The Gippert Map

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Jost Gippert, renowned linguist of genius and all-round eccentric, author of many articles, translations, and reviews (so many that they are available as a searchable database!), ranging from Zur Syntax der infinitivischen Bildungen in den indogermanischen Sprachen ("The syntax of infinitival formations in the Indo-European languages", 1977) all the way to The application of multispectral imaging in the study of Caucasian palimpsests (2007), via such gems as Pretagrāha toṭaṃ bhindāmi - Magische Silben zur Abwehr von Dämonen. Die Malediven im Wandel der Sprachen und Religionen ("Pretagrāha toṭaṃ bhindāmi - Magic syllables used to repulse demons. Languages and religions on the Maldive Islands", 2003) [the presence of "ṭ" in the title are a sign of true mastery], recently created the most amazing ethnolinguistic map of the Caucasus!

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One may find it here, on the University of Frankfurt's outstanding TITUS ("Thesaurus Indogermanischer Text- und Sprachmaterialienprogramme") website. However, the mind-boggling linguistic diversity of Northern and Southern Daghestan is such that these two regions required their own "sub-"maps.

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