Abstract
The problem of the relationship of the Hattian and Abkhaz-Adyghe languages is considered. The denial by some scholars a-priori of the genetic connections of these languages is refuted by the results of numerous studies. Confirmation of the kinship of the Abkhaz-Adyghe languages with the Hаttian is of lasting importance for the history of both Adyghe and Abkhazian languages, which are newly written, and the study of the ways of their historical development is associated with significant difficulties. A comparison of the Hаttian and Abkhaz-Adyghe languages will reveal those changes that occurred in the phonetic, lexical and grammatical systems of these languages.
Keywords: Genetic kinship, living languages, dead language, etymon, preverb, formant, correspondence
The problem of genetic relationships between living Abhaz-Adyghe languages and the ancient Hattian language of the New East arose more than 100 years ago. It was posed not by Caucasian scholars or even linguists, but by orientalists who dealt with the decryption and interpretation of ancient text, and by specialists in the history of ancient Near East Asia. Based on modern publications, one gets the impression that nothing has been done in this direction in the Hattian language. However, this is not the case. It should be said that this issue has a long history.
The first of the researchers who put forward a hypothesis about the genetic relationship of the Hattian and Abhaz-Adyghe languages was E. Forrer. This hypothesis was based on the similarity of some elements of the phonetic system of the Hattian and Abhaz-Adyghe languages, on the predominance of prefixation and a number of lexical matches [11, 1029-1041].
Opponents of the search for the genetic links of the Hattian language with the Abhaz-Adyghe languages, as a rule, do not provide either specific linguistic material for the Abhaz-Adyghe languages, or material on comparison with the Hattian. Meanwhile, a logical question arises: how to explain about a hundred Hattian–Abhaz-Adyghe correspondences, obtained primarily on the basis of Abhaz-Adyghe and other living Caucasian languages in the works of the orientalists Vyach. Vs. Ivanov, Jan Brown and J. Mesarosh, who were busy searching for etymons for the Hattian morphemes. The examples of the Hattian–Abhaz-Adyghe correspondences given by different researchers basically coinside and differ only in particulars and interpretation. It is unlikely that such a large number of coincidences in the grammar and vocabulary of the Hattian and Abhaz-Adyghe languages can be considered random.
In his article “On the Relationship of the Hattian language to the North-West Caucasus” Vyach. Vs. Ivanov, in addition to comparing the Hattian and Abhaz-Adyghe nominal and verb preverbs and suffixes, cires 84 Hattian–Abhaz-Adyghe correspondences [6, 40-50]. In his report “Hattian and Abhaz-Adyghe languages” Jan Brown, in addition to describing the similarities in the morphology of the compared languages, cites 55 Hattian–Abhaz-Adyghe correspondences [2, 352-357].
“On all planes of its structure, phonological, morphological, syntactic and lexical,” says Jan Brown, “the Hattian language shows a clear resemblance to the material of the Northwestern group of Caucasian languages” [3, 324].
Hungarian scholar J. Mesarosh, who studied the Hattian language, the Hattian culture and history, compared it with the living Ubykh language (one of the Abhaz-Adyghe languages) and proved the genetic connection of the compared languages. The conclusions of J. Mesarosh are based on the identity of more than thirty grammatical formants, about twenty nominal and verb roots, verb prefixation, pronominal elements and other similarities that cover the entire language system. “Such features, characteristic of a genetic connection,” writes J. Mesarosh, “speak of the direct kinship of both languages. Despite the past millennia, the basic grammatical elements of both languages reveal striking correspondences” On pages 28-33, he provides a list of Hattian- Ubykh correspondences [12, 28].
M.I. Dyakonov believes it is most likely that Hattian (proto-Hittite) has “close relationship with Abhaz-Adyghe (North-West Caucasian) languages… Their structural proximity, in any case, is very great. For the Abhaz-Adyghe languages, as well as for the Hattian, the widespread use of prefixation is characteristic both in the noun and in the verb. However, there are some indications not only of structural similarity, but also of the material closeness of formants.” Then he gives the Hattian–Abhaz-Adyghe correspondences for thr noun and the verb [5,173-175]. According to M.I. Dyakonov, “it should not be ruled oit that the Hattian language is directly among the Abhaz-Adyghe languages”. [5,176]. And the small number of currently known material similarities between the Hattian language and the languages of the Abhaz-Adyghe group can be explained, first of all, by the dubious phonological characteristics of the Hattian formants hidden behind cuneiform graphics that have not yet been overcome, and their significance has not been clarified [5, 173-174].
G.A. Klimov considers very promising “a comparison of far-reaching typological parallelisms of the West Caucasus (Abhaz-Adyghe languages) and the Hattian, one of the ancient languages of the Hittite capital of the Hattisas archive” [&,80-81]. The proximity of some morphological forms in the Hattian and Abhaz-Adyghe languages, in his opinion, reflects the conservatism of the structural foundations of the language, their high degree of “impermeability” in conditions of prolonged contact with other unrelated languages [8, 296-297].
I.M. Dunaevskaya established a typological similarity of the structure of the verb of the Hattian and Adyghe languages [4, 75].
V.G. Ardzinba also gives description of some similar structural features of the Hattian and Abhaz-Adyghe languages and points out that, unfortunately, “the researchers, noting the above-mentioned similarities , do not compare the Hattian with other Abhaz-Adyghe languages, in particular, with the Abhaz and Abazin, based on the fact that between the verb system of the Abhaz language, on the one hand, and the Adyghe and Kabardian, on the other, there is no complete parallelism” [1,27].
As you know, there cannot be complete parallelism even between closely related languages. Adapting to the complicated life forms of people and the needs of communication, each individual language expanded in vocabulary, its syntax changed, but some structural forms in the field of morphology survived centuries and millennia [9, 306].
Back in 1955, A.S. Chikobava raised the question of the genetic connection of the ancient languages of Near East with the languages of the Caucasus as a problem of great scientific importance and relevance. “This problem can and should be solved by concentrating efforts on how to make the solution scientifically sound, convincing. If the Caucasian scholars avoid this issue, it will not be removed because of this, its development will continue, bur without their participation” [10, 79-81].
More than 60 years have passed since the formulation of this problem. However, the data of the comparative historical study of the Hattian and Abhaz-Adyghe languages are still not systematized, no conclusions bave beeb drawn as ro why a large number of similarities in both languages atr due, and the Hattian in modern studies with the help of Western experts, continues to appear as a unique isolated language, not having kinship with other languages. The solution of this issue is as relevant as possible right now and requires an urgent solution.
According to Jan Brown, “the time has come to begin detailed, comparative historical studies of the Hattian language, on the one hand, and Abhaz-Adyghe languages, on the other. It is impossible to prepare a complex, scientific comparative-historical grammars of the North-Western group of Caucasian languages without taking into account the Hattian language, which seems to be “Sanskrit” for the mentioned language group [3,324].
Literature
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