Ossetian  

Ossetian or Ossetic is a member of the Northeastern Iranian branch of Indo-European languages. About 500,000 people speak Ossetian in Ossetia, a region that straddles the border of Russia and Georgia. The majority of Ossetian speakers live in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in Russia. The Ossetic-speaking region which used to be a part of Georgia is called South Ossetia. Presently it is [de facto] independent republic. There are also some Ossetian speakers in Turkey and Syria.  

There are two main dialects of Ossetian, Iron (Ирон) and Digor (Дигор). Iron is the most widely spoken dialect and the basis for written Ossetian.  

Ossetian is an official language in North and South Ossetia. There are several of Ossetian newspapers and magazines, and the language is taught in schools. Some TV and radio channels also have programs in Ossetian.  

Ossetian was first written during the 18th century with a version of the Arabic script. Then in 1844, a method of writing Ossetian with the Cyrillic alphabet was developed by Sjoegren. Between 1923 and 1937 a version of the Latin alphabet was used to write the language, and since 1938 the Cyrillic alphabet has been used, though from 1938 to the 1950s, a version of the Georgian alphabet was used to write Ossetian in South Ossetia.  

You can also find some detailed information about Ossetian language at: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ossetian_language 

Latin alphabet for Ossetian (1923-1937) 

Ossetian ( Cyr)---Ossetian (Latin)------------English words  

А, а – [a] -------A, a (Arv, Kad)------------------Art 

Æ,æ [æ]-------Æ, æ (Æmbal, Sær)----------------mesure, plesure 

Б, б – (b)--------B, b (Balc, Sabi)------------------Ball  

В, в – [v]--------V, v (Væjy, Tævd)---------------Victory 

Г, г – [g]--------G, g (Gal, Næmyg)---------------Goal  

Гъ, гъ [h]-------H, h (Æhdau,Sahæs,zahd)------------------------ 

Е, е – [e]--------E, e (Bel, Dendžyz)-------------------Bell 

Д, д – [d] ------ D, d (Dis, Fæd)--------------------Dad 

З, з - [з]-------- Z, z (Zyn, Fæz)----------------------pleasure 

Дз, дз-[dz]----- Dz, dz {dz} (Dzul, Kuydz, Dzidzi)---------------- 

Дж, дж-[dз]----Dž, dž (Fyddžyn)---------------------marriage 

И, и - {i}--------I, i (Iron, Biræ)-----------------------chin 

Й, й –[ j ]-------J, j (Mijag,Jæxi,)----------------------my (mai) 

К, к – [k]------- K, k (Kom,Bærkkad)---------------karate 

Къ, къ [k'] ------Kh, kh (Khax, Fætkhuy)-------------------------- 

Л, л - [l]---------L, l (Læg, Bal)------------------------mall 

М, м – [m]-------M, m (Mad,Kuymæ)---------------mad 

Н, н – [n]--------N, n (Nom, Ænus)-----------------nail 

О, о – [o]--------O, o (Xox, Don)-------------------goal 

П, п – [p]--------P, p (Pyl,Æppælgæ)--------------poem 

Р, р - [r]---------R, r (Ron, Sækær)-----------------rug  

С, с - [s]---------S, s (Som, Bælas)------------------shovel 

Т, т - [t]---------T, t (Tævd, Stur)-------------------tent 

Тъ, тъ [t']--------Th, th (Thæpæn)---------------------------------- 

У, у – [u]---------U, u (Ustur, Turkag)---------------school 

Ф, ф - [f]---------F, f (Fæd, Cæft)-------------------fan  

Х, х - [h]---------X, x (Xud, Bæx)--------------------hand, hard 

Хъ, хъ[h']--------Q, q (Qæu,Araqq,Qug)------------Araq (Arabic)  

Ц, ц – [ts]--------C, c (Cong, Balc)-------------------close to Cincinnati 

Цъ, цъ[ts']-------Ch, ch (Chammar,Chiu)--------------------------- 

Ч, ч – [t∫] --------Č, č (Činyg,Ajčy char)-------------cheese  

Чъ, чъ [t∫']-------Čh, čh (Čhiri, čhizi)-------------------------------  

Ы, ы [Ə]-----------Y, y (Syl, Fyrt, Misyn, pysylmon)---------------  

*Ю, ю [ju:]-------Ju, ju (Ijul,Atatjurk)---------------stew, music 

*Я, я - [ja]--------Ja, ja (Janvar,Tanja)--------------yummy 

* These letters came from Russian language, and they are mostly used in words 

with Russian or European background. 

Ossetian sample text 

Адӕймӕгтӕ се 'ппӕт дӕр райгуырынц сӕрибарӕй ӕмӕ ӕмхуызонӕй сӕ барты. Уыдон ӕххӕст сты зонд ӕмӕ намысӕй, ӕмӕ кӕрӕдзийӕн хъуамӕ уой ӕфсымӕрты хуызӕн.  

Transliteration 

Adäjmägtä se 'ppät där rajguyrync säribaräj ämä ämxuyzonäj sä barty. Uydon äxxäst sty zond ämä namysäj, ämä kärädzijän quamä uoj äfsymärty xuyzän.  

Translation 

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. 

(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)  

Here is the 1927 Union member's book. The by-laws of the Union are presented in two languages: Ossetian (using Latin alphabet) and Russian.