Proto-West-Caucasian: *mVč́V
Meaning: 1 millet (standing) 2 bread 3 to eat
Abkhaz: a-č́á 2
Abaza: č́a-ra 3
Adyghe: mašǝ 1
Kabardian: maš 1
Comments: PAT *č́a 'to eat; bread, wheat' (cf. also Abkh. a-č́a-rá 'to eat', a-č́á-ra-ʒ / a-č́a-rǝ́-ʒ 'wheat' [lit. 'seed of bread']); PAK *mač́ǝ́.
Despite Shagirov (1, 268) PAK *mač́ǝ́ is not connected with PAT *mǝxǝ 'field, harvest' q.v. We prefer the older etymology of Rogava (1956, 34). The disappearance of *mV- in PAT must be explained by the fact that the root became verbal in PAT ('to eat') - and verbal roots can not begin with *m-.
