Abstract:
As is well known, as a result of the diff erentiation of the common
Georgian root, three linguistic units were formed: Georgian, Megrelian-Laz
and Svan languages. This process was accompanied by the maintenance
of common phonological, morphological and lexical isolates from the
root, as well as the emergence of diff erent linguistic phenomena, which
was followed by the formation of more or less linguistic types with more
or less diff erent structural features. We think that initially the common
Georgian root language was divided into two linguistic units - on the one
hand, Georgian (in the Eastern dialectal area) and, on the other hand,
Zan and Svan languages (in the western dialectal area). At the next stage
of diff erentiation, it seems that the structural changes of the Georgian
language are still not visible, but are obvious in the Zan and Svan area,
as a result of which the Zanuri-Svan linguistic unity is divided into Zan
(Megrelian-Laz) and Svan languages.
Phonological events are a major factor in the process of structural
change. Through internal reconstruction, it becomes clear that the phonetic
composition of the common Georgian root language in Georgian remains
largely unchanged, but undergoes signifi cant transformations in Zan and
Svan languages. In particular: The fi rst stage of diff erentiation: Formation of a common Zan and
Svan linguistic type as a result of shifting the front row of Kartvelian root
language to the rear row of sibilants spirants and Aff ricates;
The second stage of diff erentiation: Formation of Zan and Svan
linguistic units as a result of vowel transliteration in Zan language and
systematic phonetic changes in Svan language;
The third stage of diff erentiation: In Georgian, the structural model of
root language is still unchanged, and as a result of diff erent phonological
events in Zan and Svan languages, morphological and especially lexical
changes have taken place over time.
Thus, as a result of the diff erentiation of the common Georgian root
language, from the historically formed Kartvelian languages, mainly
Georgian has preserved the structural model of the root language period
(Root language *k a c i> Georgian *k a c i), In Zan and Svan languages More or
less diff erent phonological, morphological and lexical phenomena appear
in parallel with the preservation of common isogloss with root language
(Root language *k a c i > Zan *k a ch i > k o ch i; Root language *k a c i > Svan
*k a ch i > *k a sh i > *k ӓ sh > ch ӓ sh).
Extensive material discussion of the above and other phonological,
morphological and lexical phenomena in Kartvelian languages will be
presented in the report.
