Mordvinic languages

The Mordvinic languages,^[4] also known as the Mordvin,^[5] Mordovian or Mordvinian languages (Russian: мордовские языки, mordovskiye yazyki),^[6] are a subgroup of the Uralic languages, comprising the closely related Erzya language and Moksha language, both spoken in Mordovia.^[7]

Mordvinic
Geographic distribution	Southwestern and Southeastern Russia
Ethnicity	Mordvins
Native speakers	275,000 (2021 census)[1]
Linguistic classification	Uralic Mordvinic
Subdivisions	Erzya Moksha Meshchera? † Muromian? †
Language codes
Glottolog	mord1256
Mordvin languages at the beginning of the 20th century[2][3]

Previously considered a single "Mordvin language",^[8] it is now treated as a small language grouping.^[9] Due to differences in phonology, lexicon, and grammar, Erzya and Moksha are not mutually intelligible.^[10] The two Mordvinic languages also have separate literary forms. The Erzya literary language was created in 1922 and the Mokshan in 1923.^[11]

Phonological differences between the two languages include:^[8]

• Moksha retains a distinction between the vowels /ɛ, e/ while in Erzya, they have merged as /e/.
• In unstressed syllables, Erzya features vowel harmony like many other Uralic languages, using [e] in front-vocalic words and [o] in back-vocalic words. Moksha has a simple schwa [ə] in their place.
• Word-initially, Erzya has a postalveolar affricate /tʃ/ corresponding to a fricative /ʃ/ in Moksha.
• Next to voiceless consonants, liquids /r, rʲ, l, lʲ/ and the semivowel /j/ are devoiced in Moksha to [r̥ r̥ʲ l̥ l̥ʲ ȷ̊].

The medieval Meshcherian language may have been Mordvinic or close to Mordvinic.^[12]

Classification

Further information: Uralic languages § Classification

Dialects of Moksha and Erzya languages in the Republic of Mordovia

  Moksha

*M-I Central group *M-II Western group *M-III Southeast group

  Erzya

*E-I Central group *E-II Western group *E-III Northwestern group *E-IV Southeast group

  Shoksha

*E-V Shoksha dialect

Traditionally, Uralicists grouped the Mordvinic and Mari languages together in the so-called Volgaic branch of the Uralic family; this view was however abandoned in the late 20th century.^[13] Instead, some Uralicists now prefer a rapid expansion model, with Mordvinic as one out of nine primary branches of Uralic; others propose a close relation between Mordvinic with the Finnic and Saamic branches of Uralic.^[14][15][16]