Proto-North Caucasian: *ʒalHV̆
Meaning: fist
Notes: Reconstructed for the PEC level. The Av.-And., Khin. and Arch. forms correspond well to each other (although there is some doubt about the Arch. meaning "feather"). The Lak. form raises some problems: first, the second component (-k:ana) is not clear etymologically. Second, we should normally expect Lak. c:- or s:-; z- is a normal reflex of labialised *ʒw - however, no other language points here to any kind of labialisation. Perhaps the second component was *-k:ʷana (which would also account for lack of palatalisation k: > č: in literary Lak. and Khosr.) and there was an early assimilation *ʒa(l)-k:ʷana > *ʒʷa(l)-k:ʷana in Lak.? Any way, until the nature of the second component will be cleared, the question will remain open.