Abkhaz-Adyghe etymology : List with all references

Proto-West-Caucasian: *q̇Iʷǝ

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: 1 hair 2 feather, wool 3 hairless, bald

Abkhaz: a-χʷǝ́ 1

Abaza: qwǝ 1,2

Adyghe: q:ʷǝjǝ 3

Kabardian: q:ʷij 3

Ubykh: q̇Iʷǝ 1,2

Comments: PAT *qʷǝ (cf. also Bz. a-χʷǝ́; in Abaz. the meaning 'a hair' is expressed by a derivate form qʷǝ-c). PAK *q:ʷǝ-jǝ́ (where -jǝ is a privative suffix) - this comparison seems irreproachable to us, whereas the comparison of AA and Ub. forms with PAK *xʷǝ-č̣́a- 'to wash (head)', proposed by Shagirov (2, 77) is worse semantically and impossible phonetically.

The old derivate *q̇Iʷǝ-cǝ ( > Abaz. qʷǝc) with some irregular processes (loss or metathesis of labialisation) is also reflected in PAT *qǝcʷǝ > Abkh. a-χć̌ǝ́ (Bzyb. a-χć̌ǝ́) 'braid, plait', Abaz. qǝčʷ "bird's comb", PAK *ʎa-q:ǝca (*ʎa 'foot') 'shaggy fetlocks'.

North Caucasian etymology :

Proto-North Caucasian: *q̇_(w)ămʔǝ̄

Meaning: plait, mane; hair

Proto-Avaro-Andian: *q̇:amha

Proto-Lak: q:unču

Proto-Dargwa: *q̇ama, *q̇a-či

Proto-Lezghian: *q̇am, *q̇am-č̣al

Proto-West Caucasian: *q̇Iʷǝ

Notes: It is somewhat unclear whether labialisation had been lost in PEC or it appeared secondarily (after the loss of -m-) in PWC; the latter seems more probable. Pharyngealization in PWC obviously appeared under the influence of the lost laryngeal. The comparison seems plausible. Some of the languages (Bagv., Lak., Darg., PL) reflect also an old derivate *q̇_(w)ăm-čV - its derived character being proved by "tense" *q̇ versa "lax" *č (violating the normal structure of "tense" words). Another reflex of the same derivate (but already with "tense" *č, probably by assimilation) is Av. q̇:ʷanš:á 'temple, hair on temples' (which was early borrowed in Lak. as q̇anča 'hairdo, hair; (Khosr.) forelock'. Cf. perhaps also Bezht. Khosh. q̇ämƛ̣äš 'women's shawl, kerchief' (quite isolated within Tsezian and possibly reflecting some analogous compound).

Avar-Andian etymology :

Protoform: *q̇:amha, *q̇:am-čV

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: 1 hairdo 2 cock's comb 3 mane

Avar: q̇:ama 2

Andian language: q̇:ãw 1

Akhvakh: q̇:ama 2

Chamalal: q̇:ama 2

Tindi: q̇:ama 2

Bagvalal: q̇:amča 3

Comments: Cf. also And. dial. q̇amu 'cock's comb; beak'. Av. accent paradigm is unknown (the word is attested only in the Russian-Avar dictionary). All Andian forms (except And. itself and Bagv.) may be borrowed from Av. An obvious Av. loan is Inkh. q̇ama 'plait; cock's comb'. The Bagv. form q̇:amča reflects an old derivate.

Lak etymology :

Lak root: q:unču

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: lock, tuft (of hair)

Lak form: q:unču

Comments: Cf. also Khosr. q:unču 'forelock, fringe'.

Dargwa etymology :

Proto-Dargwa: *q̇ama

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: 1 hairdo; fringe, forelock 2 plait

Akusha: q̇ama 1

Chiragh: q̇ama 2

Comments: Cf. also Ur. q̇ama 'hairdo', Tsud. q̇ama id., Kub., Tsud. ʁal-q̇ama 'mane'. Lak. q̇ama 'mane' is probably borrowed from Darg. The suffixed form *q̇am-či > *q̇ači is reflected in Kait., Kharb. q̇ači, Kub. q̇ače 'braid, plait'.

Lezghian etymology :

Proto-Lezghian: *q̇am, *q̇am-č̣al

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: 1 plait 2 forelock, mane 3 cap 4 parting (of hair)

Lezghian: q̇eč̣em 4

Rutul: q̇amč̣äl 1

Tsakhur: q̇amč̣ele 1

Budukh: q̇emelči 3

Archi: q̇am 2

Comment: The Lezg. form is a metathesis. The pure root is preserved only in Arch. (which also has an etymological doublet: q̇ama-t:u 'women's hair' - probably borrowed from Lak. or Darg.); all other languages reflect a suffixed form. The word belongs to the 3d class in all class-distinguishing languages.