Abstract: The article is devoted to the study of the future tense forms in the Dargin languages which belong to the Nakh-Dagestan language group. The relevance of the issue is that the languages of the small nations of Dagestan are rapidly disappearing for recent decades, while the younger generation mainly uses the Russian language for communication. Meanwhile, it is known that the morphological system of the East Caucasian languages is quite rich and consists of numerous paradigms of inflectional categories. Particularly, there is an extensive system of aspectual, tense and modal forms in the Dargin languages. The main purpose of the article is to study the semantic peculiarities of four verb forms that express - futurum, progressive, possibilitative and obligatory meanings of the future tense. The objectives of the work is to study the ways of their formation and also reveal the differences in the functioning of future tense forms in the Northern Dargin and the Southern Dargin languages. To solve these problems, the methods of field linguistics, as well as the method of descriptive analysis are used. In description of the forms of the future tense, the main meaning, methods of formation, examples are given, and the designations of these forms in the works of predecessors are also given. As a result of the study, all forms of the future tense functioning in the Dargin languages are described, the peculiarities of their formation are considered, semantic differences and the terms for their functioning are revealed. Some ways of development of futurum in the Dargin languages are also identified. A hypothesis is put forward according to which this form existed in the proto-Dargin state, but then disappeared in the Northern Dargin languages. Habitualis started to function as the future tense in them.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the peculiarities of class markers functioning in adjective and participial suffixes of the South Dargin languages (Dargin branch of the Nakh-Dagestan languages). The Dargin languages are characterized by a complex and extensive system of grammatical categories, however, the categories in numerous Dargin languages and dialects remain still unstudied, and that is the relevance of this study. The purpose of the study is to identify the cases of usage the changing markers of class and case in the postfixal position in the Dargin languages. To achieve this purpose, the following tasks are followed: a) to study the category of grammatical class in archaic South Dargin languages; b) to study the peculiarities of the functioning of class-numerical exponents; c) to identify the attributive words the class indicators of which function in the postfixal position; d) comparative analysis of Dargin word forms with changing class-numerical elements. The use of both field linguistics methods, as well as the comparative method and the method of synchronic analysis is needed to solve the above-mentioned issues. The novelty of the study is in the first attempt of comparative analysis of class-numerical indicators’ functioning in the postfixal position of attributive forms. A similar phenomenon was described only in the Kubachi language earlier. As a result of the study, all cases of postfixal use of changing class exponents in the South Dargin languages and dialects are identified. In particular, in the Chirag language these affixes are revealed in the present and past tense forms. In the Itzari dialect they are revealed in attributes derived from the demonstrative pronouns, in the Sanzhi dialect - in adjectives denoting a high degree of quality. The results of the study can be useful for compiling a comparative historical grammar of the Dargin languages.

Abstract: The Gapshima dialect is one of the least studied dialects of the Dargin language group of the East Caucasian languages and that is the reason why its role in the system of the Dargin languages and dialects still remains undefined. Meanwhile, there are many peculiar linguistic phenomena, revealed both in phonetics and in grammar and vocabulary. The article deals with the morphological peculiarities of the Gapshima dialect. Nominal parts of speech and verbal categories and auxiliary parts of speech are studied. The method of synchronous description of linguistic phenomena and methods of field linguistics are used in the study. In the course of the research, the grammatical categories of case, person, tense and mood, and also various forms of the verb were studied. With the aim of identifying the peculiarities of the dialect and its role in the linguistic classification, all the presented data is compared with the data of the other Dargin dialects - Akusha, Tsudahar, Sirkhya. As a result of the study, it was established that the Gapshima speech is close to the dialects of the Akusha type by its grammatical characteristics. The results of the study can be contributed to the further work of establishing the classification of the language units of the Dargin area and can be applicable to the teaching courses of the Dargin morphology and dialectology at the universities.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the description of the phatic (contact-establishing) function of conversational etiquette in the Itsary dialect of the Tsudahar-Sirkhya language (the Dargin branch of the Nakh-Dagestan languages). The purpose of the study is to identify the conversational formulas for contact-establishing in the dialect under study and to give their semantic and stylistic characteristics. These conversational formulas are still little-studied not only in the Itsary dialect, but also in the other Dargin languages and dialects, and that is the relevance of the issue. Meanwhile, the traditional formulas of conversational etiquette are rapidly being lost due to the change in the traditional way of life and the intensive migration of highlanders to the cities. In the course of the study the methods of synchronous description and the methods of introspection and field linguistics are used. As a result of the study, the most commonly used Itsary words and expressions which are used in the process of interpersonal communication for expressing greetings, well- wishing, sympathy and farewells were identified and systematized, and the scope of their functioning is also identified. A significant amount of conversational formulas material is introduced into scientific use. The results of the study can be used in the study of theoretical issues of conversational etiquette and conversational culture of the Dagestan people and also for compiling dictionaries and for teaching courses of the Dargin lexicology and dialectology at the educational institutions.

Abstract: This article examines the class-numerical indicators functioning in the suffixes of adjectives of the Dargin languages that belong to the Nakh-Daghestanian language family. The relevance of this topic lies in the fact that these languages have rich morphological system; however, many grammatical categories are yet to be studied. The goal of this work is to determine the etymology of suffix indicator -ch-b (-v,- p), which forms the adjectives and contains an Aslaut changing class indicator. For achieving the set goal, the article employs comparative-historical analysis and descriptive method; for collecting verbal material of various idioms – the methods of field linguistics. The novelty consists in the fact that this attributivizer is analyzed from the comparative-historical perspective in the Dargin studies for the first time. It is established that the morpheme under review is formed from the short form of the adverb of place chedi (ch-) “upwards”. In  the Dargin languages, it functions in form of the essive comprised by affixing class indicators to the lative form. With evolution of the language, this morpheme has been grammaticalized. The acquired results can be applied in preparing comparative-historical grammar of the Dargin languages, teaching the course of the Dargin literary language, as well as in typological research.

Abstract: This article is examines the demonstrative pronouns and derivative adverbs in a number of the Dargin languages and dialects. The Dargin languages have a rich deictic system that helps the native speakers to navigate in the severe conditions of mountain terrain, and found its reflection in pronouns and spatial adverbs. Recent changes observed in the traditional way of life of highlanders, along with the migration processes, lead to extinction of this layer of lexicon. The problem of early documentation and research of locative adverbs retains its relevance. The goal of this article lies in comparative analysis of the systems of demonstrative pronouns and spatial adverbs in different Dargin idioms. For achieving the set goal, the article employs descriptive methods and methods of field linguistics. This article is first to conduct the comparative analysis of locative adverbial form, which defines its scientific novelty. As a result, description is given to the deictic systems of pronouns and adverbs in the Akushin, Urakhin, Kajtak, Sanzhin and Itsari idioms. It is established that most Dargin idioms feature two forms of demonstrative pronouns, which differ depending on the visibility or vastness of the object. Various affixes allow forming spatial adverbs that can function in one of the local cases – lative, directive, essive, or elative. The obtained results can be valuable in preparing comparative-historical grammar of the Dargin languages.

Abstract: This article is dedicated to examination of the numeral, one of the parts of speech in Kadar language, referring to small non-literate languages of Dargin group (Nahsko-Dagestan branch of Caucasian languages). The following types of numerals are considered: cardinal, ordinal, multiple, distributive, and collective. Attention is focused on the formation of numerals and declension by cases, numbers and classes. In order to determine all peculiarities within the system on numerals characteristic only to Kadar speech, the material is compared with the data of other Dargin languages. The method of synchronic analysis became the key method for this research; methods of field work were used in the course of expedition in the village of Chankurbe of Buinaksk District of the Republic of Dagestan, in collection of information on the numerals in Kadar language. As a result of comparison of Kadar material with the data of other Dargin languages, the author determined and describes the peculiarities in the system of numerals, inherent only to Kadar speech. Particularly, it is established that composite numerals in Kadar language, from thirty to ninety, are formed without adding the suffix “-nu” to the score numerals; at the same time with simple numerals, following the score, is not used the suffix “-ra”.

Abstract: This article is devoted to the research of the category of evidentiality in the Kadar language. The authors meticulously examine such aspects of this category as the problem of grammatical structuring of evidentiality forms, means of formation of these forms and meanings they express. The goals of this article include determining the existing verb forms with evidentiality, research of their key meanings and means of forming, as well as determining the present peculiarities on the basis of comparison of Kadar data with the evidential forms of literary language and other Dargin idioms. It is established that in the Kadar language there are three functioning grammemes of evidentiality category – experiential, inferential and presumptive, which are formed by attached of auxiliary verbs to the forms of gerund. This work provides their detailed characteristics. The results of this work can be used in research of evidentiality in other cognate languages.