Reconstruction:Proto-Georgian-Zan/ber-

This Proto-Georgian-Zan entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Georgian-Zan

Etymology 1

Noun

*ber-

1. old man

Reconstruction notes

Zan descendants presuppose an intermediate *ბაჯ- (*baǯ-) form, with a regular word-final *რ- → ჯ- (*r- → ǯ-) development; the forms then underwent deaffrication (cf., *c₁xwir-, *sir-). In Mingrelian it appears as a compound where the second part is დიდი (didi, “big”).

Descendants

• Old Georgian: ბერი (beri, “monk”)
  • Georgian: ბერი (beri)
  • → Mingrelian: ბერი (beri)
  • → Svan: ბერ (ber)
• Zan:
  • Laz: ბადი (badi)
  • ⇒ Mingrelian: ბადიდი (badidi)

References

• Ḳelauraʒe, Levan (2020) “Damaṭebani kartvelur enata eṭimologiuri leksiḳonisatvis - VII [Addenda to Etymological Dictionary of Kartvelian Languages - VII]”, in Eṭimologiuri ʒiebani (in Georgian), volume XVII, Tbilisi: Dedaena, page 23 of 23–33

Etymology 2

Noun

*ber-

1. Alternative reconstruction of *bera-