Adyghe is a North West Caucasian language spoken by about 300,000
people mainly in the Republic of Adygea in the Russian Federation.
Adyghe, which is also known as West Circassian, is also spoken in
Turkey, Israel and Jordan.
Adyghe is closely related to Kabardian, and to a lesser extent to
Ubykh, Abkhaz and Abaza. According to the UNESCO Map of the World’s
Languages in Danger (2009), Adyghe is vulnerable.
Since 1938 Adyghe has been written with a version of the Cyrillic
alphabet. Between 1927 and 1938 it was written with the Latin alphabet,
and before 1927 it was written with the Arabic alphabet. The literary
language is based on the Chemguy dialect.
Cyrillic alphabet for Adyghe
The transliteration used above is the ALA-LC (American Library Association/Library of Congress) version. Other versions
can be seen at: http://transliteration.eki.ee/pdf/Adyghe_3.0.pdf
Sample text in Adyghe
УблапІэм ыдэжь ГущыІэр щыІагъ. Ар Тхьэм ыдэжь щыІагъ, а ГущыІэри Тхьэу арыгъэ. УблапІэм щегъэжьагъэу а ГущыІэр Тхьэм ыдэжь щыІагъ. Тхьэм а ГущыІэм зэкІэри къыригъэгъэхъугъ. Тхьэм къыгъэхъугъэ пстэуми ащыщэу а ГущыІэм къыримыгъгъэхъугъэ зи щыІэп. МыкІодыжьын щыІэныгъэ а ГущыІэм хэлъыгъ, а щыІэныгъэри цІыфхэм нэфынэ афэхъугъ. Нэфынэр шІункІыгъэм щэнэфы, шІункІыгъэри нэфынэм текІуагъэп.
Transliteration
Ublapḣėm ydėzh′ Gushchyḣėr shchyḣag″. Ar Tkh′ėm ydėzh′ shchyḣag″, a Gushchyḣėri Tkh′ėu aryg″ė. Ublapḣėm shchеg″ėzh′ag″ėu a Gushchyḣėr Tkh′ėm ydėzh′ shchyḣag″. Tkh′ėm a Gushchyḣėm zėkḣėri k″yrig″ėg″ėkh″ug″. Tkh′ėm k″yg″ėkh″ug″ė pstėumi ashchyshchėu a Gushchyḣėm k″yrimyg″g″ėkh″ug″ė zi shchyḣėp. Mykḣоdyzh′yn shchyḣėnyg″ė a Gushchyḣėm khėl″yg″, a shchyḣėnyg″ėri t͡sḣyfkhėm nėfynė afėkh″ug″. Nėfynėr shḣunkḣyg″ėm shchėnėfy, shḣunkḣyg″ėri nėfynėm tеkḣuag″ėp.
Translation
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were
made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In
him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth
in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.
Source: http://www.language-museum.com/encyclopedia/a/adyghe.php
Links
Information about Adyghe language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adyghe_language
http://www.circassianworld.com/pdf/North_West_Caucasian_Hewitt.pdf
Adyghe Language Guide – online lessons
http://cakhasa.com/classes/portable_idx.html
Adyghe transliteration tool
http://www.translitteration.com/transliteration/en/adyghe/ala-lc/
Recordings in Adyghe
http://globalrecordings.net/en/program/C18820
Caucasian languages
Northeast Caucasian:
Aghul,
Akhvakh,
Archi,
Avar,
Budukh,
Chechen,
Dargwa,
Godoberi,
Hinukh,
Hunzib,
Ingush,
Khwarshi,
Lak,
Lezgian,
Tabassaran,
Tsez,
Udi
Northwest Caucasian:
Abaza,
Abhkaz,
Adyghe,
Kabardian,
Ubykh
South Caucasian (Kartvelian):
Georgian,
Laz,
Mingrelian,
Svan