Bats
Batsba Moṭṭ
ბაცბა მოტტ
Native toNorth Caucasus
RegionZemo-Alvani in Kakheti
Native speakers
(500 cited 1997)[1]
far fewer than 3,000 active (2007)
Georgian script[2]
Language codes
ISO 639-3bbl
Glottologbats1242
ELPBatsbi

Bats (Batsbur Mott' or Batsba Moṭṭ, also Batsi, Batsbi, Batsb, Batsaw, or Tsova-Tush) is the endangered language of the Bats people, a North Caucasian minority group. It is part of the Nakh family of Northeast Caucasian languages. It had 2,500 to 3,000 speakers in 1975.

There is only one dialect. It exists only as a spoken language, as Bats people use Georgian as their written language. The language is not mutually intelligible with either Chechen or Ingush, the other two members of the Nakh family.

History

Tusheti, the northeastern mountainous region of Georgia, is home to four tribes that consider themselves Tushetians: the Batsbi (also known as Tsovatush), the Gometsari, the Piriqiti, and the Chagma-Tush. Tsovatush people make up 50% of Tushetians. Only several hundred Tsovatush people speak Bats, whereas the other tribes (Gometsari, Piriqiti and Chagma-Tush) have lost the language. Evidence from toponymics indicates that the other three Tushetian tribes formerly spoke Bats, suggesting that all Tushetians once did and over time the Georgian language replaced Bats.

The mountainous terrain preserved the culture and traditions of Tushetians, but the history of isolation makes it more difficult to document them as only a few records exist.

Classification

Bats belongs to the Nakh family of Northeast Caucasian languages.

Geographic distribution

Most speakers of Bats live in the village of Zemo-Alvani, on the Kakhetia Plain, in the Akhmeta Municipality of Georgia. There are some families of Bats in Tbilisi and other bigger towns in Georgia.

Phonology

Vowels

Bats has a typical triangular five-vowel system with short–long contrast (except for u, which has no long form). Bats also has a number of diphthongs, ei, ui, oi, ai, ou, and au.[3] All vowels and diphthongs have nasalized allophones that are the result of phonetic and morphophonemic processes; this is represented by a superscript n, as in kʼnateⁿ boy-GEN.

Front Back
High i, iː u
Mid e [ɛ], eː o [ɔ], oː
Low a, aː

Consonants

Bats has a relatively typical consonant inventory for a Northeast Caucasian language. Unlike its close relatives, Chechen and Ingush, Bats has retained the lateral fricative /ɬ/. Also notable is the presence of two geminate ejectives, tːʼ and qːʼ, which are cross-linguistically rare.[4]

Consonant Phonemes of Bats[5]
Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal(ized) Velar Uvular Pharyngeal Glottal
Nasal m n
Plosive aspirated lenis pʰ tʰ t͜sʰ t͡ʃʰ kʰ qʰ ʔ
voiceless fortis tː qː
voiced b d d͜z d͡ʒ g
ejective lenis pʼ tʼ t͜sʼ t͡ʃʼ kʼ qʼ
fortis tːʼ qːʼ
Fricative voiceless lenis s ʃ x ħ h
fortis sː xː
lateral ɬ
voiced v z ʒ ɣ ʕ
Approximant lenis l j
fortis lː
Flap ɾ

Writing

Writing comparison table

Schifner, 1856 Imnaishvili, 1977 Kadagidze, 1984 Mikeladze, 2012 Desheriev, 1953 Chrelashvili, 1999 IPA
Georgian
transcription		 Latin
transcription		 Georgian
transcription		 Latin
transcription		 Georgian
transcription		 Latin
transcription
a ა a ა a ა, ⁀ა A a, ⁀A ⁀a а а IPA: [a]
Ǎ ǎ, â а͏̆ а͏̆ IPA: [ă]
ā ā Ā ā а̄ а̄ IPA: [aː]
ā̄ IPA: [aː]
აჼ aⁿ აჼ aⁿ აჼ, ⁀აჼ à ã, ⁀à⁀ã а̃ а̃ IPA: [ã]
Ā̃ ā̃ IPA: [ãː]
b ბ b ბ b ბ B b б б IPA: [b]
g გ g გ g გ G g г г IPA: [ɡ]
d დ d დ d დ D d д д IPA: [d]
e ე e ე e ე E e е, э е IPA: [e]
⁀ Ē ē, ⁀Ē ⁀ē е̄ IPA: [eː]
ĕ ĕ ě, ê е͏̆ е͏̆ IPA: [ĕ]
ეჼ eⁿ ეჼ eⁿ ეჼ Ẽ ẽ е̃ е̃ IPA: [ẽ]
Ē̃ ē̃ IPA: [ẽː]
w ვ v ვ v ვ V v в в IPA: [v]
z ზ z ზ z ზ Z z з з IPA: [z]
ṫ თ t თ t თ T t т т IPA: [tʰ]
თთ tt თჾ tჾ თჾ tჾ тт тт IPA: [tː]
i ი i ი i ი, ⁀ი I i, ⁀I ⁀i и и IPA: [i]
Ī ī ӣ ӣ IPA: [iː]
ĭ ĭ î и͏̆ и͏̆ IPA: [ĭ]
იჼ iⁿ იჼ iⁿ იჼ Ĩ ĩ и̃ и̃ IPA: [ĩ]
Ī̃ ī̃ IPA: [ĩː]
k კ ḳ კ ḳ კ Ḳ ḳ кӀ кӀ IPA: [kʼ]
l ლ l ლ l ლ L l л л IPA: [l]
ლლ ll ლჾ lჾ ლჾ lჾ лл лл IPA: [lː]
l͓ ლʻ lʻ ლʻ lʻ ლʻ lʻ лъ лъ IPA: [ɬ]
m მ m მ m მ M m м м IPA: [m]
n ნ n ნ n ნ N n н н IPA: [n]
j ჲ j ჲ j ჲ J j й й IPA: [j]
ჲჼ j̇̃ IPA: [j̃]
o ო o ო o ო, ⁀ო O o, ⁀O ⁀o о о IPA: [o]
Ō ō о̄ о̄ IPA: [oː]
ō̄ IPA: [oː]
ŏ ŏ ǒ, ô о͏̆ о͏̆ IPA: [ŏ]
ოჼ oⁿ ოჼ oⁿ ოჼ Õ õ о̃ о̃ IPA: [õ]
Ō̃ ō̃ IPA: [õː]
p პ p̣ პ p̣ პ P̣ p̣ пӀ пӀ IPA: [pʼ]
ż ჟ ž ჟ ž ჟ Ž ž ж ж IPA: [ʒ]
r რ r რ r რ R r р р IPA: [ɾ]
რʻ rʻ რʻ rʻ IPA: [ɾ̥]
s ს s ს s ს S s с с IPA: [s]
სს ss სჾ sჾ სჾ sჾ сс сс IPA: [sː]
t ტ ṭ ტ ṭ ტ Ṭ ṭ тӀ тӀ IPA: [tʼ]
ტტ ṭṭ ტჾ ṭჾ ტჾ ṭჾ тӀтӀ тӀтӀ IPA: [tʼː]
u უ u უ u უ, ⁀უ U u, ⁀U ⁀u у у IPA: [u]
Ū ū ӯ IPA: [uː]
ŭ ŭ Ǔ ǔ, û у͏̆ у͏̆ IPA: [ŭ]
უჼ uⁿ უჼ uⁿ უჼ, ⁀უჼ Ũ ũ, ⁀Ũ ⁀ũ у̃ у̃ IPA: [ũ]
ṗ ფ p ფ p ფ P p п п IPA: [pʰ]
k̇ ქ k ქ k ქ K k к к IPA: [kʰ]
ġ ღ ɣ ღ ɣ ღ Ɣ ɣ гӀ гӀ IPA: [ɣ]
q ყ q̣ ყ q̣ ყ Q̣ q̣ къ къ IPA: [qʼ]
ყყ q̣q̣ ყჾ q̣ჾ ყჾ q̣ჾ къкъ къкъ IPA: [qʼː]
ṡ შ š შ š შ Š š ш ш IPA: [ʃ]
შჾ šჾ IPA: [ʃː]
ċ ჩ č ჩ č ჩ Č č ч ч IPA: [t͡ʃʰ]
c ც c ც c ც C c ц ц IPA: [t͡sʰ]
ʒ ძ ʒ ძ ʒ ძ Ʒ ʒ дз дз IPA: [d͡z]
c̣ წ c̣ წ c̣ წ C̣ c̣ цӀ цӀ IPA: [t͡sʼ]
ċ̣ ჭ č̣ ჭ č̣ ჭ Č̣ č̣ чӀ чӀ IPA: [t͡ʃʼ]
x ხ x ხ x ხ X x х х IPA: [x]
ხხ xx ხჾ xჾ ხჾ xჾ хх хх IPA: [xː]
q ჴ q ჴ q ჴ Q q кх кх IPA: [qʰ]
ჴჴ qq ჴჾ qჾ ჴჾ qჾ ккх кхкх IPA: [qː]
ʒ̇ ჯ ǯ ჯ ǯ ჯ Ǯ ǯ дж дж IPA: [d͡ʒ]
x̣ ჰ h ჰ h ჰ H h хӀ хӀ IPA: [h]
ḥ ჰჾ hჾ ჰ⁊ h⁊ ჰ⁊ H⁊ h⁊/Ⱨ ⱨ хь хь IPA: [ħ]
ჵ ꞷ ჵ ჵ ꞷ Ӏъ Ӏъ IPA: [ʡ]
ʼ ʻ ʻ ჺ ʻ ჺ/ع ʻ Ӏ Ӏ IPA: [ʕ]
— ʼ ʼ ჸ ʼ ჸ ʼ ʼ ъ IPA: [ʔ]
— — — — — — — ф — IPA: [f]
— w — — — — — — IPA: [w]

Grammar

The first grammar of Bats, Über die Thusch-Sprache, was compiled by the German orientalist Anton Schiefner (1817–1879), making it into the first grammar of an indigenous Caucasian language based on sound scientific principles.[6]

Noun classes

Traditional analyses posit that Bats has eight noun classes, the highest number among the Northeast Caucasian languages; however, a more recent analysis gives only five classes.[5] This analysis (not unlike analyses of Lak) yields the grouping shown below:

LabelSingularPluralDescriptionMembers
Mvbmale humansmar "husband"
ʕuv "shepherd"
voħ "son"
Fjdfemale humansnan "mother"
pstʼu "wife"
joħ "daughter"
Dddvariousbader "child"
kʼuit’ĭ "cat"
dokʼ "heart"
ditx "meat"
Bdbdanimalscarkʼ "tooth"
maiqĭ "bread"
qʼar "rain"
Jjjvariouspħu "dog"
ča "bear"
matx "sun"
*Bd/Jbjbody parts (15 nouns)bak "fist"
bʕarkʼ "eye"
čʼqʼempʼŏ "throat"
*D/Jdjbody parts (4 nouns)batʼr "lip", larkʼ "ear"
tʼotʼ "hand", čʼamaǧ "cheek"
*B/Bbbonly 3 nounsborag "knit slipper"
čekam "boot"
kakam "autumn wool"

Under this analysis, the additional three classes are examples of inquorate gender, where the number of items displaying this behavior are insufficient to constitute an independent grouping. Furthermore, they can be explained as inflecting one class in the singular, and another in the plural, e.g. the B/B group agrees as if it belonged to the Bd class in the singular but the male human class in the plural.

Noun cases

Batsbi makes use of nine noun cases total, though in the majority of nouns, the ergative and instrumental cases have a common form.

CasesSingularPluralSingularPlural
Nominativenekʼnekʼicokʼalcokʼli
Genitive nekʼen nekʼan cokʼlen cokʼlan
Dativenekʼennekʼincokʼlencokʼlin
Ergative,
Instrumental		nekʼevnekʼivcokʼlevcokʼliv
Contacting casenek’exnekʼaxcokʼlexcokʼlax
Allativenekʼegŏnekʼigŏcokʼlegŏcokʼligŏ
Adverbialnekʼeǧnekʼiǧcokʼleǧcokʼliǧ
Commitive case nekʼcin,
nekʼecin		 nekʼicin cokʼlecin cokʼlicin
"knife""fox"

Numerals

Like most of its relatives, Bats' numerals are vigesimal, using 20 as a common base. This is mainly evident in the construction of higher decads, so that 40 (šauztʼqʼ) is formed from 2 × 20 and 200 (icʼatʼqʼ) formed from is 10 × 20.[5] When modifying nominals, the numeral precedes the noun it modifies.

Basic numbers
1cħa11cħajtʼː1+10
2ši12šiitʼː2+10
3qo13qoitʼː3+10
4Dʕivʔ14Dʕevajtʼː4+10
5pxi15pxiitʼː5+10
6jetx16jetxajtʼː6+10
7vorɬ17vorɬajtʼː7+10
8barɬ18barɬajtʼː8+10
9isː19tʼqʼexc’20–1
10itʼː20tʼqʼa
Higher decads
21tʼqʼacħa20+1
22tʼqʼaš20+2
30tʼqʼaitʼː20+10
31tʼqʼacħaitʼː(20+1)+10
32tʼqʼašiitʼː(20+2)+10
40šauztʼqʼ2×20
50šauztʼqʼaitʼː(2×20)+10
60qouztʼqʼ3×20
70qouztʼqʼaitʼː(3×20)+10
80Dʕe(v)uztʼqʼ4×20
90Dʕe(v)uztʼqʼaitʼː(4×20)+10
100pxauztʼqʼ5×20
120jexcʼatʼqʼfrom jetxcʼatʼqʼ 6x20
160barɬcʼatʼqʼ8×20
200icʼatʼqʼfrom itʼːcʼatʼqʼ 10x20
1000atasfrom Georgian

In Bats, as in its closest relatives Chechen and Ingush, the number four (Dʕivʔ) begins with a noun-class marker, represented by D (by default, or another capital letter for the other classes). This marker will agree in class with the class of the nominal which the number modifies, even if that nominal is not overtly expressed and is only apparent through pragmatic or discursive context, as in Vʕivʔev (four (males)). This is seen in the word four itself as well as its derivatives.

Verbs

Bats has explicit inflections for agentivity of a verb; it makes a distinction between "as woʒe" (I fell down through no fault of my own) and "so woʒe" (I fell down and it was my own fault).

References

  1. ↑ "UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in danger". UNESCO. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
  2. ↑ "Batsbi alphabet, pronunciation and language". Omniglot.com. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  3. ↑ HG1994
  4. ↑ Hauk, Bryn; Hakim, Jacob (Summer 2019). "Acoustic properties of singleton and geminate ejectives in Tsova-Tush" (PDF). ICPhS 2019 Conference Proceedings.
  5. 1 2 3 Holisky, Dee Ann and Gagua, Rusudan, 1994. "Tsova-Tush (Batsbi)", in The indigenous languages of the Caucasus Vol 4, Rieks Smeets, editor. Caravan Books, pp. 147-212
  6. ↑ Kevin Tuite (2007). The rise and fall and revival of the Ibero-Caucasian hypothesis, pp. 7-8. Historiographia Linguistica, 35 #1.
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