Number: 2587
Proto-Semitic: *g(ʷ)ann- ~ *ga/inga/in-
Meaning: breastbone; side of body
Arabic: ǧanǧan-, ǧanǧan-(at-), ǧinǧin- 'os de la poitrine, sternum, bréchet' [BK 1 337] (redupl.)
Tigre: gǝnne 'breast-piece, shoulder piece (meat of the especially good pieces)' [LH 587].
Also 'piece of fat meat between the forelegs of the cow (much liked); breast-callus of the camel' [ibid. 588]
Amharic: gʷänn 'flank, side (of the body from armpit to hip)' [K 2001].
According to Leslau, the same as gʷädǝn do. [LGur 267]
Gafat: gʷanä 'côte, vertèbre' [LGaf 203]
East Ethiopic: SEL gon 'side of body, place, side' [LGur 280]
Gurage: GOG SOD gʷän 'side of body, place, side' [LGur 280].
Leslau seems to suggest the origin of this GUR and AMH roots from gʷädin 'rib' [ibid. 264] with assimilation of d to n, which looks unlikely, especially in view of the comparative data
Notes: Cf. ETH EAST: SEL wägän 'side, direction' (also 'tribe, clan') [LGur 1 1025], WOL wägän 'side' [ibid. 1229], GUR: MUH wägän 'side' [ibid. I 946], SOD wägän 'side, direction' (also 'relatives') [ibid. 1111]; metathetically related to the present root or to *gu/in-, *ʔ/wVgVn- 'cheek-bone', No. ). Leslau unites all these (and GOG wägän 'tribe, clan' [ibid. 610]) under one heading 'side, direction, tribe, clan, relatives' [LGur 647]; the shift of meaning implied remains to be explained
