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Avar language (emergency avar mats̄I, magIarul mats̄I(lit. ‘mountain, mountain language’), load. Khunzuri Ena (literally ‘Khunzakh language’) is the language of the Avar-Andean group of the Nakh-Dagestan family of languages. Structurally, it is closest to the Andean languages. The basis of the literary Avar language is the so-called. BolmatsӀtsӀ (“language of the army”) is an interdialectal language developed on the basis of the northern dialect.

Linguogeography

Range and numbers

According to the notes of Russian Army General A. A. Neverovsky for 1847:

Since the Avars have always been the strongest tribe in the mountains and have always occupied the middle of Dagestan, their language became dominant among the inhabitants of the described region. Almost all highlanders know how to speak Avar and use this language in oral communications with each other.

Currently, the Avar language is widespread among the Avars living in Dagestan, northern Azerbaijan, northeastern Georgia and Turkey. The number of Avar speakers in Russia is 715,297 people. (2010). This number includes many speakers of Ando-Tsez languages ​​who use Avar as a second language. The approximate number of speakers of Avar as a native language is 703 thousand people. (2010).

Dialects

The Avar dialects have diverged quite widely, so that there is often a lack of mutual understanding between them.

Avar dialects are divided into northern and southern groups (adverbs). The first includes Salatav, Khunzakh and Eastern, the second - Gid, Antsukh, Zaqatal, Karakh, Andalal, Kakhib and Kusur; the Batlukh dialect occupies an intermediate position. There are phonetic, morphological and lexical differences between individual dialects and dialect groups as a whole. The modern Avar literary language was formed on the basis of the Khunzakh dialect.

Since the dialects of the northern dialect - eastern (Buinaksky, Gergebilsky and Levashinsky districts of Dagestan), Salatavsky (Kazbekovsky, Gumbetovsky and some other regions of Dagestan) and Khunzakh (Khunzakhsky and Untsukulsky districts of Dagestan) are quite close to the literary norm (one can only point out the correspondence of Khunz. , eastern u - salad o; transition p< гь, выпадение звонкого б в интервокальном положении, тенденцию к утрате классных показателей в хунзахском, использование финитной формы вместо причастия в составном сказуемом в салатавском и др.), здесь будут отмечены лишь особенности южных диалектов.

Story

Famous Avar poets are: Zaid Gadzhiev, Rasul Gamzatov, Mashidat Gairbekova, Fazu Aliyeva, Adallo Ali.

Among the fairly well-known works, the folk “Song of Khochbar” and “Heroes in Fur Coats” by the writer Rajab Din-Magomayev should be noted.

Writing

Apparently, no later than the 15th century, Arabic writing penetrated into Avaria, but only in the 2nd half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. it has become widespread. The first version of Avar writing on a Cyrillic basis was created by P. K. Uslar in 1861 in Tiflis. In 1928, a decision was made to translate the Avar language into the Latin alphabet, and in 1938 a new alphabet on a Russian graphic basis was introduced.

Modern alphabet

A a	B b	In in	G g	G g g	Gee gee	GӀ gӀ	D d
Her	Her	F	Z z	And and	Thy	K k	K
Whoa	КӀ кӀ	L l	L'l'	Mm	N n	Oh oh	P p
R r	With with	T t	TӀ tӀ	U y	F f	X x	x x x
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHR	XӀ xӀ	Ts ts	TsӀ tsӏ	H h	ChӀ chӀ	Sh sh	sch sch
Kommersant	s s	b b	Uh uh	Yu Yu	I I

Linguistic characteristics

The structure of the Avar language is characterized by a complex system of consonants, the presence of nominal classes, numerous local cases, and ergative construction.

Phonetics and phonology

Consonant system of the Avar language

		Labial	Dental		Postalveolar				Chambers	Velar		Uvular		Epigle.	Glott.
					Central		Lateral
			weak	strong	weak	strong	weak	strong		weak	strong	weak	strong
Nasals
Explosion.	voiced
	deaf										kː
	emphatic		tʼ							kʼ	kːʼ
Affric.	deaf		t͡s	t͡sː	t͡ʃ	t͡ʃː		t͡ɬː					q͡χː
	emphatic		t͡sʼ	t͡sːʼ	t͡ʃʼ	t͡ʃːʼ		(t͡ɬːʼ)					q͡χːʼ
Fricat.	deaf			sː		ʃː		ɬː			xː		χː
	voiced
Trembling
Approximant

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Notes

Literature

• Alekseev M. E., Ataev B. M. Avar language. M., 1997.
• Ataev B. M. Avars: history, language, writing. Makhachkala, 1996.
• Avar-Russian dictionary. - Moscow, 1936.
• Avar-Russian dictionary. - Moscow, 1967.
• Russian-Avar dictionary. - Makhachkala, 1955.
• Malamagomedov D. M.// Electronic magazine “Knowledge. Understanding. Skill." - 2008. - No. 5 - Philology.

Links

• / M.E. Alekseev // Great Russian Encyclopedia: [in 35 volumes] / ch. ed. Yu. S. Osipov. - M. : Great Russian Encyclopedia, 2004-.

State language of the Russian Federation Official languages subjects of the Federation Languages ​​with official status

Nakh branch Avaro-Ando-Tsez branch

An excerpt characterizing the Avar language

Platov's detachment acted independently of the army. Several times the Pavlograd residents were in units in skirmishes with the enemy, captured prisoners and once even recaptured the crews of Marshal Oudinot. In April, Pavlograd residents stood for several weeks near an empty German village that had been destroyed to the ground, without moving.
There was frost, mud, cold, the rivers were broken, the roads became impassable; For several days they did not provide food to either the horses or the people. Since delivery became impossible, people scattered across abandoned desert villages to look for potatoes, but they found little of that. Everything was eaten, and all the inhabitants fled; those who remained were worse than beggars, and there was nothing to take from them, and even little - compassionate soldiers often, instead of taking advantage of them, gave them their last.
The Pavlograd regiment lost only two wounded in action; but lost almost half of the people from hunger and disease. They died so surely in hospitals that soldiers, sick with fever and swelling resulting from bad food, preferred to serve, dragging their feet to the front rather than go to hospitals. With the opening of spring, the soldiers began to find a plant emerging from the ground, similar to asparagus, which they called for some reason Mashkin’s sweet root, and they scattered across the meadows and fields, looking for this Mashkin’s sweet root (which was very bitter), dug it up with sabers and ate it, despite to orders not to eat this harmful plant.
In the spring, a new disease appeared among the soldiers, swelling of the arms, legs and face, the cause of which doctors believed was the use of this root. But despite the ban, the Pavlograd soldiers of Denisov’s squadron ate mainly Mashka’s sweet root, because for the second week they were stretching out the last crackers, they were only given half a pound per person, and the potatoes in the last parcel were delivered frozen and sprouted. The horses had also been eating thatched roofs from houses for the second week; they were hideously thin and covered with tufts of matted winter hair.
Despite such a disaster, soldiers and officers lived exactly the same as always; in the same way now, although with pale and swollen faces and in tattered uniforms, the hussars lined up for calculations, went to the cleaning, cleaned horses, ammunition, dragged straw from the roofs instead of feed and went to dine at the boilers, from which the hungry got up, making fun of with your disgusting food and your hunger. Just as always, in their free time from service, the soldiers burned fires, steamed naked by the fires, smoked, selected and baked sprouted, rotten potatoes and told and listened to stories about either the Potemkin and Suvorov campaigns, or tales about Alyosha the scoundrel, and about the priest's farmhand Mikolka.
The officers, as usual, lived in twos and threes in open, half-ruined houses. The elders took care of purchasing straw and potatoes, in general about the means of subsistence of the people, the younger ones were busy, as always, with cards (there was a lot of money, although there was no food), and with innocent games - pile and towns. Little was said about the general course of affairs, partly because they knew nothing positive, partly because they vaguely felt that the general cause of the war was going badly.
Rostov lived, as before, with Denisov, and their friendly relationship, since their vacation, had become even closer. Denisov never spoke about Rostov’s family, but from the tender friendship that the commander showed to his officer, Rostov felt that the old hussar’s unhappy love for Natasha participated in this strengthening of friendship. Denisov apparently tried to expose Rostov to danger as little as possible, took care of him and after the case he especially joyfully greeted him safe and sound. On one of his business trips, Rostov found in an abandoned, devastated village, where he had come for provisions, the family of an old Pole and his daughter with an infant. They were naked, hungry, and could not leave, and did not have the means to leave. Rostov brought them to his camp, placed them in his apartment, and kept them for several weeks while the old man recovered. Rostov's comrade, having started talking about women, began to laugh at Rostov, saying that he was more cunning than everyone else, and that it would not be a sin for him to introduce his comrades to the pretty Polish woman he had saved. Rostov took the joke as an insult and, flushing, said such unpleasant things to the officer that Denisov could hardly keep both of them from the duel. When the officer left and Denisov, who himself did not know Rostov’s relationship with the Polish woman, began to reproach him for his temper, Rostov told him:
- How do you want... She’s like a sister to me, and I can’t describe to you how offended it was for me... because... well, that’s why...
Denisov hit him on the shoulder and quickly began to walk around the room, without looking at Rostov, which he did in moments of emotional excitement.
“What an amazing weather of yours,” he said, and Rostov noticed tears in Denisov’s eyes.

In April, the troops were enlivened by the news of the sovereign's arrival to the army. Rostov did not manage to get to the review that the sovereign was doing in Bartenstein: the Pavlograd residents stood at outposts, far ahead of Bartenstein.
They stood in bivouacs. Denisov and Rostov lived in a dugout dug for them by the soldiers, covered with branches and turf. The dugout was constructed in the following way, which then became fashionable: a ditch was dug one and a half arshins wide, two arshins deep and three and a half long. At one end of the ditch there were steps, and this was a porch; the ditch itself was a room in which the happy ones, like the squadron commander, on the far side, opposite the steps, had a board lying on stakes - it was a table. On both sides along the ditch, a yard of earth was removed, and these were two beds and sofas. The roof was arranged so that you could stand in the middle, and you could even sit on the bed if you moved closer to the table. Denisov, who lived luxuriously because the soldiers of his squadron loved him, also had a board in the gable of the roof, and in this board there was broken but glued glass. When it was very cold, the heat from the soldiers’ fires was brought to the steps (to the reception room, as Denisov called this part of the booth) on a curved iron sheet, and it became so warm that the officers, of whom there were always many at Denisov and Rostov’s, sat alone shirts.
In April, Rostov was on duty. At 8 o'clock in the morning, returning home after a sleepless night, he ordered the heat to be brought, changed his rain-wet clothes, prayed to God, drank tea, warmed up, put things in order in his corner and on the table, and with a weather-beaten, burning face, wearing only a shirt, he lay on his back with his hands under his head. He was pleasantly thinking about the fact that one of these days he should receive his next rank for the last reconnaissance, and was waiting for Denisov to come out somewhere. Rostov wanted to talk to him.
Behind the hut, Denisov’s rolling cry was heard, obviously getting excited. Rostov moved to the window to see who he was dealing with and saw Sergeant Topcheenko.
“I told you not to let them burn this fire, some kind of machine!” Denisov shouted. “After all, I saw it myself, Lazag” was dragging the chuk from the field.
“I ordered, your honor, they didn’t listen,” answered the sergeant.
Rostov lay down on his bed again and thought with pleasure: “Let him fuss and fuss now, I’ve finished my job and I’m lying down - great!” From behind the wall he heard that, in addition to the sergeant, Lavrushka, that lively rogue lackey of Denisov, was also speaking. Lavrushka told something about some carts, crackers and bulls, which he saw while going for provisions.
Behind the booth, Denisov’s scream was heard again, retreating, and the words: “Saddle up! Second platoon!
“Where are they going?” thought Rostov.
Five minutes later, Denisov entered the booth, climbed onto the bed with dirty feet, angrily smoked a pipe, scattered all his things, put on a whip and a saber and began to leave the dugout. To Rostov’s question, where? he answered angrily and vaguely that there was a matter.
- God and the great sovereign judge me there! - Denisov said, leaving; and Rostov heard the feet of several horses splashing in the mud behind the booth. Rostov didn’t even bother to find out where Denisov went. Having warmed himself up in his coal, he fell asleep and just left the booth in the evening. Denisov has not returned yet. The evening cleared up; Near the neighboring dugout, two officers and a cadet were playing pile, laughingly planting radishes in the loose, dirty soil. Rostov joined them. In the middle of the game, the officers saw carts approaching them: about 15 hussars on thin horses followed them. The carts, escorted by the hussars, drove up to the hitching posts, and a crowd of hussars surrounded them.
“Well, Denisov kept grieving,” said Rostov, “and now the provisions have arrived.”
- And then! - said the officers. - Those are very welcome soldiers! “Denisov rode a little behind the hussars, accompanied by two infantry officers with whom he was talking about something. Rostov went to meet him halfway.
“I’m warning you, captain,” said one of the officers, thin, small in stature and apparently embittered.
“After all, I said that I wouldn’t give it back,” Denisov answered.
- You will answer, captain, this is a riot - take away the transports from your own! We didn't eat for two days.
“But mine didn’t eat for two weeks,” answered Denisov.
- This is robbery, answer me, my dear sir! – the infantry officer repeated, raising his voice.
- Why are you pestering me? A? - Denisov shouted, suddenly getting excited, - I will answer, not you, and you don’t buzz around here while you’re still alive. March! – he shouted at the officers.
- Good! - without timidity and without moving away, the little officer shouted, - to rob, so I tell you...
“To chog” that march at a fast pace, while he’s still intact.” And Denisov turned his horse towards the officer.
“Okay, okay,” the officer said with a threat, and, turning his horse, he rode away at a trot, shaking in the saddle.
“A dog is in trouble, a living dog is in trouble,” Denisov said after him - the highest mockery of a cavalryman at a mounted infantryman, and, approaching Rostov, he burst out laughing.
– He recaptured the infantry, recaptured the transport by force! - he said. - Well, shouldn’t people die of hunger?
The carts that approached the hussars were assigned to an infantry regiment, but, having been informed through Lavrushka that this transport was coming alone, Denisov and the hussars repulsed it by force. The soldiers were given plenty of crackers, even shared with other squadrons.
The next day, the regimental commander called Denisov to him and told him, covering his eyes with open fingers: “I look at it like this, I don’t know anything and I won’t start anything; but I advise you to go to headquarters and there, in the provisions department, settle this matter, and, if possible, sign that you received so much food; otherwise, the demand is written down on the infantry regiment: the matter will arise and may end badly.”
Denisov went directly from the regimental commander to headquarters, with a sincere desire to carry out his advice. In the evening he returned to his dugout in a position in which Rostov had never seen his friend before. Denisov could not speak and was choking. When Rostov asked him what was wrong with him, he only uttered incomprehensible curses and threats in a hoarse and weak voice...
Frightened by Denisov's situation, Rostov asked him to undress, drink water and sent for a doctor.
- Try me for crime - oh! Give me some more water - let them judge, but I will, I will always beat the scoundrels, and I will tell the sovereign. Give me some ice,” he said.
The regimental doctor who came said that it was necessary to bleed. A deep plate of black blood came out of Denisov’s shaggy hand, and only then was he able to tell everything that happened to him.
“I’m coming,” Denisov said. - “Well, where is your boss here?” Shown. Would you like to wait? “I have work, I came 30 miles away, I don’t have time to wait, report.” Okay, this chief thief comes out: he also decided to teach me: This is robbery! - “Robbery, I say, is committed not by the one who takes provisions to feed his soldiers, but by the one who takes it to put it in his pocket!” So would you like to remain silent? "Fine". Sign, he says, with the commission agent, and your case will be handed over to the command. I come to the commission agent. I enter - at the table... Who?! No, just think!...Who is starving us, - Denisov shouted, hitting the table with the fist of his sore hand, so hard that the table almost fell and the glasses jumped on it, - Telyanin! “What, are you starving us?!” Once, once in the face, deftly it was necessary... “Ah... with this and that and... began to roll. But I was amused, I can say,” Denisov shouted, baring his white teeth joyfully and angrily from under his black mustache. “I would have killed him if they hadn’t taken him away.”
“Why are you shouting, calm down,” Rostov said: “here the blood is starting again.” Wait, I need to bandage it. Denisov was bandaged and put to bed. The next day he woke up cheerful and calm. But at noon, the regimental adjutant with a serious and sad face came to the common dugout of Denisov and Rostov and with regret showed a uniform paper to Major Denisov from the regimental commander, in which inquiries were made about yesterday's incident. The adjutant reported that the matter was about to take a very bad turn, that a military court commission had been appointed, and that with the real severity regarding the looting and high-handedness of the troops, in a happy case, the matter could end in demotion.

Sometimes some of us hear about such a nationality as the Avar. What kind of nation are the Avars?

It is indigenous to eastern Georgia. Today, this nationality has grown so much that it is the main population in Dagestan.

Origin

It still remains very vague. According to the Georgian chronicle, their family descends from Khozonikhos, a descendant of the progenitor of the Dagestan people. In the past, the Avar Khanate - Khunzakh - was named after him.

There is an opinion that in fact the Avars descended from the Caspians, Legs and Gels, but this is not supported by any evidence, including the people themselves do not consider themselves to be any of the above tribes. Currently, research is being conducted to find a connection between the Avars and the Avars who founded the Kanagat, however, so far these attempts have not brought the desired result. But thanks to genetic analyzes (maternal line only), we can say that this nationality (Avar) is closest to the Slavs than to other peoples of Georgia.

Other versions of the origin of the Avars also do not clarify, but only confuse due to the existence of two different tribes with almost the same name. The only thing that historians mention is the likelihood that the name of this nationality was given by the Kumyks, to whom they caused a lot of trouble. The word "Avar" is translated from Turkic as "anxious" or "warlike", in some legends this name was given to mythical creatures gifted with superhuman strength.

Those whose nationality is Avar often call themselves as they see fit: maarulals, mountaineers and even “supreme”.

History of the people

Land occupied by Avars from the 5th to the 6th centuries. BC e., was named Sarir. This kingdom extended to the north and bordered the settlements of the Alans and Khazars. Despite all the circumstances playing in Sarir’s favor, it became a major political state only in the 10th century.

Although this was the period of the early Middle Ages, the society and culture of the country were at a very high level, various crafts and cattle breeding flourished here. The capital of Sarir was the city of Humraj. The king who especially distinguished himself by his successful reign was called Avar. The history of the Avars mentions him as an extremely brave ruler, and some scientists even believe that the name of the people came from his name.

Two centuries later, on the site of Sarir, the Avar Khanate arose - one of the most powerful settlements, and independent “free communities” emerged among other lands. Representatives of the latter were distinguished by their ferocity and strong fighting spirit.

The period of existence of the Khanate was a turbulent time: wars constantly raged, the consequences of which were devastation and stagnation. However, in times of trouble he united, and his unity only grew stronger. An example of this was the Battle of Andalal, which did not stop day or night. However, the mountaineers achieved success thanks to their knowledge of the area and various tricks. This people was so united that even women, driven by the desire to preserve their home, took part in hostilities. Thus, we can say that this nationality (Avar) really received the correct name, well deserved by the belligerence of the inhabitants of the Khanate.

In the 18th century, many khanates of the Caucasus and Dagestan became part of Russia. Those who did not want to live under the yoke of tsarist power organized an uprising that grew into a rebellion that lasted for 30 years. Despite all the disagreements, in the second half of the next century, Dagestan became part of Russia.

Language

The Avars developed their own language and writing back in the days. Since this tribe was considered the strongest in the mountains, its dialect quickly spread across the adjacent lands, becoming dominant. Today, the language is native to more than 700 thousand people.

Avar dialects are very different and are divided into northern and southern groups, so native speakers speaking different dialects are unlikely to understand each other. However, the dialect of the northerners is closer to the literary norm, and it is easier to grasp the essence of the conversation.

Writing

Despite the early penetration, the inhabitants of Avaria began to use it only a couple of centuries ago. Before this, an alphabet based on the Cyrillic alphabet was in use, but at the beginning of the 19th century. it was decided to replace it with the Latin alphabet.

Today, the official writing is graphically similar to the Russian alphabet, but containing 46 characters instead of 33.

Customs of the Avars

The culture of this people is quite specific. For example, when communicating between people, a distance must be maintained: men are prohibited from approaching women closer than two meters, while the latter must maintain half that distance. The same rule applies to conversations between young people and old people.

Avars, like other peoples of Dagestan, are taught from childhood not only according to age, but also according to social status. The one who is “more important” always goes to the right, and the husband goes ahead of his wife.

The customs of Avar hospitality break all records of friendliness. According to tradition, the visitor rises above the owner, regardless of his rank and age, and can come at any time of the day without notifying him in advance. The owner of the house assumes full responsibility for the health and safety of visitors. But the guest is also obliged to observe certain rules of etiquette that prohibit performing a number of actions that are not accepted in local society.

In family relationships, the power of the head of the house was not despotic; the woman had a leading role in resolving many issues, but at the same time there was some forced alienation between husband and wife. For example, according to the rules, they should not sleep in bed together or live in the same room if there are several rooms in the house.

There was also a ban on communication between girls and boys, so the Avar (what kind of nation was told earlier) visited the house of the chosen one to leave in it a certain thing, regarded as a marriage proposal.

Nationality Avar

Thus, we can say that the Avars are an extremely interesting people with a rich centuries-old history and fascinating customs, which are far from being fully described in this article. These are very open people who do not know irony, but love farce. They are extremely emotional, so in personal communication you should not make an Avar angry by hurting his sense of patriotism or hinting at physical weakness.

Namely, to its Avar-Andean branch. It is spoken in Northern Dagestan, as well as in some areas of Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Currently, Avar is one of the official languages ​​of Dagestan; about 785 thousand people know it, which makes it one of the most widespread in the Western Caucasus. For comparison, in 1989 the Avar language had 535 thousand speakers, and in 1979 - 472 thousand. It is obvious that the number of Avar speakers is gradually growing, but at the same time the number of people whose native language is Avar is decreasing .

The emergence of Avar writing

Historical evidence indicates that during the Middle Ages (until the 13th century), the Avars, along with some other peoples of the Caucasus (Armenians, Georgians), were Christians. However, with the fall of Constantinople and the virtual collapse of Byzantium, Turkey's influence on the countries of the Caspian coast began to gradually increase. The bellicose policy of the Ottoman Empire led to the fact that by the 16th century. Most of the peoples of the Caucasus converted to Islam.

Since the Avars apparently did not have their own alphabet during the Christian period, Muslim missionaries took care to create a written language for the newly converted people, allowing the Avars not only to develop their culture, but also to read Arabic religious works in the original. Therefore, in the 16th century. representatives of this nation were offered a writing system based on the Arabic alphabet (adjam). This caused a wide cultural resonance: the literacy of the population increased, literature appeared in the Avar language, and commentaries on the Koran appeared, helping the Avars better understand the meaning of the sacred text of Muslims.

Modern Avar alphabet

From the middle of the 19th century. The influence of the Ottoman Empire is weakening, but Russia begins to occupy an important place on the political map of the world. In the 1860s. Russian military man and scientist P.K. Uslar creates an alphabet for the Avars based on the Cyrillic alphabet. However, due to the fact that the Avar language has a complex sound system, the alphabet does not take root.

After the October Revolution in 1928, the Avars, like others peoples of Dagestan, a writing system based on the Latin alphabet was proposed. However, it did not last long, because it contradicted the desire of the USSR government to create a uniform graphics system for all nations.

In 1938, an alphabet was developed based on the Russian script, which largely conveys the features of the Avar language, but contains many more letters. Thus, in the modern Avar alphabet there are all 33 letters of the Russian alphabet and another 13 letters that represent sounds that are not in the Russian language.

Phonetic and structural features of the Avar language

Like most languages ​​and dialects of the Western Caucasus, the Avar language is distinguished by a complex grammatical system: it has transitive (can have an object) and intransitive (used without an object) verbs, a large number of cases (more than ten), special morphemes marking the gender of the person about whom in question, category of number, gender, types of conjugation, types of declension, etc.

The phonetic structure of the Avar language is also complex: the language contains a large number consonant sounds and a variety of vowel morphemes. These sounds are conveyed using several letters (digraphs): letters | and the corresponding Russian letter. For example: T | eg("flower"), X | inch | ("bird"), G | achi("cows") G | adan("woman").

The stress in the Avar language can fall on any syllable, and therefore has a semantic distinctive function, as in Russian. For example: g|iya'l - R. p. from the word “sheep” (“sheep’”), G | i'yal - pl. part of this word (“o’vtsy”).

Dialects of the Avar language

Modern Dagestan is home to a huge number of nationalities with their own cultural customs and traditions. Avars constitute the largest ethnic group in the region, but the linguistic space of this people is heterogeneous.

The Avar language is divided into nine dialects, including Zaqatal, Khunzakh, Antsukhi, etc. In the 19th century. The role of the national language was given to the Bolmats dialect, which was understandable to speakers of various Avar dialects. Subsequently, Bolmats receives the status of a literary language and becomes common to all Avars. It is studied in Dagestan schools, official documents are compiled on it, poetry is written, newspapers and magazines are published.

Literature in the Avar language

The recording of Avar folklore for the purpose of its scientific study began in the 19th century. Around the same period, literature began to actively develop. Dagestan writer Rasul Gamzatov writes prose and poetry in the Avar language, as well as historical poems based on Avar folk legends (for example, “The Tale of Khochbar”).

Writer and translator Magomed Suleymanov translated A. S. Pushkin’s novel “Eugene Onegin” into Avar, thanks to which this work can now be read in Dagestan schools not only in Russian, but also in their native language.

The government of Dagestan supports the development of the multinational culture of the region. The most famous newspaper in the Avar language is (“Kh|akyikaT”) “Truth”, published in both printed and electronic form.

In connection with the development of the Internet, not only works of art are becoming widespread, but also poems in the Avar language, written by unknown authors on the occasion of birthdays, March 8, New Year, etc. This helps to maintain interest in the Avar language, because 50 years ago it was on the verge of extinction.

Learning the Avar language

In order to take a lesson in the Avar language, it is not necessary to go to distant Dagestan. Teachers can be found through groups on social networks and translation agencies. In addition, textbooks, Avar-Russian and Russian-Avar dictionaries, and manuals on phonetics and syntax of the Avar language are publicly available.