Caucasian Languages, Phonology

A characteristic feature of the sound system of the Abkhazo-Adyghian languages is a rather limited number of distinctive vowels—a and {schwa} (pronounced as the a in English “sofa”). Some scholars consider it possible to posit only one vowel, which, depending on the position, can be realized in different ways: a, {schwa}, i, o, e. On the other hand, the languages are notable for a great