Circassian , also known as Cherkess , is a subdivision of the Northwest Caucasian language family, spoken by the Circassian people. There are two Circassian languages, defined by their literary standards, Adyghe (; also known as West Circassian), with half a million speakers, and Kabardian (; also known as East Circassian), with a million. The languages are highly mutually intelligible with one another, but differ to a degree where they would be considered clear-cut dialects. The earliest extant written records of the Circassian languages are in the Arabic script, recorded by the Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi in the 17th century. There is consensus among the linguistic community about the fact that Adyghe and Kabardian are typologically distinct languages. However, the local terms for these languages refer to them as dialects. The Circassian people call themselves адыгэ (adyge; English: Adyghe) in their native language. In the southwestern part of European Russia, there is also a Federal Subject called Adygea (Russian: Адыгея, Adygeya), enclaved within Krasnodar Krai, which is named after the Circassian endonym. In the Russian language, the Circassian subdivision is treated as a group of languages and called адыгские (adygskie, meaning the Adyghe languages), whereas the Adyghe language is called адыгейский (adygeyskiy, meaning the language of those in [the Republic of] Adygea). The terms Circassian and Cherkess are sometimes used in several languages as synonyms for the Northwest Caucasian languages in general or the Adyghe language in particular. Circassian languages Adyghe language The Black Sea coast dialects Zhaney dialect Natukhai dialect (; Netʼx́uajebze) Shapsug dialect (; Shapsyǵabze) North Shapsugs, Great Shapsugs, Kuban Shapsugs dialect (Шапсыгъэ шху; Shapsyǵ shyxu) Temirgoy-Shapsugs, Pseuşko accent (Кӏэмгуе-шапсыгъ; Chʼemgueý-shapsyǵ) South Shapsugs, Small Shapsugs, Coastal Shapsugs Black Sea Shapsugs (Шапсыгъэ-цӏыкӏу; Shapsyǵe-tsʼykʼu) dialect. Kfar Kama dialect (Кфар Камэм ишапсыгъэбзэ; Kfar Kamem ishapsyǵebze): Shapsug dialect spoken by the villagers of Kfar Kama in Israel. Hakuchi dialect (ХьакӀуцубзэ, Къарацхаибзэ; Hakʼutsubze, Qaratsxaibze) The Kuban river dialects Bzhedug dialect (; Bɀedyǵubze) : Spoken by the Circassians in Republic of Adygea and Biga. Temirgoy (; Chʼemıguıyabze, Chʼemguibze) : Literary Adyghe. Also spoken by the Circassians in Republic of Adygea. Abzakh dialect (; Abźaxabze) : Spoken by the Circassians in Rehaniya in Israel and the Circassians in Syria from Golan Heights. Mamkhegh dialect Yegeruqay dialect Hatuqwai dialect Mequash dialect Kabardian language Kabardian West Kabardian Kuban Kuban-Zelenchuk (Cherkess) Central Kabardian Baksan (Basis for the literary language) Malka Eastern Kabardian Terek Mozdok North Kabardian Mulka Zabardiqa