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)
Language family	Northeast Caucasian Tsezic Bezhta–Hunzib–Khwarshi Bezhta
Language codes
ISO 639-3	kap
Glottolog	bezh1248
ELP	Bezhta

Bezhta has three dialects. They are Bezhta proper, Tlyadal and Khocharkhotin.

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.

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.