Abstract
This article outlines some debates and issues in the field of Georgian linguistics and offers a research agenda for standard Georgian language, including its history, phases of development, present-day challenges and prospects. There is a multitude of conflicting and even mutually exclusive ideas and points of view regarding these issues. My key point is to provide the periodization of the standard Georgian language that encompasses sixteen centuries, taking into consideration not only the level of normalization and standardization of the Georgian language in a particular historical period, but also the language variety on which the standard / literary language was based, and the institutions controlling and governing the development of the standard language. The point of departure here is the definition of the “standard” as a historically determined set of commonly used language assets, recognized by society as the most appropriate and prestigious variety due to its common usage and high cultural status. Using descriptive, synchronic, diachronic, and comparative research methods, I have tried to identify four phases / periods in the continuous history of the Georgian standard language spanning sixteen centuries.
Highlights
The history of the standard Georgian language is a history of language planning and policies, the unique amalgamation of which has created the language we use today
Most scholars tend to divide the history of standard Georgian language into two or three periods except for Besarion Jorbenadze, who identifies five distinctive periods (Jorbenadze 1989, 155)
2) The 12th century to mid-18th century: the so-called Middle Georgian Language: the beginning of the linguistic reform; domination of secular / vernacular elements over the standard language; rejection of Hellinophile tendencies; from the old standard, only linguistic heritage of Giorgi and Ekvtime Mtatsmindeli and their followers, which was closer to the vernacular language, was maintained; penetration of loan words of oriental origin; the standard was based on secular / vernacular speech variety, which was not canonized in a timely manner due to the complicated political and socio-economic situation
Summary
The history of the standard Georgian language is a history of language planning and policies, the unique amalgamation of which has created the language we use today. If we add to the above-mentioned criteria the vernacular language / dialect on which the linguistic standard was based in this or that period, and institutions in power / authorities controlling and defining the linguistic standard, we can identify four periods in the continuous development of Georgian literary / standard language: 1) The 5th to 11th century: the so-called Old Georgian Language: presence of the common standard; absence of grammars; the standard was based on the rules established by the clergy (it was referred to as church / ecclesial standard); the last phase saw the emergence of the so-called Hellenophile trends (the use of Greek grammatical constructions, derivation / word-building system, lexical borrowings (Ioane Petritsi and his followers)); the standard was controlled by the Church / ecclesial authorities. Linguistic standard was established and maintained by GRAMATIKA UN VALODAS APGUVE the secular government and, from the 20th century onward, standard Georgian was granted the status of official / state language of Georgia and protected by the Constitution, as well as state institutions
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