Khwarshi Language

Khwarshi Language

Khwarshi (also spelled Xvarshi, Khvarshi) is a Northeast Caucasian language spoken in the Tsumadinsky-, Kizilyurtovsky- and Khasavyurtovsky districts of Dagestan by the Khwarshi people. The exact number of speakers is not known, but the linguist Zaira Khalilova, who has carried out fieldwork in the period from 2005 to 2009, gives the figure 8,500. Other sources give much lower figures, such as Ethnologue with the figure 1,870 and the latest population census of Russia with the figure 1,872. The low figures are because many Khwarshi have registered themselves as being Avar speakers, which is also considered their literary language.

There are six dialects of the Khwarshi language based on their geographical distribution. The dialects are: Upper- and Lower Inkhokwari Khwarshi, Kwantlada Khwarshi, Santlada Khwarshi, Khwayni Khwarshi and Khwarshi Proper, originating in their respective villages in the Tsumadinsky district. Due to emigration, see the Khwarshi people and their history, Kwantlada Khwarshi-, Upper- and Lower Inkhokwari Khwarshi-speaking communities also exist in Oktyabrskoe, Santlada Khwarshi-speaking communities exist in Pervomayskoe and Khwarshi Proper-speaking communities exist in Mutsalaul.