Interference Occurrences in the Speech of the Kodorian Gorge’s Svans

A century and a half of dialectal interference between the Upper Bal and Lower Bal Svan dialects in the Kodorian Gorge has produced a distinct speech variant, characterized by phonetic, grammatical, and lexical deviations from standard Svan. This phenomenon, documented through extensive fieldwork despite logistical challenges—including military conflicts and population displacement—reveals how prolonged contact between closely related dialects reshapes linguistic structures. Preliminary findings suggest that Kodorian speech retains unique traits even among dispersed communities, posing questions about its classification as a dialect or independent variant. Ongoing research aims to track these changes over time, with support from the Rustaveli Foundation enabling long-term observation of Svan speakers across Georgia.

Margiani-Subari, K. (2019). Interference Occurrences in the Speech of the Kodorian Gorge’s Svans. International Journal of Multilingual Education, VII(1), 52–56. https://doi.org/10.22333/ijme.2019.13006