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What is the story behind the distribution of the native languages of the Caucasus? Were the modern families spoken over wider areas at one time? What are their affinities with other languages, ancient and modern?
I'm no expert, but I've read a little down the years, and am always interested to hear the views of those who know better.
I was playing about with some maps on my computer, and here's a crude synthesis of much I've read. I know there are some stupid errors, but offer it only as food for thought, and something to prompt further discussion:
In brief, NEC has been linked to substrata in Anatolia and the western Aegean. NWC has been included in even more surprising theories that suppose an ancient link with Sino-Tibetan! Kartvelian seems not particularly related to anything else. Indo European has been introduced from the east via the Steppes and Iran (Kurdish), as well as from the west through the Balkans and Straits (Armenian, Greek, Galatian, and the relatives of Hittite). Turkic obviously rode in out of Mongolia. Semitic has spread from Arabia.
Your thoughts?
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