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HandWiki. Proto-Northwest Caucasian. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/32811 (accessed on 10 July 2025).
HandWiki. Proto-Northwest Caucasian. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/32811. Accessed July 10, 2025.
HandWiki. "Proto-Northwest Caucasian" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/32811 (accessed July 10, 2025).
HandWiki. (2022, November 04). Proto-Northwest Caucasian. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/32811
HandWiki. "Proto-Northwest Caucasian." Encyclopedia. Web. 04 November, 2022.
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Proto-Northwest Caucasian (sometimes abbreviated PNWC), also Proto-Adyghe-Abazgi or Proto-Adyghe-Abkhaz, is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Northwest Caucasian languages.
proto-adyghe-abkhaz
pnwc
proto-adyghe-abazgi
1. Phonology
1.1. Consonants
| Proto-NWC | Proto-Abazgi | Ubykh | Proto-Circassian | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *p | p | |||
| *pː | b | b | pː | |
| *b | b | |||
| *pʼ | pʼ | |||
| *f | f | f | xʷ | |
| *w | w | |||
| *m | m | |||
| *pʲ | p | tʷ | t | |
| *pʲː | b | (tʷ~dʷ) | tː | |
| *bʲ | b | dʷ | d | |
| *pʼʲ | pʼ | tʷʼ | tʼ | |
| *pʷ | p | f | p | |
| *bʷ | f | f | b | |
| *pʷʲ | tsʲ | tʷ | - | |
| *bʷʲ | dzʲ | dʷ | d | |
| *pʷʲʼ | tsʲʼ | tʷʼ | tʼ | |
| *pˤ | p | vˤ | p | |
| *pˤː | - | bˤ | pː | |
| *bˤ | b | bˤ | b | |
| *pˤʼ | - | pˤʼ | pʼ | |
| *mˤ | m | mˤ | m | |
| *t | t | |||
| *tː | t | t | tː | |
| *d | d | |||
| *tʼ | tʼ | |||
| *r | r | d-,r~ʁ | tː-,r | |
| *n | n | |||
| *rʲ | r | ɮ | dz | |
| *tʷ | tʷ | tʷ | t | |
| *tʷː | d(ʷ) | tʷ | tː | |
| *dʷ | dʷ | dʷ | d | |
| *tʷʼ | tʷʼ | tʷʼ | tʼ | |
| *tʷʲ | tʷ | - | ts | |
| *tʷʲʼ | tʷʼ | tʷʼ | tsʼ | |
| *ts | ts | ts | s-c | |
| *tsː | ts | ts | tsː | |
| *dz | dz | dz | dz~z | |
| *tsʼ | tsʼ | |||
| *s | s | |||
| *z | z | dz~z | z | |
| *tsʲ | tsʲ | tsʲ | (s) | |
| *tsʲː | dzʲ(?) | ts | tsː | |
| *dzʲ | dzʲ | dz | dz~z | |
| *tsʲʼ | tsʲʼ | tsʲʼ | tsʼ | |
| *sʲ | sʲ | sʲ | s | |
| *zʲ | z | dzʲ~zʲ | z | |
| *tsʷ | tsʷ | tsʷ | sʷ- | |
| *tsʷː | tsʷ | tsʷ | tsʷː | |
| *dzʷ | dzʷ | - | dzʷ | |
| *tsʷʼ | tsʷʼ | |||
| *sʷ | sʷ | |||
| *zʷ | zʷ | dzʷ~zʷ | zʷ | |
| *tsʷʲ | (tʃ) | - | tsʲ | |
| *dzʷʲ | dʒ~ʒ | dʒʲ | dzʲ | |
| *tsʷʲʼ | tʃʼ | tʃʲʼ | tsʲʼ | |
| *sʷʲ | sʲ | tʃʷ | sʲ | |
| *zʷʲ | dzʲ~zʲ | ʒʷ | zʲ | |
| *tʃ | tsʲ | ts | s | |
| *dʒ | dzʲ | dz | dz~z | |
| *tʃʼ | tsʲʼ | tsʼ | tsʲʼ(?) | |
| *ʃ(~ʃː) | sʲ | s | s | |
| *ʒ | zʲ | z | z | |
| *tɕ | tɕ | |||
| *tɕː | dzʲ(~tɕ) | tɕ | tɕː | |
| *dʑ | dʑ | dʑ | dʑ~ʑ | |
| *tɕʼ | tɕʼ | |||
| *ɕ | ʃ(?) | ɕ | ʃ | |
| *ɕː | ʃ | ɕ | ʃː | |
| *ʑ | ʒ | ʑ | ʒ | |
| *j | j | |||
| *tʃʷ | tʃ | tʃ | tɕ | |
| *tʃʷː | zʷ | tʃ | tɕː | |
| *dʒʷ | dzʷ~zʷ | dʒ | dʑ~ʑ | |
| *tʃʷʼ | tʃʼ | tʃʼ | tɕʼ | |
| *ʃʷ | sʷ | ʃ | ʃ | |
| *ʃʷː | ʃ | ʃ | ʃː | |
| *ʒʷ | zʲ(?) | ʒ | ʒ | |
| *tɕʷ | tʃ | tɕ | tʃ | |
| *tɕʷː | dʒ~ʒ | tɕ | tʃː | |
| *tɕʷʼ | tʃʼ | tɕʼ | tʃʼ | |
| *ɕʷ | ʃʷ | ʃʷ | sʲ | |
| *ɕʷː | ʃ | sʷ | ʃː | |
| *ʑʷ | ʒʷ | ʒʷ | zʲ | |
| *tɬ | x | ɕ | tɕ | |
| *tɬː | ts | (sʲ) | tɕː | |
| *dɮ | l | ɮ | tħ | |
| *tɬʼ | x/tsʼ | tsʲʼ | tɕʼ | |
| *ɬ | - | sʲ | ɕ | |
| *ɬː | x | sʲ | ɕː | |
| *l | l | d-,Ø~j | tħ-,ɮ | |
| *tɬʲ | xʲ | ɕ | tɕ | |
| *dɮʲ | ɣʲ | ʁ(~zʲ) | ɣ | |
| *tɬʲʼ | ɕ | tɬʼ | tɬʼ | |
| *ɬʲ (~ɬʲʼː) | ɕ | ɬ | ɬ | |
| *ɮʲ | ʑ | ɮ | ɮ | |
| *lʲ | r-,l~ɣʲ | ɮ | d- | |
| *tɬʷ | tsʷ | tsʷ | tʃ | |
| *tɬʷː | tsʷ | tsʷ | tʃː | |
| *dɮʷ | l | w | ħ | |
| *tɬʷʼ | tsʼ(ʷ) | tsʼ(ʷ) | tʃʼ | |
| *ɬʷ | ʃ | sʷ | x(ʷ) | |
| *ɬʷː | ʃ | s(ʷ) | ɕː | |
| *tɬʷʲ | tʃʷ | f | x | |
| *tɬʷʲː | ʒʷ | dʑ | tɕː | |
| *dɮʷʲ | dʒʷ | dʒ | ɮ | |
| *tɬʷʲʼ | tʃʷʼ | tsʼ | tɕʼ | |
| *ɬʷʲ (~ɬʷː) | ʃ | ʃʷ | x(ʷ) | |
| *ɮʷʲ | ʒ | ʒʷ | ɣʲ | |
| *k | k | kʲ | kʲ | |
| *ɡ | ɡ | ɡʲ | ɡʲ | |
| *kʼ | kʼ | kʲʼ | kʲʼ | |
| *x | x | ɕ | x | |
| *ɣ | ɣ | ɣ~ʁ | ɣ | |
| *kʲ | kʲ | - | kʲ | |
| *ɡʲ | ɡʲ | |||
| *xʲ | xʲ | sʲ | ɕ | |
| *ɣʲ | ɣʲ | zʲ | ʑ | |
| *kʷ | kʷ | |||
| *kʷː | ɡʷ | ɡʷ | kʷː | |
| *ɡʷ | ɡʷ | |||
| *kʷʼ | kʷʼ | |||
| *xʷ | xʷ | x | x(ʷ) | |
| *ɡʲʷ | ɡʷ | ɡʲ 1 | ɡʷ | |
| *kʷʲʼ | kʷʼ | kʲʼ | kʷʲʼ | |
| *xʷʲ | sʷ | xʲ | xʷ | |
| *ɣʷʲ(?) | zʷ | ʁʲ | ʁʷ | |
| *q | (ħ) | q | q- | |
| *qː | q | q | qː | |
| *G | ɣ | ʁ | ʁ | |
| *qʼ | qʼ | qʼ | qː | |
| *χ | ħ | χ | χ | |
| *ʁ | ʕ | ʁ | ʁ | |
| *qʲː | q | qʲ | - | |
| *Gʲ | ɣʲ | ʁʲ | - | |
| *qʲʼ | qʲʼ | qʲʼ | ʔ | |
| *χʲ | ħ | xʲ | χʲ | |
| *ʁʲ | ʕ | ʁʲ | ʁ | |
| *qʷ | ħʷ | qʷ | qʷ-,qʷː | |
| *qʷː | qʷ | qʷ | qʷː | |
| *Gʷ | ɣʷ | ʁʷ | ʁʷ | |
| *qʷʼ | qʷʼ | qʷʼ | qʷː | |
| *χʷ | ħʷ | χʷ | χʷ | |
| *ʁʷ | ʕʷ | ʁʷ | ʁʷ | |
| *qʷʲ | ħ(ʷ) | xʲ | qʷ- | |
| *qʷʲː | - | qʲ | qʷː | |
| *Gʷʲ | ɣ(ʷ) | ʁʲ | ʁʷ | |
| *qʷʲʼ | ʕʷ(qʷʼ?) | qʲʼ | ʔʷ | |
| *χʷʲ | ħ(ʷ) | χʲ | χʷ | |
| *ʁʷʲ | ʕ(ʷ) | ʁʲ | ʁʷ | |
| *qˤː | ʕ | - | qː | |
| *qˤʼ | ħ(?) | qˤʼ | qː | |
| *χˤ | - | χˤ | χ | |
| *ʁˤ | ʕ | ʁˤ | ʁ | |
| *qˤʲ | q | q(ˤ) | ħ | |
| *qˤʲː | ʔ | qʼ | ʔ | |
| *qˤʲʼ | ħ | qʼ | ʔ | |
| *χˤʲ | ħ | χ(ˤ) | ħ | |
| *ʁˤʲ | ʕ | ʁ | j | |
| *qˤʷ | ħʷ | χˤʷ | qʷ- | |
| *qˤʷː | ʕʷ | qˤ(ʷ) | qʷː | |
| *qˤʷʼ | qʷʼ(qʷ) | qˤʷʼ | qʷː | |
| *χˤʷ | ħʷ | χˤʷ | χʷ | |
| *ʁˤʷ | (ħʷ?) | ʁˤʷ | ʁʷ | |
| *qˤʷʲ | qʷ | χʷ | ħ | |
| *qˤʷʲː | ʕʷ | qʷʼ | ʔʷ | |
| *qˤʷʲʼ | ħʷ | qʷʼ | ʔʷ | |
| *ʁˤʷʲ | ʕʷ | w | w~ʁʷ | |
- In Circassian and Abkhaz, gʷǝ is heart and in Ubykh it's gʲǝ.
The most noticeable changes are:
- The uvular consonants (/χ/ /ʁ/ /χʷ/ /ʁʷ/) become pharyngeal consonants (/ħ/ /ʕ/ /ħʷ/ /ʕʷ/) in the Proto-Abazgi language.
2. Grammar
2.1. Numbers
| English | Proto-NWC Schulze | Proto-NWC Colarusso | Proto-Abazgi | Abkhaz | Abaza | Ubykh | Proto-Circassian | Adyghe | Kabardian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | za | - | za-kʼə | akʼə | zakʼə | za | zə | zə | zə |
| Two | tʼqʷʼa | tʼqʼo | ʕʷ-ba | ɥ-ba | ʕʷ-ba | tʼqʷʼa | tʷʼə | tʷʼə | tʷʼə |
| Three | λ:ə | (y-)x̂ə/a | χ-ba | χ-ba/x-ba | χ-ba | ʂa | ɕə | ɕə | ɕə |
| Four | pʼλʼa | - | pɕ-ba | pɕ-ba | pɕ-ba | pʼɬʼə | t͡ɬə | pɬʼə | pɬʼə |
| Five | sx̂ʷə | (w-/y-)ćx̂ə | χʷ-ba | χʷ-ba/xʷ-ba | χʷ-ba | ɕxə | txʷə | tfə | txʷə |
| Six | ɬʷə | (w-)x̂cə | tʃʷba? | f-ba | t͡s-ba | fə | xə | xə | xə |
| Seven | bδə | ɣə́ | bəʑ-ba | bəʑ-ba | bəʑ-ba | blə | bɮə | blə | bɮə |
| Eight | - | (w-/y-)ɣə/a | aʕ-ba | aa-ba | aʕ-ba | ʁʷa | jə | jə | jə |
| Nine | bğʷʲə | ɣə́ | - | ʑʷ-ba | ʒʷ-ba | bʁʲə | bʁʷə | bʁʷə | bʁʷə |
| Ten | bćʼʷə | (p-/w-)źə́/źá | - | ʑʷa-ba | ʒʷa-ba | ʑʷə | pʃʼə | pʃʼə | pɕʼə |
Words
| English | Proto-NWC | Proto-Abazgi | Abkhaz | Abaza | Ubykh | Proto-Circassian | Adyghe | Kabardian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | - | sa/sarˈa | sa/sarˈa | sa/sarˈa | səsan | sa | sa | sa |
| Heart | ɡʲʷə | ɡʷə | ɡʷə | ɡʷə | ɡʲə | ɡʷə | ɡʷə | ɡʷə |
| Sea | - | - | - | - | ɕʷa | xə | xə | xə |
| They sell it | - | - | - | - | aːɕan | - | jaːɕan | jaːɕan |
| I go | - | - | - | - | skʲʼan | skʷʼan | skʷʼan | skʷʼan |
| I say | - | - | - | - | sqʼan | - | sʔʷan | sʔʷan |
| Language/tongue | bǝźA | bzǝ | aːbz | bzǝ | bza | bza | bza | bza |
| Red | - | - | - | - | pɬə | pɬəʑ | pɬəʑ | pɬəʑ |
| Book, Letter | - | - | - | - | txəɬ | txəɬ | txəɬ | txəɬ |
| top of the back | - | - | - | - | txə | txə | txə | txə |
| Ox | c:ʷǝ | t͡sʷə | á-ć̌ | t͡ʃʷə | t͡sʷə | t͡sʷːə | t͡sʷə, t͡ʃʷə | və |
| Blood | - | - | - | - | ɬa | ɬə | ɬə | ɬə |
| Month/Moon | - | - | aːmza | məzə | məʒa | maːza | maːza | maːza |
| Beard | - | - | - | - | ʒaːkʼʲa | ʒaːkʼʲa | ʒaːt͡ʃʼa | ʒaːt͡ʃʼa |
| Dust | - | - | - | - | saːpa | saːpa | saːpa | saːba |
| Barefoot | - | - | - | - | ɬapsʼə | ɬapsʼa | ɬapt͡sʼa | ɬapt͡sʼa |
| Donkey | - | - | - | - | t͡ʃədə | ʃədə | ʃədə | ʃədə |
| Hedgehog | - | - | - | - | pəzʲə | pəʐ | pəʐ | - |
| Water | - | - | - | - | bzə | psə | psə | psə |
| Fault | - | - | - | - | laːʑa | laːʑa | laːʑa | laːʑa |
| House | ʁ́Iʷǝna | - | - | ʕʷna | - | wəna | wəna | wəna |
| Mother | (a)nǝ | (a)nǝ | á-n | anǝ | na | aːna | nə | aːna |
| Father | (a)ṕ:ǝ | ab | ab | aba | tʷǝ | at:a | tǝ | aːda |
| heavy | anǝTa | xanǝta | á-χ́anta | χ́anta | - | want:aʁʷ | wantaʁʷ | wandaʁʷ |
| cattle-shed | anǝTa | bawǝ-ra | bora | a-bóra, -bówra | bow | - | - | bow |
| guest | - | - | - | - | pč̣́a | ħa-č̣́á | ħaṣ́a | ħāč̣́a |
| mountain / hill | bǝɣA | - | bʁa | - | - | bɣǝ | bɣǝ | bɣǝ |
| measles / scarlet fever / navel | bǝč̣́ǝ | bǝč̣́ǝ | a-bč̣́ǝ́ | bč̣́ǝ | bǝč̣́ǝ́ | - | nǝbǝǯ́ | bǝnža |
| dust / bubble / blister | bǝbǝ | - | á-bǝb | - | - | psǝ-bǝb | psǝ-bǝb | psǝ-bǝb |
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