Akhvlediani Giorgi

Giorgi Akhvlediani (b. April 13, 1887, Derchi (present-day Tskaltubo municipality) — d. July 7, 1973, Tbilisi), was a linguist, professor of Tbilisi State University (1918), corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. (1939), academician of Georgian Academy of Sciences (1941), honored scientist of Georgia (1943), member of the International Society of Experimental Phonetics (1932) and a member of the Linguistic Society of America (1940).

Akhvlediani graduated from Kharkiv University (1914), where his research On the History of Sonant and Nasal Consonants in Sanskrit, Greek, Latin and Slavic Languages was awarded a gold medal. He worked on Kartvelian Studies, Indology, Iranian Studies, and general and experimental phonetics at St. Petersburg University.

He was a member of the first professorial board of Tbilisi State University, published the first university textbooks (Introduction to Linguistics, 1918–1919; Sanskrit, 1920), founded the Department of General Linguistics at Tbilisi State University and created the laboratory of experimental phonetics. He lectured in diverse fields of linguistics.

Akhvlediani laid the foundation for linguistic research in Georgia with Ioseb Kipshidze and Akaki Shanidze. In 1923, the Georgian Linguistic Society was formed on his initiative. His name is associated with the education of new scholars in general and experimental phonetics, general linguistics, German Studies, Roman Studies, Indology, Iranian Studies, and Ossetian Studies. His works, Basics of General and Georgian Phonetics (vol. 1, 1938), Basics of General Phonetics (1949), Introduction to General Phonetics (1956), are distinguished by their originality and deep knowledge of key issues. By studying Georgian-Kartvelian specific consonants, consonant complexes and, in general, the sound system, he added many new provisions to general phonetics.

Akhvlediani's name is associated with the scientific teaching of the Ossetian language in Georgia and the training of scientific personnel in this field. Akhvlediani's theory of Georgian ejective consonants was the basis for the research of the Ossetian phonetic system. The nature of some consonants and their relationship with the corresponding sounds of Old Iranian was made clear, several phonetic phenomena were covered in a new way; the dialectological classification of the Ossetian language was clarified.

Akhvlediani is connected to putting speech therapy on scientific foundations. Under his leadership, speech therapy laboratories were established, research and search was widely spread and speech therapists were brought up.

Akhvlediani devoted his research to the issues of the theory and practice of Georgian literary translation; He translated and published Nasadiya Sukta (Hymn of Creation) from ancient Indian, Avesta (The Gathas) from Avestan; He traced an Indian theme in Georgian fairy tales (Traetaona of Avesta and Tritino of Georgian Fairy Tales, 1944).

He put a lot of effort into establishing the Georgian linguistic-scientific terminology. He cooperated with the Committee for Establishing the Norms of Georgian Literary Language (since 1920).

Akhvlediani's contribution to the development of lexicographic work in Georgia is great; He compiled different types of dictionaries.

Akhvlediani was a member of the main editorial board of the Georgian Explanatory Dictionary (eight-volume) and a member of the editorial board of the three-volume Russian-Georgian Dictionary. The academic grammar of the Ossetian language was published under the editorship of Akhvlediani (vol. 1–2, Vladikavkaz, 1963).

He has received state awards.

Literary works (except the ones mentioned in the article): მკვეთრი ხშულნი ქართულში, «ტფილისის უნივერსიტეტის მოამბე», 1922 – 23, ტ. 2; თანხმოვანთა აქცესიური კომპლექსების საკითხისათვის ქართულში, იქვე, 1947, ტ. 30 – 31b; ბგერათმონაცვლეობის ზოგიერთი საკითხი ქართულში, «თსუ შრომები», 1948, ტ. 34ab; Учебник грамматики русского языка, 4 изд., Тб., 1953; Сборник избранных работ по осетинскому языку, т. 1, Тб., 1960.

Literature: თბილისის უნივერსიტეტი – გიორგი ახვლედიანს (საიუბილეო კრ., მიძღვნილი გიორგი ახვლედიანის დაბადების 80 წლისთავისადმი), თბ., 1969; ძიძიგური შ., გიორგი ახვლედიანი, [გამოც. მე-2], თბ., 1987; Жгенти С. М., Георгий Сариданович Ахвледиани (к. 70-летию со дня рождения), «Фонетический сборник», 1959, т. 1.

 

Sh. Dzidziguri