Yenisseian etymology :

Proto-Yenisseian: *sVm

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: if

Ket: śim 'irreal particle, if, if only' (Werner 2, 196)

Yug: sim 'irreal particle, if, if only' (Werner 2, 196)

Kottish: šum

Comments: ССЕ 278. Werner 2, 196 (adding the Ket-Yug data).

Sino-Caucasian etymology :

Proto-Sino-Caucasian: *cVmV́

Meaning: how much; if

North Caucasian: *čwi-mV

Sino-Tibetan: *c(h)V̄m

Yenisseian: *sVm

Comments and references : HGC 36, WFR 94. PEC *čwi-mV most probably < *cwi-mV under the influence of *čwi `what, who'.

North Caucasian etymology :

Proto-North Caucasian: *čwi

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: an interrogative pronoun

Proto-Avaro-Andian: *ču-, *čo-mi

Proto-Tsezian: *š:ɔ-mɔ

Proto-Lak: ci, cu

Proto-Dargwa: *čV-

Proto-Lezghian: *šʷi

Proto-Khinalug: č:u, č:i-m

Notes: Reconstructed for the PEC level. As an independent pronoun this root probably served for the direct base of the inanimate pronoun 'what'; it also served as the root of the derived PEC *čw[ĕ]-mV 'how much' and in some other derived interrogative pronouns.

Avar-Andian etymology :

Protoform: *ču-, *čo-mi

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: 1 who, what 2 how many

Avar: čan 2

Chadakolob: čam 2

Andian language: čom 2

Akhvakh: ču- 1, čami 2

Chamalal: šā̃ 2

Tindi: čʷami-la 2

Karata: čam 2

Botlikh: čamu 2

Bagvalal: čamu 2

Godoberi: čamu 2

Comments: In the meaning 'who, what' the root has been preserved only in Akhvakh (with changeable class suffixes); all other languages reflect only the old derivate *čo-mi (or, perhaps, *čʷo-mi, cf. the Tind. form) 'how many'.

    In Akhvakh the root serves also for building quantor pronouns (čubi-da, čuga-dala 'all' etc.).

Tsezian etymology :

Proto-Tsezian: *š:ɔ-mɔ

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: how many

Tsezi: šomo

Ginukh: somo

Khvarshi: šomu (Radzhibov)

Inkhokvari: šomo

Comments: PTsKh *šo-mo. The stem is obviously related to other Dagestanian forms (reflecting *čʷ[ĕ]mV), but has š- (č- would be expected) under the influence of the widely spread PTs interrogative pronoun *š:i (q.v.).

Lak etymology :

Lak root: ci, cu

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: interrogative pronoun

Lak form: ci

Comments: Lak. ci 'what', cu 'who' (Khosr. ci, cʷu) (cf. also cu-kun 'how', cu-k-s:a 'how many', Khosr. ci-mi, ci-k-s:a id. etc.) A regular reflex with č- is preserved in čuw, Khosr. čū 'where'; reasons for the shift č- > c- are not clear (cf. the same development in *ču > cu '(one)self').

Dargwa etymology :

Proto-Dargwa: *čV-

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: interrogative pronoun

Akusha: či

Chiragh: ča

Comments: Ak. či, Chir. ča 'who'. Cf. from the same root PD *čum 'how many' (Ak., Chir. čum etc.).

Lezghian etymology :

Proto-Lezghian: *šʷi

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: what

Rutul: ši-w(i)

Tsakhur: erg. ni-še

Kryz: ši

Budukh: ši

Comment: This root should not be confused with another PL interrogative, *š:i q.v. It serves as a base for PL *šʷimV- 'how many' (Lezg. šumu-d, Tab. š̌nu-b, Rut. šumu-d, Arch. šume-jṭu; Ud. Vart. ema, Nidzh. hema is partially contaminated with another PL interrogative stem, *ha-/*hi- q.v.). A loan from Lezg. is probably Khin. sam 'how many'.

    See Гигинейшвили 1977,91; Алексеев 1985, 75.

Khinalug etymology :

Sino-Tibetan etymology :

Proto-Sino-Tibetan: *c(h)V̄m

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: as much as

Tibetan: cam as much as.

Lushai: thūm as good as.

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