Bokarev, E. A. Comparative-Historical Phonetics of the East Caucasian Languages (Sravnitel'no-istoricheskaya fonetika vostochnokavkazskikh yazykov), 1981. In Russian

Бокарев Е. А. Сравнительно-историческая фонетика восточнокавказских языков. / Отв. ред. К. В. Ломтатидзе.
Москва: Наука, 1981.
140 с. Мягкая издательская обложка. Тираж 1000 экз.
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Bokarev, E. A. Comparative-Historical Phonetics of the East Caucasian Languages (Sravnitel'no-istoricheskaya fonetika vostochnokavkazskikh yazykov). / Edited by K. V. Lomtatidze.
Moscow: Nauka, 1981.
140 pp. Softcover publisher’s binding. Print run: 1,000 copies.

This 1981 monograph is a seminal work in the field of Caucasian linguistics, authored by the distinguished Soviet scholar Evgeny Alekseevich Bokarev (1904–1971). Published posthumously by the "Nauka" house, it represents the culmination of decades of research into the Nakh-Dagestanian (East Caucasian) language family. Bokarev was a pioneer in applying the rigorous methods of comparative-historical linguistics to the complex and diverse languages of the Caucasus, and this volume remains a cornerstone of the discipline.
The study focuses on the systematic reconstruction of the phonetic system of the Proto-East Caucasian language. Bokarev meticulously establishes sound correspondences across a vast array of modern languages, including Avar, Dargin, Lezgian, Lak, and the Nakh languages (Chechen and Ingush). By identifying shared phonetic laws and archaic features, he provides a scientific basis for the genetic unity of this language group. His work on the reconstruction of the consonant system, particularly the complex laryngeal and lateral sounds, is regarded as a masterpiece of comparative phonology.
Bokarev’s research was instrumental in moving Caucasian studies from mere description toward a deep historical understanding of linguistic evolution. The book explores how the phonetic structures of these "mountain languages" transformed over millennia, offering insights into the migration patterns and historical interactions of the peoples of the North Caucasus. The academic rigor of the text is bolstered by the editorial work of Ketevan Lomtatidze, another giant of Ibero-Caucasian linguistics.
With a small print run of only 1,000 copies, this edition was primarily intended for academic libraries and specialized researchers. It is a vital primary source for comparative linguists, Caucasologists, and anyone interested in the historical phonology of non-Indo-European language families. This monograph captures the intellectual depth of the Soviet school of linguistics and remains an indispensable tool for the ongoing study of the linguistic mosaic of the Caucasus.