| Title | The Current Situation in Arabic-Speaking Kishlaks of Central Asia |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Guram Chikovani (author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0445.02 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0445/chapters/10.11647/obp.0445.02 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Guram Chikovani; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-01-31 |
| Long abstract | This chapter explores the unique linguistic dynamics of Arabic-speaking kishlaks (villages) in the Bukhara (BAD) and Qashqa-Darya (QAD) regions of Uzbekistan. These dialects, historically isolated from the broader Arab world, exhibit distinct features shaped by linguistic evolution and extensive contact with Uzbek and Tajik. Despite Arabic being a native, spoken language in these communities, its use is confined to familial settings, with younger generations increasingly favoring Uzbek and Tajik. Consequently, Arabic proficiency has sharply declined, as evidenced during fieldwork in the 1980s and later expeditions. Linguistic analysis reveals frequent code-switching, integration of foreign lexicon and syntax, and hybrid composites involving Arabic, Uzbek, Tajik, and occasionally Russian elements. The chapter identifies critical verbal and lexical phenomena, including the evolution of verbal composites, code-switching patterns, and the replacement of Arabic terms with local languages. Noteworthy linguistic phenomena include double plurals, the reconstitution of Semitic root structures, and shifts in syntax influenced by non-Semitic languages. Historical lexical elements and phonetic adaptations provide insights into the historical development of Arabic. These findings emphasize the significant loss of Arabic linguistic traditions in Central Asia, yet underline the enduring scholarly value of documenting these dialects. The chapter concludes by advocating for further research, even as the number of Arabic speakers dwindles. Linguistic material collected from the region offers invaluable insights into Arabic’s historical evolution and highlights the importance of preserving these dialects for their unique linguistic heritage. |
| Page range | pp. 13–32 |
| Print length | 20 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
| Landing Page | Full text URL | Platform | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0445/chapters/10.11647/obp.0445.02 | Landing page | https://books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp.0445.02.pdf | Full text URL |
Prof. Guram Chikovani is the Director of the Center for the Study of Arab Countries and the Islamic World, a Doctor of Philology, and a Full Professor of Arabic Studies. Rector of the Free University of Tbilisi (2009-2016). Founder and the Rector of Tbilisi Institute of Asia and Africa (1991-2009). The Head and founder of the Department of Semitic Studies at Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University (1991). Founder and the President of the Association for Relations of Georgia with Arab Countries (1990). Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the electronic scientific Journal - “Free University Journal of Asian Studies” (2019-present). Founder and the Editor-in-Chief of the scientific peer-reviewed Journals “Perspective – XXI” and “Orientalist”. Editor-in-Chief of the Journal “Studia Semitica”.
He is a member of the International Arabic Dialectologists' Association (AIDA, 1994), the European Association for Central Asian Studies (1998), and the Linguistic Society of America (2011). In 1994, he was elected an honored member of the United Arab Emirates’ Documentaries and Studies International Centre. He is a laureate of the Academician Giorgi Tsereteli Prize (2001).
Guram Chikovani represents the recognized School of Oriental Studies founded by Academician George Tsereteli. He has published a number of papers on the Arabic dialects of Central Asia, which has been and continues to be the primary research area of the Georgian School of Arabic Studies. His works have been published in Georgia, England, the USA, Austria, Spain, Russia, Morocco, Bahrain, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates.
Since the 1980s, Guram Chikovani has led many scientific expeditions to the Central Asian regions of Bukhara and Qashqa-darya, where he collected significant linguistic and ethnographic data. Based on this data, he has researched Semitic-Turkic-Indo-European linguistic contacts. Professor Chikovani’s other research interests include Georgian-Oriental linguistic relationships.
Together with the language structure of Central Asian Arabic dialects, Professor Chikovani has analyzed Arab migration issues in Central Asia. By analyzing linguistic phenomena, Arabic historical sources, and ethnographic materials gathered in Central Asia, he was able to date Arab settlements in Bukhara and Qashqa-darya. This work has been recognized by a number of international scientific societies.
Guram Chikovani is the translator, translation co-author, and editor of many significant works of Georgian Classical Literature translated into Arabic. Professor Chikovani, with the active collaboration of the Syrian translator Nizar Khalili, edited Shota Rustavelis “The Knight in the Panthers Skin”, published in Arabic in Damascus, Syria in 1984.