Proto-Abkhaz-Abaza (or Proto-Abazgi) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the
Abkhaz and
Abaza languages.
Phonology
Consonants
The consonant system is
reconstructed with a four-way
phonation contrast in
stops and
affricates
An affricate is a consonant that begins as a stop and releases as a fricative, generally with the same place of articulation (most often coronal). It is often difficult to decide if a stop and fricative form a single phoneme or a consonant pair ...
, and a two-way contrast in
fricatives
A fricative is a consonant produced by forcing air through a narrow channel made by placing two articulators close together. These may be the lower lip against the upper teeth, in the case of ; the back of the tongue against the soft palate in t ...
.
Below is the table of Proto-Abazgi Alphabet :
# In some Abaza dialects the
velar consonant
Velars are consonants articulated with the back part of the tongue (the dorsum) against the soft palate, the back part of the roof of the mouth (known also as the velum).
Since the velar region of the roof of the mouth is relatively extensive an ...
s turned to
uvular consonant
Uvulars are consonants articulated with the back of the tongue against or near the uvula, that is, further back in the mouth than velar consonants. Uvulars may be stops, fricatives, nasals, trills, or approximants, though the IPA does not p ...
s.
The most noticeable changes are:
* The
velar consonant
Velars are consonants articulated with the back part of the tongue (the dorsum) against the soft palate, the back part of the roof of the mouth (known also as the velum).
Since the velar region of the roof of the mouth is relatively extensive an ...
s become
uvular consonant
Uvulars are consonants articulated with the back of the tongue against or near the uvula, that is, further back in the mouth than velar consonants. Uvulars may be stops, fricatives, nasals, trills, or approximants, though the IPA does not p ...
s in Abkhaz languages.
Grammar
See also
*
Proto-Circassian language
Proto-Circassian (or Proto-Adyghe–Kabardian) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Adyghean and Kabardian languages.
Phonology
Consonants
The consonant system is reconstructed with a four-way phonation contrast in stops and affricat ...
*
Proto-Northwest Caucasian language
Proto-Northwest Caucasian (sometimes abbreviated PNWC), also ''Proto-Adyghe-Abazgi'' or Proto-Adyghe-Abkhaz, is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Northwest Caucasian languages.
Phonology Consonants
# In Circassian and Abkhaz, gʷǝ ...
References
*STAROSTIN, Sergei A.; NIKOLAYEV, Sergei L. (1994). A North Caucasian Etymological Dictionary
Preface
External links
Abaza basic lexicon at the Global Lexicostatistical Database
Abazgi
Northwest Caucasian languages
{{NorthwestCaucasian-lang-stub