Proto-Northwest Caucasian (sometimes abbreviated PNWC), also Proto-Adyghe-Abazgi or Proto-Adyghe-Abkhaz, is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Northwest Caucasian languages.
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 |
3. External Links