# Bats language

Bats (Batsbur Mott, or Batsba Moṭṭ, ბაცბა მოტტ,), also known as Batsbi, Batsi, Batsb, Batsaw, or Tsova-Tush) is the endangered language of the Bats people, a North Caucasian minority group living in the Republic of Georgia. Batsbi is part of the Nakh branch of Northeast Caucasian languages. It had 2,500 to 3,000 speakers in 1975, with only one dialect. Batsbi is only used for spoken communication, as Bats people tend to use Georgian when writing.

## History

Tusheti, the northeastern mountainous region of Georgia, is home to four tribes that consider themselves Tushetians: the Batsbi (also known as Tsovatush), the Gometsari, the Piriqiti, and the Chagma-Tush. Tsovatush people make up 50% of Tushetians. Only several hundred Tsovatush people speak Bats, whereas the other tribes (Gometsari, Piriqiti and Chagma-Tush) have lost the language. Evidence from toponymics indicates that the other three Tushetian tribes formerly spoke Bats, suggesting that all Tushetians once did and over time the Georgian language replaced Bats.
The mountainous terrain preserved the culture and traditions of Tushetians, but the history of isolation makes it more difficult to document them as only a few records exist.
The first grammar of Bats, Über die Thusch-Sprache, was compiled by the German orientalist Anton Schiefner (1817–1879), making it into the first grammar of an indigenous Caucasian language based on sound scientific principles.

## Classification & Distribution

Batsbi belongs to the Nakh branch of the Northeast Caucasian language family. The language is not mutually intelligible with either Chechen or Ingush, the other two Nakh languages.

### Geographic distribution

Most speakers of Bats live in the village of Zemo-Alvani, on the Kakheti Plain, in the Akhmeta Municipality of Georgia. There are some families of Bats in Tbilisi and other bigger towns in Georgia.

## Phonology
### Vowels

Bats has a typologically common five-vowel system. Although some authors claim that all vowels but /u/ contrast in length, no minimal pairs are given in any studies of Batsbi, nor are examples of long vowels available in the literature.
| | Front | Back |
| High | i | u |
| Mid | ɛ | ɔ |
| Low | a aː | a aː |
Bats also has the following diphthongs: /ei/, /ui/, /oi/, /ai/, /ou/, and /au/.
All vowels and diphthongs have nasalised allophones that are the result of phonetic and morphophonemic processes: [ ĩ ẽ ã õ ũ ]. Nasalised vowels are represented in the Mkhedruli script via a superscript ⟨ნ⟩ following the vowel in question, as in კნათე$^ნ$ for [k'natẽ] 'boy-GEN'.

### Consonants

Batsbi has a large consonant inventory, relatively typical for a Nakh-Dagestanian language, containing ejectives, pharyngeals and uvulars. Unlike its close Nakh relatives, Chechen and Ingush, Batsbi has on the other hand retained the voiceless lateral fricative /ɬ/. Also notable is the presence of two geminate ejectives, /tʼː/ and /qʼː/, which are cross-linguistically rare.
Consonant Phonemes of Bats :
| | | | Labial | Dental | Alveolar | Palatal(ized) | Velar | Uvular | Pharyngeal | Glottal |
| Nasal | Nasal | Nasal | m | n | | | | | | |
| Plosive | aspirated | lenis | pʰ | tʰ | t͜sʰ | t͡ʃʰ | kʰ | qʰ | | ʔ |
| Plosive | voiceless | fortis | | tː | | | | qː | | |
| Plosive | voiced | voiced | b | d | d͜z | d͡ʒ | g | | | |
| Plosive | ejective | lenis | pʼ | tʼ | t͜sʼ | t͡ʃʼ | kʼ | qʼ | | |
| Plosive | ejective | fortis | | tʼː | | | | qʼː | | |
| Fricative | voiceless | lenis | | | s | ʃ | x | | ħ | h |
| Fricative | voiceless | fortis | | | sː | | xː | | | |
| Fricative | voiceless | lateral | | | ɬ | | | | | |
| Fricative | voiced | voiced | v | | z | ʒ | ɣ | | ʕ | |
| Approximant | Approximant | lenis | | l | | j | | | ʕ | |
| Approximant | Approximant | fortis | | lː | | | | | | |
| Flap | Flap | Flap | | | ɾ | | | | | |

### Phonotactics

The most common syllable type in Batsbi is CVC. However, Batsbi words commonly contain sequences of two consonants, the second of which is often a fricative. Stop-stop clusters often contain an ejective. Those two-consonant clusters can occur in any position within the word, although less commonly word-finally. Sequences of three consonants do occur as well, although many are borrowings from Georgian. Like many clusters in non-Indo-European languages, consonant sequences in Batsbi often fail to conform to the sonority sequencing principle.
Word-initial Two-consonant Clusters :
| C1 | C2 | Example | Example | English |
| Stop | Fricative | Example | Example | English |
| b | ʒ | bʒã | ბჟა$^ნ$ | livestock |
| p | ħ | pħe | ფჰჾე | village |
| tʃ | x | tʃxotʼ | ჩხოტ | waterfall |
| kʼ | ʕ | kʼʕokʼ | კჺოკ | hole |
| m | ʕ | mʕal | მჺალ | common |
| Stop | Stop | Example | Example | English |
| tʼ | qʼ | tʼqʼa | ტყა | twenty |
| kʼ | n | kʼnatẽ | კნათე$^ნ$ | boy |
| tʃʼ | qʼ | tʃʼqʼempʷʼ | ჭყემპუ | throat |
Word-initial Three-consonant Clusters :
| C1 | C2 | C3 | Example | Example | English |
| p | s | tʼ | pstʼu | ფსტუ | wife |
| t | x | ɾ | txɾil | თხრილ | ditch |
| tʼ | kʼ | m | tʼkʼmel | ტკმელ | dust |
| tʼ | qʼ | v | tʼqʼve | ტყვე | prisoner |
| g | ɾ | d | gɾdeml | გრდემლ | anvil |
Of the words containing three-consonant onsets above, all but /psʼtu/ "wife" and /tʼkʼmel/ "dust" are native to Batsbi, those being loanwords from Georgian.
Word-final clusters :
| C1 | C2 | Example | Example | English |
| ɾ | kʼ | tsaɾkʼ | ცარკ | tooth |
| p | x | vepx | ვეფხ | tiger |
| t | x | matx | მათხ | sun |
| v | r | skʼivɾ | სკივრ | skunk |
| n | tʼ | abʒontʼ | აბჟონტ | stirrup |

## Spelling systems
### Comparison table of various spelling systems for Batsbi

| Schiefner, 1856 | Imnaishvili, 1977 | Imnaishvili, 1977 | Kadagidze, 1984 | Kadagidze, 1984 | Holisky & Gagua (1994) | Mikeladze, 2012 | Mikeladze, 2012 | Desheriev, 1953 | Chrelashvili, 1999 | IPA |
| Schiefner, 1856 | Georgian transcription | Latin transcription | Georgian transcription | Latin transcription | Holisky & Gagua (1994) | Georgian transcription | Latin transcription | Desheriev, 1953 | Chrelashvili, 1999 | IPA |
| a | ა | a | ა | a | a | ა, ⁀ა | A a, ⁀A ⁀a | а | а | a |
| a | ა | a | ა | a | a | | Ǎ ǎ, â | а͏̆ | а͏̆ | ă |
| a | | ā | | ā | a: | | Ā ā | а̄ | а̄ | aː |
| a | | ā | | ā | a: | | ā̄ | а̄ | а̄ | aː |
| a | აჼ | aⁿ | აჼ | aⁿ | aⁿ | აჼ, ⁀აჼ | Ã ã, ⁀Ã ⁀ã | а̃ | а̃ | ã |
| a | აჼ | aⁿ | აჼ | aⁿ | aⁿ | | Ā̃ ā̃ | а̃ | а̃ | ãː |
| b | ბ | b | ბ | b | b | ბ | B b | б | б | b |
| g | გ | g | გ | g | g | გ | G g | г | г | ɡ |
| d | დ | d | დ | d | d | დ | D d | д | д | d |
| e | ე | e | ე | e | e | ე | E e | е, э | е | e |
| e | ე | e | ე | e | e | ⁀ | Ē ē, ⁀Ē ⁀ē | е, э | е̄ | eː |
| e | | ĕ | | ĕ | _ | | ě, ê | е͏̆ | е͏̆ | ĕ |
| e | ეჼ | eⁿ | ეჼ | eⁿ | eⁿ | ეჼ | Ẽ ẽ | е̃ | е̃ | ẽ |
| e | ეჼ | eⁿ | ეჼ | eⁿ | eⁿ | | Ē̃ ē̃ | е̃ | е̃ | ẽː |
| w | ვ | v | ვ | v | v | ვ | V v | в | в | v |
| z | ზ | z | ზ | z | z | ზ | Z z | з | з | z |
| t̔ | თ | t | თ | t | t | თ | T t | т | т | tʰ |
| t̔ | თთ | tt | თჾ | tჾ | t: | თჾ | tჾ | тт | тт | tː |
| i | ი | i | ი | i | i | ი, ⁀ი | I i, ⁀I ⁀i | и | и | i |
| i | ი | i | ი | i | i | | Ī ī | ӣ | ӣ | iː |
| i | | ĭ | | ĭ | I | | î | и͏̆ | и͏̆ | ĭ |
| i | იჼ | iⁿ | იჼ | iⁿ | iⁿ | იჼ | Ĩ ĩ | и̃ | и̃ | ĩ |
| i | იჼ | iⁿ | იჼ | iⁿ | iⁿ | | Ī̃ ī̃ | и̃ | и̃ | ĩː |
| k | კ | ḳ | კ | ḳ | kʼ | კ | Ḳ ḳ | кӀ | кӀ | kʼ |
| l | ლ | l | ლ | l | l | ლ | L l | л | л | l |
| l | ლლ | ll | ლჾ | lჾ | l: | ლჾ | lჾ | лл | лл | lː |
| l͓ | ლʻ | lʻ | ლʻ | lʻ | ɫ | ლʻ | lʻ | лъ | лъ | ɬ |
| m | მ | m | მ | m | m | მ | M m | м | м | m |
| n | ნ | n | ნ | n | n | ნ | N n | н | н | n |
| j | ჲ | j | ჲ | j | j | ჲ | J j | й | й | j |
| j | ჲ | j | ჲ | j | j | ჲჼ | j̇̃ | й | й | j̃ |
| o | ო | o | ო | o | o | ო, ⁀ო | O o, ⁀O ⁀o | о | о | o |
| o | ო | o | ო | o | o | | Ō ō | о̄ | о̄ | oː |
| o | ო | o | ო | o | o | | ō̄ | о̄ | о̄ | oː |
| o | | ŏ | | ŏ | O | | ǒ, ô | о͏̆ | о͏̆ | ŏ |
| o | ოჼ | oⁿ | ოჼ | oⁿ | oⁿ | ოჼ | Õ õ | о̃ | о̃ | õ |
| o | ოჼ | oⁿ | ოჼ | oⁿ | oⁿ | | Ō̃ ō̃ | о̃ | о̃ | õː |
| p | პ | p̣ | პ | p̣ | pʼ | პ | P̣ p̣ | пӀ | пӀ | pʼ |
| z̔ | ჟ | ž | ჟ | ž | ž | ჟ | Ž ž | ж | ж | ʒ |
| r | რ | r | რ | r | r | რ | R r | р | р | ɾ |
| r | რʻ | rʻ | რ | r | r | რʻ | rʻ | р | р | ɾ̥ |
| s | ს | s | ს | s | s | ს | S s | с | с | s |
| s | სს | ss | სჾ | sჾ | s: | სჾ | sჾ | сс | сс | sː |
| t | ტ | ṭ | ტ | ṭ | tʼ | ტ | Ṭ ṭ | тӀ | тӀ | tʼ |
| t | ტტ | ṭṭ | ტჾ | ṭჾ | tʼ: | ტჾ | ṭჾ | тӀтӀ | тӀтӀ | tʼː |
| u | უ | u | უ | u | u | უ, ⁀უ | U u, ⁀U ⁀u | у | у | u |
| u | უ | u | უ | u | u | | Ū ū | у | ӯ | uː |
| u | | ŭ | | ŭ | U | | Ǔ ǔ, û | у͏̆ | у͏̆ | ŭ |
| u | უჼ | uⁿ | უჼ | uⁿ | uⁿ | უჼ, ⁀უჼ | Ũ ũ, ⁀Ũ ⁀ũ | у̃ | у̃ | ũ |
| p̔ | ფ | p | ფ | p | p | ფ | P p | п | п | pʰ |
| k̔ | ქ | k | ქ | k | k | ქ | K k | к | к | kʰ |
| g̔ | ღ | ɣ | ღ | ɣ | ǧ | ღ | Ɣ ɣ | гӀ | гӀ | ɣ |
| q | ყ | q̣ | ყ | q̣ | qʼ | ყ | Q̣ q̣ | къ | къ | qʼ |
| q | ყყ | q̣q̣ | ყჾ | q̣ჾ | qʼ: | ყჾ | q̣ჾ | къкъ | къкъ | qʼː |
| s̔ | შ | š | შ | š | š | შ | Š š | ш | ш | ʃ |
| s̔ | შ | š | შ | š | š | შჾ | šჾ | ш | ш | ʃː |
| c̔ | ჩ | č | ჩ | č | č | ჩ | Č č | ч | ч | t͡ʃʰ |
| c | ც | c | ც | c | c | ც | C c | ц | ц | t͡sʰ |
| ʒ | ძ | ʒ | ძ | ʒ | ʒ | ძ | Ʒ ʒ | дз | дз | d͡z |
| c̣ | წ | c̣ | წ | c̣ | cʼ | წ | C̣ c̣ | цӀ | цӀ | t͡sʼ |
| c̣̔ | ჭ | č̣ | ჭ | č̣ | čʼ | ჭ | Č̣ č̣ | чӀ | чӀ | t͡ʃʼ |
| x | ხ | x | ხ | x | x | ხ | X x | х | х | x |
| x | ხხ | xx | ხჾ | xჾ | x: | ხჾ | xჾ | хх | хх | xː |
| q | ჴ | q | ჴ | q | q | ჴ | Q q | кх | кх | qʰ |
| q | ჴჴ | qq | ჴჾ | qჾ | q: | ჴჾ | qჾ | ккх | кхкх | qː |
| ʒ̔ | ჯ | ǯ | ჯ | ǯ | ǯ | ჯ | Ǯ ǯ | дж | дж | d͡ʒ |
| x̣ | ჰ | h | ჰ | h | h | ჰ | H h | хӀ | хӀ | h |
| ḥ | ჰჾ | hჾ | ჰ$_⌝$ | h$_⌝$ | ħ | ჰ⁊ | H⁊ h⁊/Ⱨ ⱨ | хь | хь | ħ |
| ḥ | ჵ | ꞷ | ჵ | | _ | ჵ | ꞷ | Ӏъ | Ӏъ | ʡ |
| ʼ | ʻ | ʻ | ჺ | ʻ | ʕ | ჺ/ع | ʻ | Ӏ | Ӏ | ʕ |
| — | ʼ | ʼ | ჸ | ʼ | ʔ | ჸ | ʼ | ʼ | ъ | ʔ |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ф | — | f |
| — | | w | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | w |

## Morphosyntax

Batsbi is an SOV language with ergative-absolutive alignment which makes extensive use of bound morphological derivation and inflection. It has both grammatical gender (i.e. noun classes) and several grammatical cases.

### Pronouns
#### Personal pronouns - first and second persons

Batsbi pronouns encode three persons, two numbers, and clusivity for first person plural ("you and us" vs. "us but not you"). Demonstratives work as third person pronouns.
It is noteworthy that for singular first person ('I') and second person ('you') almost always differ systematically by a single consonant, first person having /s/ and second person /ħ/, whereas the plural forms regularly have /txo/ for first person exclusive, and /ʃu/ for second person. Case endings are regular for all pronouns, shown below.
| | Singular | Singular | Plural | Plural | Plural |
| | First | Second | First Exclusive | First Inclusive | Second |
| Nominative | სო so | ჰჾო ħo | ვე/ვაი ve/vai | თხო txo | შუ šu |
| Ergative | ას as | აჰჾ aħ | ვე ve | ათხ atx | ეშ eš |
| Genitive | სე$^ნ$ sẽ | ჰჾე$^ნ$ ħẽ | ვაი$^ნ$ vaĩ | თხე$^ნ$ txõ | შე$^ნ$ šũ |
| Dative | სონ son | ჰჾონ ħon | ვაინ vain | თხონ txon | შუნ šun |
| Allative | სოგუ sogu | ჰჾოგუ ħogu | ვაიგუ vaigu | თხოგუ txogu | შუგუ šugu |
| Adverbial | სოღ soǧ | ჰჾოღ ħoǧ | ვაიღ vaiǧ | თხოღ txoǧ | შუღ šuǧ |
| | I | You (Thou) | Us but not you | You and us | You (Ye) |

#### Third person pronouns/Demonstratives

In Batsbi, the distal demonstrative ('that yonder') also serves as a third person pronoun ('s/he', 'it', 'they'). As such, the language does not encode gender in its pronouns. However, gender may still be indexed on verbs and adjectives.
| | Singular | Plural |
| Nominative | ო o | ობი obi |
| Ergative | ოჴუს oqus | ოჴარ oqar |
| Genitive | ოჴუი$^ნ$ oquĩ | ოჴრი$^ნ$ oqrĩ |
| Dative | ოჴუინ oquin | ოჴარნ oqarn |
| Instrumental | ოჴუვ oquv | |
| | s/he | they |

#### Adnominal demonstratives

| | Proximal | Medial | Distal |
| Absolutive | ე e | ის is | ო o |
| Oblique | ეჴ eq | იცხ icx | ოჴ oq |
| | this | that | that yonder |
Adnominal demonstratives code no gender in Batsbi.
ე
e
DEM.proximal
ფსტუიჩოვ
pstʼuinčov
woman-ERG
ე ფსტუიჩოვ
e pstʼuinčov
DEM.proximal woman-ERG
"This woman"
ე
e
DEM.proximal
სტაკოვ
stʼakʼov
man-ERG
ე სტაკოვ
e stʼakʼov
DEM.proximal man-ERG
"This man
ო
o
DEM.distal
სტაკოვ
stʼakʼov
man-ERG
ო სტაკოვ
o stʼakʼov
DEM.distal man-ERG
"That man over there"

#### Interrogative pronouns

| | who? | what? | when? | how much? | where? | which one? |
| Absolutive | მე$^ნ$ mẽ | ვუხ vux | მაცა$^ნ$ macã | მელʻ meɬ | მიჩ, მიჩა mič, miča | მენუხ menux |
| Ergative | ჰჾა$^ნ$ ħã | სტევ st'ev | მაცა$^ნ$ macã | მელʻ meɬ | მიჩ, მიჩა mič, miča | მენხუიჩოვ menxuičov |

### Noun classes

As in other Nakh languages, Batsbi has several noun classes (grammatical genders) that are indexed through class prefixes on some vowel-initial verbs, adjectives, numerals, and a few other words. That is, nouns themselves show no morphologically marks for gender. Gender indexing is highly complex in the language, with subject gender agreement on intransitive verbs (absolutive), but object agreement on transitive verbs. The table below shows gender agreement on verbs for three of the noun classes:
| Noun class | Subject | Verb group | Translation |
| Intransitive (subject agreement) |||
| M | ვაშუ vašu | ვახე$^ნ$ v-axẽ | Brother M-left |
| F | ჲაშუ jašu | ჲახე$^ნ$ j-axẽ | Sister F-left |
| D | ბადერ bader | დახე$^ნ$ d-axẽ | The child D-left |
| Bd | ფჰჾუ pħu | ბახე$^ნ$ b-axẽ | The dog Bd-left |
| | Transitive (object agreement) | Transitive (object agreement) | Transitive (object agreement) |
| M | ნანას nanas | ვაშუ ვიკე$^ნ$ vašu v-ik'ẽ | Mother M-took brother (lit. "Mother brother took") |
| F | დადას dadas | ჲაშუ ჲიკე$^ნ$ jašu j-ik'ẽ | Father F-took sister (lit. "Father sister took") |
| D | ნანას nanas | ბადერ დიკე$^ნ$ bader d-ik'ẽ | Mother D-took the child |
| Bd | დადას dadas | ფჰჾუ ბიკე$^ნ$ pħu b-ik'ẽ | Father Bd-took the dog |

#### Number of classes

Holisky and Gagua (1994) analyse Batsbi as having five noun classes, whereas Alice Harris posits that Batsbi has eight genders in total, based on the behaviour of words that fail to conform to the patterns of the five major classes. The breakdown below follows Harris:
| Label | Singular | Plural | Description | Nouns | Adjective "big" | Verb To Be | English |
| M | v- | b- | male humans | მარ mar ჺუვ ʕuv ვოჰჾ voħ | ვაჴჴო$^ნ$ v-aqqõ | ვა v-a | "the husband is big" "the shepherd is big" "the son is big" |
| F | j- | d- | female humans | ნან nan ფსტუ pstʼu ჲოჰჾ joħ | ჲაჴჴო$^ნ$ j-aqqõ | ჲა j-a | "the mother is big" "the wife is big" "the daughter is big" |
| D | d- | d- | various, default class for unknown gender | ბადერ bader კუიტი kʼuit'i დოკ dokʼ დითხ ditx | დაჴჴო$^ნ$ d-aqqõ | და d-a | "the child is big" "the cat is big" "the heart is big" "the meat is big" |
| Bd | b- | d- | animals | ფჰჾუ pħu ჩა ča | ბაჴჴო$^ნ$ b-aqqõ | ბა b-a | "the dog is big" "the bread is big" "the bear is big" |
| J | j- | j- | various | ცარკ carkʼ მაიჴი maiqi ყარ q'ar | ჲაჴჴო$^ნ$j-aqqõ ჲ-ავი$^ნ$ j-avĩ | ჲა j-a | "the tooth is big" "the milk is light" "the rain is light" |
| *Bd | b- | d- | body parts (15 nouns) | ბაქ bak ბჺარკ bʕarkʼ ჭყემპუ čʼqʼempʷʼ | ბაჴჴო$^ნ$b-aqqõ | ბა b-a | "it is a big fist" "the eye is big" throat is |
| *D/J | d- | j- | body parts (4 nouns) | ბატრ batʼr ლარკ larkʼ ტოტ tʼotʼ ჭამაღ čʼamaǧ | | d-a is | lip is ear is hand is cheek is |
| *B/B | b- | b- | only 3 nouns | ბორაგ borag ჩექამ čekam ქაქამ kakam | | b-a is/are | knit slipper boot autum wool |

#### Exceptions and Nouns without inherent gender

According to Holisky and Gagua (1994), the class with the largest number of nouns is the D-class (e.g. da "it is"), followed by the J-class (e.g. ja "it is"). Class D markers are also used when the noun class is unknown (as in open interrogatives, see 1a) and in clauses with mixed genders (1d).
ვუხ
vux
what
და
d-a
Cl.D-be
ვუხ და
vux d-a
what Cl.D-be
"What is it?"
ღოჭ
ǧočʼ
stick
ჲა
j-a
Cl.J-be
ღოჭ ჲა
ǧočʼ j-a
stick Cl.J-be
"It is a stick"
ნექ
nek
knife
და
d-a
Cl.D-be
ნექ და
nek d-a
knife Cl.D-be
"It is a knife"
ღოჭე
ǧočʼe
stick-and
ნექე
neke
knife-and
და
d-a
Cl.D-be
ღოჭე ნექე და
ǧočʼe neke d-a
stick-and knife-and Cl.D-be
"It is both a stick and knife"
Additionally, some nouns referring to humans have no inherent gender, so that class agreement is contextual. These includes the words for "teacher" (უჩიტელ učitʼel), "friend" (ნაყბისტ naq'bist'), "enemy" (მასთხოვ mastxov), "neighbor" (მეზობელ mezobel) and others.
უჩიტელ
učitʼel
teacher
ვა
v-a
Cl.M-is
უჩიტელ ვა
učitʼel v-a
teacher Cl.M-is
"He is a teacher"
უჩიტელ
učitʼel
teacher
ჲა
j-a
Cl.F-is
უჩიტელ ჲა
učitʼel j-a
teacher Cl.F-is
"She is a teacher"
Gender is lexicalized in a few words such as vašu (ვაშუ "brother") vs. jašu (ჲაშუ "sister"),in that -ašu could be translated as "sibling".

#### Gender agreement in adjectives

Only eight vowel-initial adjectives agree in gender with the noun they modify:
Adjective agreement (singular) :
| Gender (sg/pl) | -aqqõ | -ut'q'ĩ | -avĩ | -acĩ | -uq'ĩ | -asẽ | -acũ | -axxẽ |
| Gender (sg/pl) | -აჴჴო$^ნ$ | -უტყი$^ნ$ | -ავი$^ნ$ | -აცი$^ნ$ | -უყი$^ნ$ | -ასე$^ნ$ | -აცუ$^ნ$ | -ახხე$^ნ$ |
| M (v-/b-) | v-aqqõ | v-ut'q'ĩ | v-avĩ | v-acĩ | v-uq'ĩ | v-asẽ | v-acũ | v-axxẽ |
| F (j-/d-) | j-aqqõ | j-ut'q'ĩ | j-avĩ | j-acĩ | j-uq'ĩ | j-asẽ | j-acũ | j-axxẽ |
| D (d-) | d-aqqõ | d-ut'q'ĩ | d-avĩ | d-acĩ | d-uq'ĩ | d-asẽ | d-acũ | d-axxẽ |
| J (j-) | j-aqqõ | j-ut'q'ĩ | j-avĩ | j-acĩ | j-uq'ĩ | j-asẽ | j-acũ | j-axxẽ |
| Bd (b-/d-) | b-aqqõ | b-ut'q'ĩ | b-avĩ | b-acĩ | b-uq'ĩ | b-asẽ | b-acũ | b-axxẽ |
| English | "big" | "small" | "light" | "heavy" | "thick" | "empty" | "short" | "long" |

### Grammatical number and case

Batsbi nouns are inflected for two numbers, singular and plural, and nine cases. Number inflection occurs via suffixation and/or root changes, and is chiefly unpredictable. Harris (ms) identifies nine suffixes for plural marking in the nominative case; note that vowel changes (i.e. ablaut) may also affect the root of the plural form.
Nominative :
| Suffix | Nom-Singular | Nom-Plural | English |
| -i | საგ sag | საგი sag-i | deer |
| -iš | ნიყ niq' | ნიყიშ niq'-iš | road(s) |
| -bi | ხე$^ნ$ xẽ | ხენბი xen-bi | tree(s) |
| -mi | დოკ dok' | დაკმი dak'-mi | heart(s) |
| -arč | ფჰჾუ pḥu | ფჰჾარჩ pḥ-arč | dog(s) |
| -erč | ტჺირ tʼʕir | ტჺირერჩ tʼʕir-erč | star(s) |
| -ar | კეჭ kʼeč̣ | კაჭარ kʼač̣-ar | bundle(s) |
| -er | ჲოპყ jopʼqʼ | აპყერ apʼqʼ-er | ash(es) |
Batsbi makes use of nine noun cases total. In the majority of nouns, the ergative and instrumental cases have a common form.
| | ნეკ nekʼ 'knife' | ნეკ nekʼ 'knife' | ცოკალ t͜sʰokʼal 'fox' | ცოკალ t͜sʰokʼal 'fox' | დოკ dok' 'heart' | დოკ dok' 'heart' |
| | Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural |
| Nominative | nekʼ | nekʼi | t͜sʰokʼal | t͜sʰokʼli | dok' | dak'bi |
| Genitive | nekʼẽ | nekʼã | t͜sʰokʼlẽ | t͜sʰokʼlã | dak'ĩ | dak'bĩ |
| Dative | nekʼen | nekʼin | t͜sʰokʼlen | t͜sʰokʼlin | dak'an | dak'bin |
| Ergative/Instrumental | nekʼev | nekʼiv | t͜sʰokʼlev | t͜sʰokʼliv | dak'av | dak'bav |
| Contacting | nek'ex | nekʼax | t͜sʰokʼlex | t͜sʰokʼlax | dak'ox | dak'bax |
| Allative | nekʼegʷ | nekʼigʷ | t͜sʰokʼlegʷ | t͜sʰokʼligʷ | dak'ogʷ | dak'bigʷ |
| Adverbial | nekʼeɣ | nekʼiɣ | t͜sʰokʼleɣ | t͜sʰokʼliɣ | dak'oɣ | dak'biɣ |
| Comitative | nekʼt͜sʰĩ, nekʼet͜sʰĩ | nekʼicĩ | t͜sʰokʼlet͜sʰĩ | t͜sʰokʼlit͜sʰĩ | | |

### Verbs

Verds in Batsbi encode not only tense, and aspect, but also gender, person, mood, and other categories. Person suffixes also encode whether the subject of the verb is ergative or absolutive. Person suffixes for are shown in the table below. Note that Batsbi verbs also agree with the object through a prefix denoting a noun class, not shown in the table that follows.
| | | Singular | Plural |
| First | Ergative to cut | თეტოს tet'o-s | თეტოთხ tet'o-tx |
| First | Absolutive to take | -იკესუ -ikʼe-sʷ | -იკესთხუ -ikʼe-txʷ |
| Second | Ergative to cut | თეტოჰჾ tet'o-ħ | თეტუიშ tet'w-iš |
| Second | Absolutive to take | -ისკეჰჾუ -ikʼe-ħʷ | -ისკეშუ -ikʼe-šʷ |
| Third | Ergative to cut | თეცტ$^უ$ tet'ʷ | თეცტ$^უ$ tet'ʷ |
| Third | Absolutive to take | | |
Batsbi has explicit inflections for agentivity of a verb; it makes a distinction between:
    as woʒe (I fell down through no fault of my own)
    so woʒe (I fell down and it was my own fault)

### Postpositions

In Batsbi, a number of spatial and time relations are expressed via postpositions. In many cases, the nouns that precede the postposition occur in the dative case, although there are exceptions.
| Postposition | Example | English |
| მაქ mak | ტივენ მაქ ბა t'iv-en mak ba | They (M) are on the bridge (lit. bridge on they.are) |
| on | ტივენ მაქ ბა t'iv-en mak ba | They (M) are on the bridge (lit. bridge on they.are) |
| კიკელ kʼikʼel | ტივენ კიკელ ვაიხნას tʼiv-en kʼikʼel vaixnas | I (M) walked under the bridge (lit. bridge under I walked) |
| under | ტივენ კიკელ ვაიხნას tʼiv-en kʼikʼel vaixnas | I (M) walked under the bridge (lit. bridge under I walked) |
| ფეხ pex | ნანენ ფეხ nan-en pex | Next to mother (lit. mother next to) |
| next to | ნანენ ფეხ nan-en pex | Next to mother (lit. mother next to) |
| ჰჾათხ(ე) ħatx(e) | წენინ ჰჾათხე c'en-in ħatxe | In front of the house (lit. house in front of) |
| in front of | წენინ ჰჾათხე c'en-in ħatxe | In front of the house (lit. house in front of) |
Note that some of the directions or states which in English and Indo-European languages are expressed via prepositions, are in Batsbi expressed via locative cases.

## Word order

The neutral word order in Batsbi is SOV.
სტაკოვ
stʼakʼov
boy-ERG
ჲაჰჾონ
jaħon
girl-DAT
ჴირ
qor
apple
ბალი
balin
B.Cl-give.AOR
სტაკოვ ჲაჰჾონ ჴირ ბალი
stʼakʼov jaħon qor balin
boy-ERG girl-DAT apple B.Cl-give.AOR
"The man gave an apple to the girl"
ფსარე
psare
yesterday
ფჰჾე
pħe
village
ჲაიხნას
jaixnas
F.Cl-go-1S.ERG
ფსარე ფჰჾე ჲაიხნას
psare pħe jaixnas
yesterday village F.Cl-go-1S.ERG
"I (a woman) went to the village yesterday"

## Numerals

Like most of its relatives, Bats' numerals are vigesimal, using 20 as a common base. This is mainly evident in the construction of higher decads, so:
    40 (šauztʼqʼ) is formed from 2  ×  20
    200 (icʼatʼqʼ) formed from is 10  ×  20
When modifying nominals, the numeral precedes the noun it modifies.
Basic numbers :
| 1 | cħa | 11 | cħajtʼtʼ | 1+10 |
| 2 | ši | 12 | šiitʼtʼ | 2+10 |
| 3 | qo | 13 | qoitʼtʼ | 3+10 |
| 4 | Dʕivʔ | 14 | Dʕevajtʼtʼ | 4+10 |
| 5 | pxi | 15 | pxiitʼtʼ | 5+10 |
| 6 | jetx | 16 | jetxajtʼː | 6+10 |
| 7 | vorɬ | 17 | vorɬajtʼtʼ | 7+10 |
| 8 | barɬ | 18 | barɬajtʼtʼ | 8+10 |
| 9 | isː | 19 | tʼqʼexc' | 20–1 |
| 10 | itʼtʼ | 20 | tʼqʼa | |
Higher decads :
| 21 | tʼqʼacħa | 20+1 |
| 22 | tʼqʼaš | 20+2 |
| 30 | tʼqʼaitʼtʼ | 20+10 |
| 31 | tʼqʼacħaitʼtʼ | (20+1)+10 |
| 32 | tʼqʼašiitʼtʼ | (20+2)+10 |
| 40 | šauztʼqʼ | 2×20 |
| 50 | šauztʼqʼaitʼtʼ | (2×20)+10 |
| 60 | qouztʼqʼ | 3×20 |
| 70 | qouztʼqʼaitʼtʼ | (3×20)+10 |
| 80 | Dʕe(v)uztʼqʼ | 4×20 |
| 90 | Dʕe(v)uztʼqʼaitʼtʼ | (4×20)+10 |
| 100 | pxauztʼqʼ | 5×20 |
| 120 | jexcʼatʼqʼ | from jetxcʼatʼqʼ 6x20 |
| 160 | barɬcʼatʼqʼ | 8×20 |
| 200 | icʼatʼqʼ | from itʼːcʼatʼqʼ 10x20 |
| 1000 | atas | from Georgian |
In Bats, as in its closest relatives Chechen and Ingush, the number four (Dʕivʔ) begins with a noun-class marker, represented by D (by default, or another capital letter for the other classes). This marker will agree in class with the class of the nominal which the number modifies, even if that nominal is not overtly expressed and is only apparent through pragmatic or discursive context, as in Vʕivʔev (four (males)). This is seen in the word 'four' itself as well as its derivatives.