Avar-Andian etymology : Query result

Protoform: *gitu / *gidu

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: cat

Avar: kéto

Chadakolob: gétu

Andian language: gedu

Akhvakh: geto (Tseg.)

Chamalal: ǯedu (Gig.)

Tindi: ǵiwu

Botlikh: gedu

Godoberi: gedu

Comments: Av. paradigm B (katí-l, kutú-l/katá-l; Chad. gití-l, git-bí). The root reveals a variety of variants which can be systemized as follows:

The principal Proto-Av.-And. form must be reconstructed as *gitu. It was preserved only in Southern Av. dialects (Chad. gétu, Gid. geto), being replaced in Northern Av. by the assimilated form kéto (kétu). The Akhv. (Tseg.) form geto may also reflect this archaic form, or (which is more probable) is borrowed from Southern Avar.

The literary Av. form kéto was borrowed into some of the Andian languages: cf. Akhv. keto, Ratl. keto, Tlan. ketu, Kar. Tok. ketu, Bagv. kitʷ.

The proper Proto-Andian form is reconstructed as *gidu (which is a result of assimilation from the original *gitu) and is reflected as such in the majority of languages. It was then borrowed in some Tsezian languages: Bezht. gedo, Gunz. gedu (the proper PTs form is *ḳiṭu q.v.).

The only evident exception is the Cham. (U.-Gakv., Gad.) form č̣eṭa ( < *ḳiṭa) - since all other Av.-And. languages do not show any trace of glottalisation in this root, it must be borrowed, most probably from Tsezian.