Mordvinic | |
---|---|
Volga Finnic | |
Ethnicity | Erzyas, Meryans?, Mokshas, Muromians? |
Geographic distribution | Southwestern and Southeastern Russia |
Linguistic classification | Uralic
|
Proto-language | Proto-Finnic[1] |
Subdivisions | |
Glottolog | finn1317 |
The Mordvinic languages,[2] also known as the Mordvin,[3] Mordovian or Mordvinian languages (Russian: мордовские языки, mordovskiye yazyki),[4] are an obsolete term[5] for a theoretical subgroup of the Uralic languages, comprising the closely related Erzya language and Moksha language, both spoken in Mordovia[6] and probably now extinct Meryan and Muromian languages.
Previously considered a single "Mordvin language",[7] After 2010s is treated by most scholars as a part of Baltic Finnic grouping.[8] Due to differences in phonology, lexicon, and grammar, Erzya and Moksha are not mutually intelligible.[9] The two Mordvinic languages also have separate literary forms. The Erzya literary language was created in 1922 and the Mokshan in 1923.[10]
Phonological differences between the two languages include:[7]
- Moksha retains a distinction between the vowels /ɛ, e/ while in Erzya, both have merged as /e/.
- In unstressed syllables, Erzya features vowel harmony like many other Uralic languages, using [e] in front-vocalic words and [o] in back-vocalic words. Moksha has a simple schwa [ə] in their place.
- Word-initially, Erzya has a postalveolar affricate /tʃ/ corresponding to a fricative /ʃ/ in Moksha.
- Next to voiceless consonants, liquids /r, rʲ, l, lʲ/ and the semivowel /j/ are devoiced in Moksha to [r̥ r̥ʲ l̥ l̥ʲ ȷ̊].
The medieval Meshcherian language may have been Mordvinic or close to Mordvinic[citation needed].
Classification
Until ca. 2010s most Finnic linguists considered Mordvinic and Mari languages as a single subdivision of so-called Volga-Finnic branch of the Uralic family. Currently this approach is rejected by most scholars,[11] and Mordvinic and Mari are considered distinct from each other: Mordvinic languages are believed to have a common ancestor with Balto-Finnic languages (Estonian and Finnish), while the Mari languages are closer to the Permic languages.
References
- ^ Piispanen, Peter S. (2016). "Statistical Dating of Finno-Mordvinic Languages through Comparative Linguistics and Sound Laws" (PDF). Fenno-Ugrica Suecana Nova Series. 15: 12.
- ^ Bright, William (1992). International Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-505196-4.
- ^ Mordvin languages @ google books
- ^ Dalby, Andrew (1998). Dictionary of Languages. Columbia University Press. p. 429.
Erza.
- ^ Piispanen, Peter S. (2016). "Statistical Dating of Finno-Mordvinic Languages through Comparative Linguistics and Sound Laws" (PDF). Fenno-Ugrica Suecana Nova Series. 15: 12.
- ^ Grenoble, Lenore (2003). Language Policy in the Soviet Union. Springer. p. A80. ISBN 978-1-4020-1298-3.
- ^ a b Raun, Alo (1988). Sinor, Denis (ed.). The Uralic languages: Description, history and foreign influences. BRILL. p. A96. ISBN 978-90-04-07741-6.
- ^ Piispanen, Peter S. (2016). "Statistical Dating of Finno-Mordvinic Languages through Comparative Linguistics and Sound Laws" (PDF). Fenno-Ugrica Suecana Nova Series. 15: 12.
- ^ Феоктистов А. П. Мордовские языки. основы финно-угорского языкознания. Прибалтийско-финские, саамский и мордовские языки. М., 1975
- ^ Wixman, Ronald (1984). The Peoples of the USSR. M.E. Sharpe. p. A137. ISBN 978-0-87332-506-6.
- ^ Piispanen, Peter S. Statistical Dating of Finno-Mordvinic Languages through Comparative Linguistics and Sound Laws: Fenno-Ugrica Suecana Nova Series. 15 (2016). P. 1-18