Лезги чIал - Lezgi ch'al


Welcome to my Lezgi language pages

Here I intend to put everything I know about the language of the Lezgis. Hopefully these pages will form the bulk of my site. But before we proceed to the table of contents first let me tell you about my sources, the most important of which was Hajiev & Talibov's 'Lezgi-Russian dictionary with a short sketch of grammar'. I've benefitted much from the knowledge of Elman Shikhkerimov and my other Lezgi friends, in particular Samir Qasumov, whose insightful notes helped me much in the conversation section. Last but not least, I'm deeply indebted to Martin Haspelmath, who not only has written an excellent textbook of Lezgi grammar (entitled "A grammar of Lezgian") but also sent a copy of it to me and now I have to live with the burden of his kindness on my shoulders. 

I would also like to tell you a word or two about the goals I had in mind when creating these pages. My main objective (apart from trying to learn Lezgi myself) was to fill the void and make some English-language materials about Lezgi available on the Web. Russian would perhaps be a better choice for an intermediary language of this site, as most Lezgis are fluent in it, but there's already at least one good Lezgi language site in Russian and in English there was none. Аллагьди рехъ гайитIа (Allahdi req gajit'a = if God gives way), I will try to gradually add Russian sections, but as for now here's all what we got:



  General information:      
    - An overall description of the language. Bits of basic information you can begin from.    
         
  Pronunciation:      
    - Pronunciation or how to do terrible damage to your throat. This now includes a romanization scheme (thanks be to Iveri Stvilia) which enables you to write Lezgi accurately using no special characters. - Lezgi phonemes a list of Lezgi sounds for the more linguistically-inclined  
         
  Grammar tidbits:      
    - Numerals or how to count in the vigesimal (fancy name for 'twenty-based') system - Nuts and bolts of the case system. An explanation of the uses particular case forms have. - Declension paradigms (noun, pronoun and adjective declension patterns - for reference uses)
    - Getting a bit personal. Info on Lezgi personal pronouns ie. 'I' 'you' 'it' words.      
  Wordlists & dictionaries:      
    - The directory of wordlists and dictionaries.    
  How to say things:      
    - The conversation essentials, or how to be (moderately) polite and how to say important things. - The more essential essentials, or how to say you hate them (I don't really think you'll ever need this, but just in case...)
 
  Lessons:      
    - The first ever Lezgi lesson. - The second lesson.  
  Texts to read:      
    - How to be wise with the wisdom of people, or the Lezgi proverbs and sayings. - The Kasbuba stories. A couple of Lezgi folk stories with translations.
 
  Dialects:      
         

Disclaimer - I am not a native speaker of Lezgi nor am I fluent in this language. Therefore my pages may contain errors. If you have spotted them, please let me know. My address is: peterlin[at]jzn[dot]pl


Here's your way to the main Lezgi page


I owe this page, as I owe everything, to K.D. , whose smile makes the impossible happen