The Avar Language Functioning in Georgia

Abstract

The Avar language belongs to the Ibero-Caucasian family of languages. The Georgians call the Avar speakers “Khundzis”. The Avars are one of the most numerous ethnic groups among the Dagestanis, (There are about 1 million in the world).

Their settlement in Georgia began in the second half of the 19th century. The Avars in Georgia mostly live in the Kakheti region, in the villages of Tivi, Saruso and Chantliskure (Kvareli district). According to the general census of 2014, their total number in Georgia is 954 people.

The Avar language is classified in UNESCO's Atlas of Threatened Languages (which aims to determine the status of endangered languages and monitor their performance) as a language in critical danger of extinction.

In the article, I present a number of factors that affect the functioning and vitality of the Avar language. In October 2023, I conducted a sociolinguistic survey in Kakheti, in the villages of Kvareli municipality, where Avars live compactly.

To analyze the results of the research, I used the factors determining the functioning of languages developed by UNESCO, namely: socio-linguistic situation, ethno-demographic situation, peculiarities of population education and others.

Based on the analysis of the available statistical data, I tried to present the level of vitality of the Avar language in Georgia, to highlight the causes of the problems and the existence of programs supporting the functioning of the language.