Proto-Lezghian: *marq:Iaw
Meaning: tom-cat
Agul: marR̀u (Bursh.)
Rutul: marq̇Iaw
Comment: An expressive root, with irregular glottalisation in Rut. Ag. (Rich.) q:Iurmaw 'tom-cat' reveals the same metathesis as in Lak. and must be a Lak. borrowing; on the other hand, Ag. marR̀u ( < *marʁIaw) was itself borrowed in Darg. Chir. marʁIaw (which can not be genuinely related for phonetic reasons). Rather enigmatic is Kryz. ṗeʁu 'tom-cat' (perhaps it is an expressive transformation of *meʁu which would be a regular reflex of *marq:Iaw ?). Both the Rut. and the Kryz. words belong to the 3d class.
