A history of the vowel systems of the Nakh languages (East Caucasian), with special reference to umlaut in Chechen and Ingush

Chechen, Ingush and Batsbi together form the Nakh subgroup of East Caucasian language family. Chechen Ingush, to a lesser degree Batsbi, underwent regressive vowel assimilation (umlaut). The sound laws that govern umlaut have already been established some degree. article focuses on two issues: rules for dialects are worked out in detail basis dialectal material provided by Imnajshvili 1977, different effects caused mid vowels *e *o one hand close *i *u other highlighted, both Ingush. conclusions applied reconstruction verbal endings present tense, Proto-Nakh *‑u, *-o, *-i *-e, recent past Proto-Nax *-iᶰ *-eᶰ. Building work Handel 2003, many inflectional classes verb reconstructed as relatively simple system, where morphological complexity resides almost exclusively choice aforementioned allomorphs. Finally, following from Nichols an attempt is made reconstruct system beyond Proto-Nakh, comparing nominal ablaut with very similar phenomenon Avar-Andic-Dido, which allows us alternation Proto-East and, specifically, ~ *a *ɨ (reconstructed) stressed unstressed position, respectively.