Proto-West-Caucasian: *bVc:ʷV
Meaning: medlar
Abkhaz: a-báč̌
Adyghe: nā-pca (Shaps.)
Ubykh: brǝcʷ
Comments: The Abkh. form is probably most archaic; not quite clear is the origin of nā- in Shaps. and -r- in Ub. (cf. also Abkh. Bzyb. a-bráč̌). It is also possible that all the WC forms reflect an original form like *bVnc:ʷV or *bVmc:ʷV with exceptional preservation of the old medial nasal (cf. external evidence); in this case the Ad. form should be treated as a metathesis ( < *banca), and the forms with -r- - as a result of denasalisation (-n- > -r-). In any case, the coincidence in Adyghe between nāpca 'medlar' and nāpca 'eye-brow' is, of course, purely fortuitous.
