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