Proto-North Caucasian: *ḳărV
Meaning: black; coal
Notes: There is a good correspondence between the PN, PL and PAK forms. If we take into account the meaning 'coal' in PN and in the PL compound, this etymology of the Lak. form also becomes rather probable. Lak. ḳalaš must be a modification < *ḳa-š:al < *ḳar-š:al, where the second component is most probably PEC *č_Häɫu 'sand, gravel' q.v. (normally reflected in Lak. as š:aIlu).
Abdokov (1983, 94) compares the Adygh forms with EC descendants of *ḳ_wɨ̆nħV 'smoke' (q.v.), which seems less probable for phonetic reasons.
