Proto-Kartvelian

Proto-language (reconstructed) · historical / hidden variety

FamilyProto-language (reconstructed) SpeakersExtinct (hypothetical) ScriptNone / reconstructed CountriesSouth Caucasus (hypothetical) Official inNone Vitalityextinct

Proto-Kartvelian is the reconstructed ancestor of the Kartvelian (South Caucasian) family — Georgian, Mingrelian, Laz and Svan. It is placed in the South Caucasus around 3000–2000 BCE. The family is small, with no demonstrated relationship to any other family (proposals linking it to the North Caucasian families or to Nostratic remain unproven), and is comparatively well reconstructed.

Where it is spoken

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87 core words in Proto-Kartvelian

Water

*c̣q̇ar-

c̣q̇ar

Fire

*cecxl-

cecxl

Sun

*mze-

mze

Moon

*tute-

tute

Star

—

—

Night

*na

na

Rain

*cvim-

tsvim

Snow

*towl-

towl

Stone

*ḳwa

kʼwa

Sea

*zoɣwa-

zoɣwa

Mother

*deda-

deda

Father

*mama-

mama

Daughter

*asul-

asul

I

*me

me

You

*sen-

sen

We

*čwen

tʃwen

Name

*saqel-

saqel

Head

*taw-

taw

Eye

*tʼwal-

tʼwal

Ear

*qur-

qur

Nose

*cxwir-

tsxwir

Tooth

*swa

sʷa

Tongue

*bli

bli

Hand

*qel-

qel

Foot

*berq-

berq

Heart

*gul-

gul

Bone

*ʒ₁ʒ₁w-al-

dzdzwal

Blood

*swiᴬ

swi

Love

*q̇war-

qʼwar

Tree

—

—

Dog

*ʒaɣl-

ʒaɣl

Cat

—

—

Fish

*tewz-

tewz

Bird

*sir-

sir

Butterfly

*perper-

perper

Bear

*datw-

datw

House

—

—

Honey

*tapl-

tapl

Salt

*ʒ₁um-

dzum

Wine

*ɣwino-

ɣwino

Eat

*č̣am-

č̣am

Drink

*s₁w-

sw

One

*ert-

ert

Two

*jor-

jor

Three

*sam-

sam

Four

*otxo-

otxo

Five

*xut-

xut

Hundred

*as-

as

Hello

—

—

Thank you

—

—

Good

—

—

New

*max-

max

Red

*čʼitʼel-

čʼitʼel

White

*ter-

ter

Cuckoo

*gugul-

gugul

Sources

Words compared

Compared with languages in the same classification: Proto-language (reconstructed)

Meaning Proto-KartvelianGeorgianMingrelianLazProto-AfroasiaticPhrygianEtruscan
Water *c̣q̇ar- /c̣q̇ar/ წყალი /tsʼqʼali/ წყარი /tsʼqʼari/ წკარი /tsʼkari/ *maw- /maw/ bedu /ˈbedu/ — /—/
Fire *cecxl- /cecxl/ ცეცხლი /tsetsxli/ დაჩხირი /datʃxiri/ დაჩხური /datʃxuri/ — /—/ — /—/ — /—/
Sun *mze- /mze/ მზე /mze/ ბჟა /bʒa/ მჟორა /mʒora/ — /—/ — /—/ usil /ˈuzil/
Moon *tute- /tute/ მთვარე /mtʰvare/ თუთა /tʰutʰa/ თუთა /tʰutʰa/ — /—/ masê /maˈseː/ tiur /ˈtiur/
Star — /—/ ვარსკვლავი /varskvlavi/ მურიცხი /muritsxi/ მურუცხი /murutsxi/ — /—/ — /—/ — /—/
Night *na /na/ ღამე /ɣame/ სერი /seri/ სერი /seri/ — /—/ — /—/ — /—/
Rain *cvim- /tsvim/ წვიმა /tsʼvima/ ჭვიმა /tʃʼvima/ ჭიმა /tʃʼima/ — — —
Snow *towl- /towl/ თოვლი /tʰovli/ თირი /tʰiri/ მთვირი /mtviri/ — — —
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