Abazgi languages

{{More inline citations needed|date=June 2022}}

{{Short description|Branch of the Northwest Caucasian languages}}

{{Infobox language family

| name = Abazgi

| altname = Abkhaz–Abaza

| region = Caucasus

| familycolor = Caucasian

| fam1 = Northwest Caucasian

| protoname = Proto-Abkhaz-Abaza

| child1 = Abaza

| child2 = Abkhaz

| glotto = abkh1243

| glottorefname = Abkhaz–Abaza

| map = File:Northwest Caucasian languages map.png

| mapcaption = {{legend|#FF6C60|Abazgi}}

| map2 = Abaza-Abkhaz language official status map.svg

| mapcaption2 = Official status of the Abaza-Abkhaz language(s) in western Caucasus

}}

Abazgi is the branch of the Northwest Caucasian languages that contains the Abaza and Abkhaz languages. "Abazgi" was once the preferred designation, but has now been replaced by "Abkhaz–Abaza".{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

The literary dialects of Abkhaz and Abaza are two ends of a dialect continuum. Grammatically, the two are very similar; however, the differences in phonology are substantial, and are the main reason many linguists prefer to classify them as distinct languages. Most linguists (see for instance Viacheslav Chirikba 2003) believe that Ubykh is the closest relative of the Abazgi dialect continuum.