Svan | Ethnologue

A language of Georgia

ISO 639: sva
Alternate Names: Svanuri, Šwan-är
Autonym: ლუშნუ ნინ‎ (lušnu nin)
Population: 14,000 in Georgia (Leclerc 2015), decreasing. Ethnic population: 15,000 (2000 A. Kibrik). Total users in all countries: 14,071.
Location:: Racha-Lochkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti region: Lentekhi municipality; Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region: Mestiya municipality.
Language Status: 6b (Threatened).
Classification: Kartvelian, Svan
Dialects: Upper Bal, Lower Bal, Lashkh (Lashx), Lentekh (Lentekhian, Lentex), Cholur (Cholurian). Svan is mutually unintelligible with Georgian [kat], even though the Svan community has long considered itself to be part of the Georgian nation (2019 K. Tuite).
Typology: 30 consonants and 18 vowels in 3 dialects (Cholur, Lashkh, Upper Bal) with long and short vowel phonemes, 9 vowels in 2 dialects (Lentekh and Lower Bal).
Language Use: All domains. Some young people, all adults. Positive attitudes. All also use Georgian [kat].
Language Development: Dictionary. Texts.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Svan
Writing: Cyrillic script [Cyrl]. Georgian (Mkhedruli and Mtavruli) script [Geor], primary usage. Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Many Georgian [kat] speakers still claim Svan ethnicity (Salminen 2007). Christian.