Reconstruction:Proto-Georgian-Zan/ǯinč̣wel-
 |
This Proto-Georgian-Zan entry contains reconstructed words and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence. |
Proto-Georgian-Zan
Etymology
Both Klimov (1998) and Fähnrich (2007) argue that this root can be reconstructed only at a Georgian-Zan level. They find Svan მჷრშკ (məršḳ, “ant”) problematic. It may have been influenced by Ossetian мӕлдзыг (mælʒyg) or Old Armenian մրջիւն (mrǰiwn), which are also cognates of Ancient Greek μύρμηξ (múrmēx).
Also, note that Old Georgian ჯინჭველი (ǯinč̣veli) is much closer to the protoform than Modern Georgian ჭიანჭველა (č̣ianč̣vela), which is modelled after ჭია (č̣ia, “worm”) and appears to be contaminated by it. However, the original root *ǯinč̣wel- is partially preserved in some dialectal words, such as ჯინჭველაჲ (ǯinč̣velay) (in Gurian dialect) and ბუნჭველი (bunč̣veli).
The Mingrelian forms seem to continue the protoform *ǯič̣ḳ-, which is similar to the original root, but appears to be reduplicated and subsequently augmented with the diminutive suffix -ია (-ia).
Finally, in Laz *ǯ > d in initial position. The substitution of -ელ (-el) for -უ (-u) is also attested.
Descendants
References
- Klimov, G. A. (1998) Etymological Dictionary of the Kartvelian Languages (Trends in linguistics. Documentation; 16), New York, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, page 344
- Fähnrich, Heinz (2007) Kartwelisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch [Kartvelian Etymological Dictionary] (Handbuch der Orientalistik; VIII.18) (in German), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 716
- Starostin, S. A. (2005), “*ǯinč̣w-”, in Kartvelian etymological database compiled on the basis of G. Klimov's and Fähnrich-Sarjveladze's etymological dictionaries of Kartvelian languages
- Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 482