Proto-West-Caucasian: *mVʒ́V ( /n-, ~-ǯ-)
Meaning: 1 edge 2 yard
Abkhaz: a-mʒǝ-r-χá 2
Abaza: mʒa-ḳǝ́ 1
Adyghe: naz 1
Kabardian: naz 1
Comments: PAT *mǝʒ́V (cf. also Bzyb. a-mʒ́ǝ-r-χǝ́ 'yard'; the Abkh. form is a compound with *qa / *qǝ 'head, front'; the Abaz. form contains a singulative suffix); PAK *názǝ.
Comparing the PAK form with PAT *mǝʒ́V seems to us better than comparing to Abaz. šanǝza 'edge' (see Shagirov 1), because the morphological analysis of the latter form is unclear (despite Shagirov, PAT *ǯʷanǝza 'spleen' is historically a single root and does not contain the same hypothetical element *-nǝza). Initial n- in the PAK form may be due to fronting assimilation (before a dental -z-).
The correspondence PAT *ʒ́ : PAK *z points to PWC *ʒ́ or *ǯ; the former is preferable in view of the external evidence.
