1927 to 1938 (page 1)
    Adyghe Latin alphabet used from 1927 to 1938 (page 1)
  • Adyghe Latin alphabet used from 1927 to 1938 (page 2)
    Adyghe Latin alphabet used from 1927 to 1938 (page 2)
  • Comparison of Adyghe Latin and Adyghe Cyrillic alphabets
    Comparison of Adyghe Latin and Adyghe Cyrillic alphabets
  • Adyghe Latin alphabet letters
    Adyghe Latin alphabet letters
  • Adyghe Arabic alphabet letters
    Adyghe Arabic alphabet letters

Examples of literary Adyghe

Native vocabulary
Cyrillic Transliteration IPA Translation
сэ să [sɐ] I
пшъашъэ pŝāŝă [p͡ʂaːʂɐ] girl
тӏыс ṭəs [tʼəs] to sit
тэдж tăǯʼ [tɐd͡ʒ] to stand
Тэу ущыт? Tăw ušʼət? [tɐw‿wəʃət] How are you?
Сышӏу. Səṣ̂˚. [səʃʷʼ] I'm fine.
шы šə [ʃə] horse
щы šʼə [ɕə] three
жъуагъо ẑ˚āġo [ʐʷaːʁʷɐ] star
тыгъэ təġă [təʁɐ] sun
мазэ māză [maːzɐ] moon
цуакъэ c˚āqă [t͡sʷaːqɐ] shoe
шъукъеблагъ ŝ˚qeblāġ [ʂʷəqɐjblaːʁ] welcome
лъэхъуамбэ łăꭓ˚āmbă [ɬɐχʷaːmbɐ] toe
хьамлыу ḥāmləw [ħaːmləw] worm
кӏэнкӏэ č̣ʼănč̣ʼă [kʼɐŋkʼɐ] egg
хьампӏырашъу ḥāmṗərāŝ˚ [ħaːmpʼəraːʂʷ] butterfly
мэшӏоку măṣ̂ok˚ [mɐʃʼʷɐkʷ] train
пхъэтӏэкӏу pꭓăṭăḳ˚ [p͡χɐtʼɐkʼʷ] chair
тхьалъыкӏо tḥāłəč̣ʼo [t͡ħaːɬəkʼʷɐ] prophet
къамзэгу qāmzăg˚ [qaːmzɐɡʷ] ant
псычэт psəčʼăt [p͡sət͡ʃɐt] duck

Loanwords
Cyrillic Latin Pronunciation Translation Origin
республикэ respublikă [rʲespublʲikɐ] republic Russian республика, from Latin rēs pūblica (public concern)
компутер komputer [komputʲer] computer Russian компьютер, from Latin computāre (to settle together)
математикэ mātemātikă [maːtʲemaːtʲikɐ] mathematics Russian математика, from Ancient Greek "μάθημα" máthēma (study, knowledge)
спорт sport [sport] sports Russian спорт, from English sport
быракъ bərāq [bəraːq] flag Turkic batrak (spear, stick)
къартӏоф qārṭof [qaːrtʼʷɐf] potato Russian картофель, from German Kartoffel (potato)
томат tomāt [tomaːt] tomato Russian томат, from Spanish tomate, from Nahuan tomatl
орэндж orănǯʼ [wɐrɐnd͡ʒ] orange Persian نارنگ nârang or نارنج nâranj
нэмаз nămāz [nɐmaːz] salah (Islamic praying) Persian نماز namâz
къалэ qālă [qaːlɐ] city Akkadian kalakku (fort)
дунай dunāj [dəwnaːj] earth Arabic دنيا dunyā (world)
  • There are thirteen labialised consonants; however, in some dialects, there are three additional ones: Кхъу [q͡χʷ], Ху [xʷ] and Чъу [t͡ɕʷ].

Adyghe outside Circassia

Adyghe is taught outside Circassia in Prince Hamza Ibn Al-Hussein Secondary School, a school for Jordanian Adyghes in Jordan's capital city of Amman. This school, established by the Jordanian Adyghes 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 aims to preserve the Adyghe language and traditions among future generations.[7]

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.[8] 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.[9]

Sample texts

John 1:1
John 1:1 in AdygheTransliterationEnglish 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.

Ublāṗăm ədăžʼ G˚šʼəʾăr šʼəʾāġ. Ār Tḥăm ədăžʼ šʼəʾāġ, ā G˚šʼəʾări Tḥăw ārəġă. Ublāṗăm šʼeġăžʼāġăw ā G˚šʼəʾăr Tḥăm ədăžʼ šʼəʾāġ. Tḥăm ā G˚šʼəʾăm zăč̣ʼări qəriġăġăꭓ˚ġ. Tḥăm qəġăꭓ˚ġă pstăwmi āšʼəšʼăw ā G˚šʼəʾăm qəriməġġăꭓ˚ġă zi šʼəʾăp. Məč̣ʼodəžʼən šʼəʾănəġă ā G˚šʼəʾăm xăłəġ, ā šʼəʾănəġări c̣əfxăm năfənă āfăꭓ˚ġ. Năfənăr ṣ̂˚nč̣ʼəġăm šʼănăfə, ṣ̂˚nč̣ʼəġări năfənăm teḳ˚āġăp.

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.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
UDHR in Adyghe[10]TransliterationIPAEnglish translation
Цӏыф пстэури шъхьэфитэу, ялъытэныгъэрэ яфэшъуашэхэмрэкӏэ зэфэдэу къалъфы. Акъылрэ зэхэшӏыкӏ гъуазэрэ яӏэшъы, зыр зым зэкъош зэхашӏэ азфагу дэлъэу зэфыщытынхэ фае. C̣əf pstăwri ŝḥăfităw, jāłətănəġără jāfăŝ˚āšăxămrăč̣ʼă zăfădăw qāłfə. Āqəlră zăxăṣ̂əč̣ʼ ġ˚āzără jāʾăŝə, zər zəm zăqoš zăxāṣ̂ă āzfāg˚ dăłăw zăfəšʼətənxă fāe. [tsʼəf pstawərəj ʂħafəjtawə jaːɬətanəʁara jaːfaʂʷaːʃaxamratʃʼa zafadawə qaːɬfə aqəɮra zaxaʃʼətʃʼ ʁʷaːzara jaːʔaʃə zər zəm zaqʷaʃ azfaːgʷ daɬawə zafəɕətənxa faːja] 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.

See also

Explanatory notes
  1. Adyghe: Адыгабзэ, romanized: Ādəɣābză, [aːdɘɣaːbzɜ]
  2. Only in loanwords.

References
  1. Adyghe at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) closed access
  2. "UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in danger". www.unesco.org. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  3. "Adyghe". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  4. Aydın, Şamil Emre (2015), Çerkes Diyalektleri ISBN 9786056569111
  5. Applebaum, Ayla; Gordon, Matthew (2013). "A Comparative Phonetic Study of the Circassian Languages". Berkeley Linguistics Society. University of California, Santa Barbara.
  6. ADYGHE (ADYGHIAN)
  7. Circassians bid to save ancient language. Al Jazeera. 14 May 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  8. "Circassian Quran Website". Circassian Quran. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  9. "UNESCO Map of World's language in Danger" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  10. "OHCHR |". www.ohchr.org. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
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