ABSTRACT
Geographical term for the languages which are spoken in the linguistically diverse Caucasus region. In addition to a number of Indo-European and Turkic languages, the term includes especially the languages of three local language families, North-West Caucasian, North-East Caucasian, and South Caucasian. Genetic affinity among the three groups has hitherto not been proved. Other attempts at relating the Caucasian languages to languages outside of the Caucasus, e.g. Basque, are equally dubious. ( also classification of languages)
References
Catford, J.C. 1977. Mountain of tongues: the languages of the Caucasus. Annual Review of Anthropology 6. 283-314.
