The term Ibero-Caucasian (or Iberian-Caucasian) was proposed by Georgian linguist Arnold Chikobava for the union of the three language families that are specific to the Caucasus area, namely Kartvelian languages Northwest Caucasian, also called Abkhaz/Adygh or Circassian; Northeast Caucasian, now called (Nakh–)Dagestanian. The Northeast family is assumed to include the Nakh languages (Batsbi, Chechen, and Ingush), which were formerly classified as a separate North-central Caucasian family.