Linguists classify Lezgi in the Ethnologue as being in the North Caucasian family of languages. It is an ergative language with a large consonant inventory, expansive noun case system, and relatively-complicated verb affixing strategies.
English readers interested in Lezgi linguistics should consult Martin Haspelmath’s (1993), A Grammar of Lezgian which thoroughly describes the syntax, morphology, and phonology of Lezgi. Russian readers can consult resources from Dagestan State University, where the Lezgi language is taught by scholars in the field.
The language development company, Ufuq-S, has contributed to the field of Lezgi linguistics by doing sociolinguistic survey and language documentation. In another study, Ufuq researchers compared the dialect of Lezgi spoken in Azerbaijan’s Ismaylli rayon to Haspelmath’s analysis and to the other three main regional Lezgi dialects: Küre, Qusar, and Axti. Further dialect study is planned for the future, as well as analysis of discourse features in spoken Lezgi.
