"evropuli qartia saqarTvelo "European Charter for Regional or ...

positional (reduced) variant of a vowel phoneme, b) a vowel extension,
c) consonant separator. 289
Palatalized (umlaut) vowels (ü, ö, ä) are attested in: Mokhevian,
Samtskhean, Javakhian, Imerkhevian, Livanan, Taoan, Her and Svan
dialects (except for Lashkh dialect). In Mokhevian, Samtskhean, Javakhian,
Mtiulian dialects they are revealed in words containing ve, vi
complex, and are not distinguished on the level of phonemes. In Imerkhevian,
Livanan and Taoan dialects the palatalized vowels are generally
attested in Turkish words, rather than those of Georgian origin. In the
Svan dialects the palatalized vowels represent phonemes while in the
Her dialects the phonemization process is directed towards perfec-
290
tion.
Short vowels are encountered in Khevsurian and Tushian. As a
rule, they appear at the ultimate end of words. They represent positional
291
variants of full vowels .
All three types: tense, aspirate and palatalized of vowel excursion
and recursion are encountered more or less in all dialects. Tense excursion
and recursion mainly appears in expressive words (interjections,
particles) graphically by ¥ or & sign.
Tense excursion: Tushian: ¥uambw [uambw] "he/she" told him/her"…
Mokhevian: ¥is "he, she, it", ¥ara "no"… Her: ¥utkom "apparently he/she has
said"… Chan: ¥ar (Atinan) "one", ¥ides