Bats (, or , ), also known as Batsbi, Batsi, Batsb, Batsaw, or Tsova-Tush) is the endangered language of the Bats people, a North Caucasian minority group living in Georgia. Batsbi is part of the Nakh branch of Northeast Caucasian languages. It had 2,500 to 3,000 speakers in 1975, with only one dialect. Batsbi is only used for spoken communication, as Bats people tend to use Georgian when writing.
History
Tusheti, the northeastern mountainous region of Georgia, is home to four tribes that consider themselves Tushetians: the Batsbi (also known as Tsova-Tush), the Gometsari, the Piriqiti, and the Chagma-Tush. Tsova-Tush people make up 50% of Tushetians. Only several hundred Tsova-Tush people speak the Bats language, whereas the other tribes (Gometsari, Piriqiti and Chagma-Tush) have lost the language. Evidence from toponymics indicates that the other three Tushetian tribes formerly spoke Batsbi, suggesting that all Tushetians once did and over time the Georgian language replaced Batsbi.
By linguistic lineage, the Bats (or Tsova-Tush) language can be traced back to Ghalghai (Ingush) origins.
The mountainous terrain preserved the culture and traditions of Tushetians, but the history of isolation makes it more difficult to document them as only a few records exist.
The first grammar of Batsbi, , was compiled by the German orientalist Anton Schiefner (1817–1879), making it into the first grammar of an indigenous Caucasian language based on sound scientific principles.
Classification
Batsbi belongs to the Nakh branch of the Northeast Caucasian language family. The language is not mutually intelligible with either Chechen or Ingush, the other two Nakh languages.
Geographic distribution
Most speakers of Batsbi live in the village of , on the , in the Akhmeta Municipality of Georgia. There are some families of Batsbi in Tbilisi and other bigger towns in Georgia.
Phonology
Vowels
Batsbi has a typologically common five-vowel system. Although some authors claim that all vowels but /u/ contrast in length, no minimal pairs are given in any studies of Batsbi, nor are many examples of long vowels available in the literature.
{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="text-align: center"
|-
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! High
|
|
|-
! Mid
|
|
|-
! Low
|colspan=2|
|}
Batsbi also has the following diphthongs: , , , , , and .
All vowels and diphthongs have nasalised allophones that are the result of phonetic and morphophonemic processes: [ ĩ ẽ ã õ ũ ]. Nasalised vowels are represented in the Mkhedruli script via a superscript ⟨ნ⟩ following the vowel in question, as in კნათე<sup>ნ</sup> for [k'natʰẽ] .
Consonants
Batsbi has a large consonant inventory, relatively typical for a Nakh-Dagestanian language, containing ejectives, pharyngeals and uvulars. Unlike its close Nakh relatives, Chechen and Ingush, Batsbi has on the other hand retained the voiceless lateral fricative /ɬ/. Also notable is the presence of two geminate ejectives, /tʼː/ and /qʼː/, which are cross-linguistically rare.
{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="text-align: center"
|+ Consonant Phonemes of Bats
|-
! colspan=3 |
! Labial
! Dental
! Alveolar
! Palatal(ized)
! Velar
! Uvular
! Pharyngeal
! Glottal
|-
! colspan=3 | Nasal
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan=5 | Plosive
! <small>aspirated</small>
! <small>lenis</small>
|
|
| t͡sʰ
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! <small>voiceless</small>
! <small>fortis</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan=2 | <small>voiced</small>
|
|
| d͡z
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan=2 | <small>ejective</small>
! <small>lenis</small>
|
|
| t͡sʼ
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! <small>fortis</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan=4 | Fricative
! rowspan=3 | <small>voiceless</small>
! <small>lenis</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! <small>fortis</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! <small>lateral</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan=2 | <small>voiced</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
| rowspan=2 |
|
|-
! colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Approximant
! <small>lenis</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! <small>fortis</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan=3 | Flap
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}
Phonotactics
The most common syllable type in Batsbi is CVC. consonant sequences in Batsbi often fail to conform to the sonority sequencing principle.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Word-initial Two-consonant Clusters
! colspan="2" |Imnaishvili, 1977
! colspan="2" |Kadagidze, 1984
! rowspan="2" |Holisky & Gagua (1994)
! colspan="2" |Mikeladze, 2012
! rowspan="2" |Desheriev, 1953
! rowspan="2" |Chrelashvili, 1999
! rowspan="2" |IPA
|-
!Georgian<br />transcription
!Latin<br />transcription
!Georgian<br />transcription
!Latin<br />transcription
!Georgian<br />transcription
!Latin<br />transcription
|-
| rowspan="6" |a
| rowspan="2" |ა
| rowspan="2" |a
| rowspan="2" |ა
| rowspan="2" |a
| rowspan="2" |a
|ა, <small>⁀</small>ა
|A a, <small>⁀</small>A <small>⁀</small>a
|а
|а
|
|-
|
|Ǎ ǎ, â
|а͏̆
|а͏̆
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |ā
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |ā
| rowspan="2" |a:
|
|Ā ā
| rowspan="2" |а̄
| rowspan="2" |а̄
|
|-
|
|ā̄
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |აჼ
| rowspan="2" |aⁿ
| rowspan="2" |აჼ
| rowspan="2" |aⁿ
| rowspan="2" |aⁿ
|აჼ, <small>⁀</small>აჼ
|Ã ã, <small>⁀</small>Ã <small>⁀</small>ã
| rowspan="2" |а̃
| rowspan="2" |а̃
|
|-
|
|Ā̃ ā̃
|
|-
|b
|ბ
|b
|ბ
|b
|b
|ბ
|B b
|б
|б
|
|-
|g
|გ
|g
|გ
|g
|g
|გ
|G g
|г
|г
|
|-
|d
|დ
|d
|დ
|d
|d
|დ
|D d
|д
|д
|
|-
| rowspan="5" |e
| rowspan="2" |ე
| rowspan="2" |e
| rowspan="2" |ე
| rowspan="2" |e
| rowspan="2" |e
|ე
|E e
| rowspan="2" |е, э
|е
|
|-
|<small>⁀</small>
|Ē ē, <small>⁀</small>Ē <small>⁀</small>ē
|е̄
|
|-
|
|ĕ
|
|ĕ
|_
|
|ě, ê
|е͏̆
|е͏̆
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |ეჼ
| rowspan="2" |eⁿ
| rowspan="2" |ეჼ
| rowspan="2" |eⁿ
| rowspan="2" |eⁿ
|ეჼ
|Ẽ ẽ
| rowspan="2" |е̃
| rowspan="2" |е̃
|
|-
|
|Ē̃ ē̃
|
|-
|w
|ვ
|v
|ვ
|v
|v
|ვ
|V v
|в
|в
|
|-
|z
|ზ
|z
|ზ
|z
|z
|ზ
|Z z
|з
|з
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |t̔
|თ
|t
|თ
|t
|t
|თ
|T t
|т
|т
|
|-
|თთ
|tt
|თჾ
|tჾ
|t:
|თჾ
|tჾ
|тт
|тт
|
|-
| rowspan="5" |i
| rowspan="2" |ი
| rowspan="2" |i
| rowspan="2" |ი
| rowspan="2" |i
| rowspan="2" |i
|ი, <small>⁀</small>ი
|I i, <small>⁀</small>I<small> ⁀</small>i
|и
|и
|
|-
|
|Ī ī
|ӣ
|ӣ
|
|-
|
|ĭ
|
|ĭ
|I
|
|î
|и͏̆
|и͏̆
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |იჼ
| rowspan="2" |iⁿ
| rowspan="2" |იჼ
| rowspan="2" |iⁿ
| rowspan="2" |iⁿ
|იჼ
|Ĩ ĩ
| rowspan="2" |и̃
| rowspan="2" |и̃
|
|-
|
|Ī̃ ī̃
|
|-
|k
|კ
|ḳ
|კ
|ḳ
|kʼ
|კ
|Ḳ ḳ
|кӀ
|кӀ
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |l
|ლ
|l
|ლ
|l
|l
|ლ
|L l
|л
|л
|
|-
|ლლ
|ll
|ლჾ
|lჾ
|l:
|ლჾ
|lჾ
|лл
|лл
|
|-
|l͓
|ლʻ
|lʻ
|ლʻ
|lʻ
|ɫ
|ლʻ
|lʻ
|лъ
|лъ
|
|-
|m
|მ
|m
|მ
|m
|m
|მ
|M m
|м
|м
|
|-
|n
|ნ
|n
|ნ
|n
|n
|ნ
|N n
|н
|н
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |j
| rowspan="2" |ჲ
| rowspan="2" |j
| rowspan="2" |ჲ
| rowspan="2" |j
| rowspan="2" |j
|ჲ
|J j
| rowspan="2" |й
| rowspan="2" |й
|
|-
|ჲჼ
|j̇̃
|
|-
| rowspan="6" |o
| rowspan="3" |ო
| rowspan="3" |o
| rowspan="3" |ო
| rowspan="3" |o
| rowspan="3" |o
|ო, <small>⁀</small>ო
|O o, <small>⁀</small>O <small>⁀</small>o
|о
|о
|
|-
|
|Ō ō
| rowspan="2" |о̄
| rowspan="2" |о̄
|
|-
|
|ō̄
|
|-
|
|ŏ
|
|ŏ
|O
|
|ǒ, ô
|о͏̆
|о͏̆
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |ოჼ
| rowspan="2" |oⁿ
| rowspan="2" |ოჼ
| rowspan="2" |oⁿ
| rowspan="2" |oⁿ
|ოჼ
|Õ õ
| rowspan="2" |о̃
| rowspan="2" |о̃
|
|-
|
|Ō̃ ō̃
|
|-
|p
|პ
|p̣
|პ
|p̣
|pʼ
|პ
|P̣ p̣
|пӀ
|пӀ
|
|-
|z̔
|ჟ
|ž
|ჟ
|ž
|ž
|ჟ
|Ž ž
|ж
|ж
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |r
|რ
|r
| rowspan="2" |რ
| rowspan="2" |r
| rowspan="2" |r
|რ
|R r
| rowspan="2" |р
| rowspan="2" |р
|
|-
|რʻ
|rʻ
|რʻ
|rʻ
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |s
|ს
|s
|ს
|s
|s
|ს
|S s
|с
|с
|
|-
|სს
|ss
|სჾ
|sჾ
|s:
|სჾ
|sჾ
|сс
|сс
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |t
|ტ
|ṭ
|ტ
|ṭ
|tʼ
|ტ
|Ṭ ṭ
|тӀ
|тӀ
|
|-
|ტტ
|ṭṭ
|ტჾ
|ṭჾ
|tʼ:
|ტჾ
|ṭჾ
|тӀтӀ
|тӀтӀ
|
|-
| rowspan="4" |u
| rowspan="2" |უ
| rowspan="2" |u
| rowspan="2" |უ
| rowspan="2" |u
| rowspan="2" |u
|უ, <small>⁀</small>უ
|U u, <small>⁀</small>U <small>⁀</small>u
| rowspan="2" |у
|у
|
|-
|
|Ū ū
|ӯ
|
|-
|
|ŭ
|
|ŭ
|U
|
|Ǔ ǔ, û
|у͏̆
|у͏̆
|
|-
|უჼ
|uⁿ
|უჼ
|uⁿ
|uⁿ
|უჼ, <small>⁀</small>უჼ
|Ũ ũ, <small>⁀</small>Ũ <small>⁀</small>ũ
|у̃
|у̃
|
|-
|p̔
|ფ
|p
|ფ
|p
|p
|ფ
|P p
|п
|п
|
|-
|k̔
|ქ
|k
|ქ
|k
|k
|ქ
|K k
|к
|к
|
|-
|g̔
|ღ
|ɣ
|ღ
|ɣ
|ǧ
|ღ
|Ɣ ɣ
|гӀ
|гӀ
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |q
|ყ
|q̣
|ყ
|q̣
|qʼ
|ყ
|Q̣ q̣
|къ
|къ
|
|-
|ყყ
|q̣q̣
|ყჾ
|q̣ჾ
|qʼ:
|ყჾ
|q̣ჾ
|къкъ
|къкъ
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |s̔
| rowspan="2" |შ
| rowspan="2" |š
| rowspan="2" |შ
| rowspan="2" |š
| rowspan="2" |š
|შ
|Š š
| rowspan="2" |ш
| rowspan="2" |ш
|
|-
|შჾ
|šჾ
|
|-
|c̔
|ჩ
|č
|ჩ
|č
|č
|ჩ
|Č č
|ч
|ч
|
|-
|c
|ც
|c
|ც
|c
|c
|ც
|C c
|ц
|ц
|
|-
|ʒ
|ძ
|ʒ
|ძ
|ʒ
|ʒ
|ძ
|Ʒ ʒ
|дз
|дз
|
|-
|c̣
|წ
|c̣
|წ
|c̣
|cʼ
|წ
|C̣ c̣
|цӀ
|цӀ
|
|-
|c̣̔
|ჭ
|č̣
|ჭ
|č̣
|čʼ
|ჭ
|Č̣ č̣
|чӀ
|чӀ
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |x
|ხ
|x
|ხ
|x
|x
|ხ
|X x
|х
|х
|
|-
|ხხ
|xx
|ხჾ
|xჾ
|x:
|ხჾ
|xჾ
|хх
|хх
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |q
|ჴ
|q
|ჴ
|q
|q
|ჴ
|Q q
|кх
|кх
|
|-
|ჴჴ
|ჴჾ
|qჾ
|q:
|ჴჾ
|qჾ
|ккх
|кхкх
|
|-
|ʒ̔
|ჯ
|ǯ
|ჯ
|ǯ
|ǯ
|ჯ
|Ǯ ǯ
|дж
|дж
|
|-
|x̣
|ჰ
|h
|ჰ
|h
|h
|ჰ
|H h
|хӀ
|хӀ
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |ḥ
|ჰჾ
|hჾ
|ჰ<sub>⌝</sub>
|h<sub>⌝</sub>
|ħ
|ჰ⁊
|H⁊ h⁊/Ⱨ ⱨ
|хь
|хь
|
|-
|ჵ
|ꞷ
|ჵ
|
|_
|ჵ
|ꞷ
|Ӏъ
|Ӏъ
|
|-
|ʼ
|ʻ
|ʻ
|ჺ
|ʻ
|ʕ
|ჺ/ع
|ʻ
|Ӏ
|Ӏ
|
|-
|—
|ʼ
|ʼ
|ჸ
|ʼ
|ʔ
|ჸ
|ʼ
|ʼ
|ъ
|
|-
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|ф
|—
|
|-
|—
|
|w
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|
|}
Morphosyntax
Batsbi is an SOV language with ergative-absolutive alignment which makes extensive use of bound morphological derivation and inflection. It has both grammatical gender (i.e. noun classes) and several grammatical cases.
Pronouns
Personal pronouns - first and second persons
Batsbi pronouns encode three persons, two numbers, and clusivity for first person plural ("you and us" vs. "us but not you"). Demonstratives work as third person pronouns.
It is noteworthy that for singular first person ('I') and second person ('you') almost always differ systematically by a single consonant, first person having /s/ and second person /ħ/, whereas the plural forms regularly have /txo/ for first person exclusive, and /ʃu/ for second person. Case endings are regular for all pronouns, shown below. That is, nouns themselves show no morphologically marks for gender. Gender indexing is highly complex in the language, with subject gender agreement on intransitive verbs (absolutive), but object agreement on transitive verbs. The table below shows gender agreement on verbs for three of the noun classes:
{| class="wikitable"
|+