Bezhta language

Bezhta (also called Bezheta or Kapucha) is a Northeast Caucasian language spoken by the Bezhta people. About 7,000 people speak Bezhta.

Bezhta
бежкьалас миц bežƛʼalas mic / beƶⱡʼalas mic
Pronunciation	/ˈbeʒt͡ɬʼɑlɑs mit͡s/
Native to	North Caucasus
Region	Southern Dagestan
Ethnicity	Bezhta people
Native speakers	6,800 (2006–2010)[1]
Language family	Northeast Caucasian Tsezic Bezhta–Hunzib–Khwarshi Bezhta
Language codes
ISO 639-3	kap
Glottolog	bezh1248
ELP	Bezhta
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Bezhta has three dialects. They are Bezhta proper, Tlyadal and Khocharkhotin.^[2]

Phonology

Bezhta has many consonants, shown below in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

		Bilabial	Alveolar		Velar		Alveolopalatal	Uvular	Pharyngeal	Glottal
			central	lateral	lateral	central
Nasal		m	n
Plosive	voiceless	p	t			k		q		ʔ
	voiced	b	d			ɡ
	ejective	pʼ	tʼ			kʼ		qʼ
Affricate	voiceless		t͡s	t͡ɬ ~ k͡ʟ̝̊			t͡ʃ
	ejective		t͡sʼ	t͡ɬʼ ~ k͡ʟ̝̊ʼ			t͡ʃʼ
Fricative	voiceless		s	ɬ		x	ʃ	χ	ħ	h
	voiced		z				ʒ	ʁ	ʕ
Trill			r
Approximant				l		w	j

Bezhta has eight vowel qualities. These are /æ/, /ɑ/, /e/, /ø~ə/, /o/, /i/, /y~ɨ/ and /u/. All Bezhta vowels can also be nasalised. /æ/, /ɑ/, /e/, /o/, /i/ and /u/ can also be long, and /ɑ/ and /e/ can be long and nasalised.^[3]

Writing

Bezhta is rarely written, and people who speak Bezhta usually write in Avar instead. When it is written, Bezhta is usually written in the Cyrillic script.^[3]