Proto-North Caucasian: *hǝlq̇_wĕ ( ~ -ĭ)
Meaning: roof
Notes: The Bezht. form ƛ̣oq exactly parallels PA *ƛ̣olq̇:ʷV (an old compound, see above), thus this compound with *ƛ̣a- 'above' must be dated by the Av.-And.-Tsez. period. The PWC form has a frequent labial prefix (with a usual in this case delabialisation of the following consonant). The comparison seems reliable, both phonetically and semantically (an alternative comparison of Adygh forms with PEC *mōnqī 'breast' - see Abdokov 1983, 79 - is improbable for phonetic reasons).
It seems possible to compare also Lak. Khosr. q̇alaq̇u 'lid, cover' which is either a reduplication or a reflex of the same compound with *ƛ̣a- 'above' (if q̇alaq̇u < *ḳalaq̇u through assimilation).
