Dialect

Dialect (from Greek dialektos – speech, speaking, accent) is the name given to a branch that arises through the differentiation of a common language. Typically, the term refers to a territorial dialect. Dialects are subdivided into subdialects, subdialects into speech varieties, and those further into speech habits. A dialect of a given language differs from other dialects of the same language in its phonetic structure, grammar, and vocabulary. The social diversity of a community determines the social differentiation of language. A social dialect differs from the common national language only in vocabulary—for example, the speech of professional circles, jargon, argot, slang, secret or coded languages, and others.

The differentiation of the Common Kartvelian proto-language into dialects and their eventual development into independent languages gave rise to the Kartvelian language group. The Georgian language proper is represented by dialects, thirteen of which—such as Kartlian, Kakhetian, Tush, Pshavian, Khevsurian, Mokhevian, Mtiuletian-Gudamakrian, Meskhetian, Imeretian, Gurian, Adjarian, Rachan, and Lechkhumian—are spoken within Georgia’s borders. Some Georgian dialects are found beyond Georgia: Imerkheuli (Klarjuli) in Turkey, Ingiloan dialect in Azerbaijan, and Fereidanian (Fereidani) in Iran. Another dialect once spoken—Kizlar-Mozdokian—has effectively ceased to exist. In some cases, subdialects show such significant differences that they could be considered separate dialects themselves—for example, Upper and Lower Imeretian within the Imeretian dialect.