Proto-Altaic: *p`erV
Meaning: thumb
Russian meaning: большой палец
Comments: EAS 54, KW 125, Владимирцов 285, Poppe 11, 79, ОСНЯ 3, 73-76, Цинциус 1984, 71, ЭСТЯ 1, 299, Дыбо 318-321, Мудрак Дисс. 194, Лексика 253-255, Rozycki 76. A Western isogloss. Assumption of Mong. < Turk. (Щербак 1997, 116) is impossible. Cf. also Mong. (h)arba- 'to spread (of fingers)'. It is also interesting to note the equation (see Lee 1958, 109) of Manchu fereχe siŋguri (lit. 'fingered mouse') 'bat' = MKor. pā̆rk-čúi id. (čui 'mouse'). This may be a trace of the root in Korean; however, also possible is a local merger (in Korean and Manchu) of this root with PA *p`ore 'feather, wing' - in that case the compounds would mean rather 'winged mouse'.
