The 3 Families of "Caucasian" Languages

NOTE:  These three families are all located entirely in the
Caucasus region, in the Caucasian republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan,
and especially Georgia) and adjacent parts of Russia (especially
Daghestan).  Thus languages of all three familes are often
referred to as "Caucasian".  However, there is no "Caucasian"
language family--the three families are distinct, not subbranches
of one larger family.


     Kartvelian: Georgian, Laz, Mingrelian, Svan

     Northwest Caucasian (also called Abkaz-Adyghean): Abkhaz,
          Adyghe, Kabardian (Circassian), Ubykh

     Nakh-Daghestian (also called Northeast Caucasian)
          Nakh:  Chechen-Ingush, Tsova-tush (Batsbi)
          Daghestanian: 30-odd languages, e.g. Tsez, Avar