Thomas Wier
@trwier.bsky.social
Linguist & Caucasologist • Professor at the Free University of Tbilisi • Research languages of the Caucasus, the Tonkawa language • Author of 'Tonkawa Texts' • Weekly Georgian Etymologies
Academic research: https://freeuni.academia.edu/ThomasWier
Academic research: https://freeuni.academia.edu/ThomasWier
So this word ლეკვი leḳvi puppy ultimately is connected not only to more familiar words like English wolf, Latin lupus, and Russian волк, it is also indirectly related to the name of Georgia itself.
November 10, 2025 at 10:47 AM
So this word ლეკვი leḳvi puppy ultimately is connected not only to more familiar words like English wolf, Latin lupus, and Russian волк, it is also indirectly related to the name of Georgia itself.
This is because Middle Persian gurg became the base of Gurgistan, which was folk-etymologized in Greek to Georgia:
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-the-US-state-of-Georgia-and-the-country-of-Georgia-have-the-same-name/answer/Thomas-Wier
t.co
November 10, 2025 at 10:46 AM
This is because Middle Persian gurg became the base of Gurgistan, which was folk-etymologized in Greek to Georgia:
Another interesting side-note is that because the Old Persian form 𐎺𐎼𐎣 vr̥kaʰ evolved into Middle Persian gurg, this also became the exonymous form used to describe Georgia for outsiders because of its ancient wolf-cult:
x.com/thomas_wier/...
x.com/thomas_wier/...
Thomas Wier on X: "Weekly Georgian Etymology: ვახტანგი Vaxṭangi, man's personal name. From Scythian *warx-tang 'wolf-bodied', from Indo-Iranian *wŕ̥kas wolf & *tanúHs body, from PIE *wĺ̥kʷos & *tenuh₂-. Name of many Georgian kings, it reflects the totemic role of wolves in the ancient Caucasus. https://t.co/PA7bqfuF5O" / X
Weekly Georgian Etymology: ვახტანგი Vaxṭangi, man's personal name. From Scythian *warx-tang 'wolf-bodied', from Indo-Iranian *wŕ̥kas wolf & *tanúHs body, from PIE *wĺ̥kʷos & *tenuh₂-. Name of many Georgian kings, it reflects the totemic role of wolves in the ancient Caucasus. https://t.co/PA7bqfuF5O
x.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Another interesting side-note is that because the Old Persian form 𐎺𐎼𐎣 vr̥kaʰ evolved into Middle Persian gurg, this also became the exonymous form used to describe Georgia for outsiders because of its ancient wolf-cult:
x.com/thomas_wier/...
x.com/thomas_wier/...
Several Indo-European branches featured an L-initial form for wolf, including Hellenic, Italic and Paeonian, a poorly attested Paleo-Balkan language. So it may have been a feature of that region's IE languages. Other IE words often preserved the initial *w:
November 10, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Several Indo-European branches featured an L-initial form for wolf, including Hellenic, Italic and Paeonian, a poorly attested Paleo-Balkan language. So it may have been a feature of that region's IE languages. Other IE words often preserved the initial *w:
The word is in turn a loan from a late Indo-European form *lúkʷos, whose metathesis probably reflects some kind of taboo deformation: across languages, it is common for speakers to alter a taboo word for wild animals. Cf. Slavic медведь for bear, lit. 'honey-eater'.
November 10, 2025 at 10:14 AM
The word is in turn a loan from a late Indo-European form *lúkʷos, whose metathesis probably reflects some kind of taboo deformation: across languages, it is common for speakers to alter a taboo word for wild animals. Cf. Slavic медведь for bear, lit. 'honey-eater'.
The word is surely reconstructed back to Georgian-Zan by regular sound-laws:
Geo ლეკვი leḳvi
Megr ლაკვი laḳvi
Laz ლაკი laḳi
In Zan languages, *e regularly shifts to /a/, while the Laz form comes from loss of /v/ before /o/ in ლაკოტი leḳoṭi 'little puppy'. Svan lacks this cognate.
Geo ლეკვი leḳvi
Megr ლაკვი laḳvi
Laz ლაკი laḳi
In Zan languages, *e regularly shifts to /a/, while the Laz form comes from loss of /v/ before /o/ in ლაკოტი leḳoṭi 'little puppy'. Svan lacks this cognate.
November 10, 2025 at 10:13 AM
The word is surely reconstructed back to Georgian-Zan by regular sound-laws:
Geo ლეკვი leḳvi
Megr ლაკვი laḳvi
Laz ლაკი laḳi
In Zan languages, *e regularly shifts to /a/, while the Laz form comes from loss of /v/ before /o/ in ლაკოტი leḳoṭi 'little puppy'. Svan lacks this cognate.
Geo ლეკვი leḳvi
Megr ლაკვი laḳvi
Laz ლაკი laḳi
In Zan languages, *e regularly shifts to /a/, while the Laz form comes from loss of /v/ before /o/ in ლაკოტი leḳoṭi 'little puppy'. Svan lacks this cognate.
Though attested already in the late 10th century, its most famous use comes from Rustaveli's 12th century Knight in the Tiger Skin in a line proverbially famous to every Georgian:
ლეკვი ლომისა სწორია, ძუ იყოს, თუნდა ხვადია
A lion's cub is still a lion, be it male or female
ლეკვი ლომისა სწორია, ძუ იყოს, თუნდა ხვადია
A lion's cub is still a lion, be it male or female
November 10, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Though attested already in the late 10th century, its most famous use comes from Rustaveli's 12th century Knight in the Tiger Skin in a line proverbially famous to every Georgian:
ლეკვი ლომისა სწორია, ძუ იყოს, თუნდა ხვადია
A lion's cub is still a lion, be it male or female
ლეკვი ლომისა სწორია, ძუ იყოს, თუნდა ხვადია
A lion's cub is still a lion, be it male or female
This idea of a 'leaf-comb' is not unique to Kartvelian, as it is found in other languages:
Arabic مِشْط mišṭ comb or rake
Welsh cribin rake, from crib 'comb'
And in Nakh-Daghestanian lgs, *q:ʷa(n)ṭa means broom, rake in some lgs, but comb in others.
Arabic مِشْط mišṭ comb or rake
Welsh cribin rake, from crib 'comb'
And in Nakh-Daghestanian lgs, *q:ʷa(n)ṭa means broom, rake in some lgs, but comb in others.
November 5, 2025 at 10:06 AM
This idea of a 'leaf-comb' is not unique to Kartvelian, as it is found in other languages:
Arabic مِشْط mišṭ comb or rake
Welsh cribin rake, from crib 'comb'
And in Nakh-Daghestanian lgs, *q:ʷa(n)ṭa means broom, rake in some lgs, but comb in others.
Arabic مِشْط mišṭ comb or rake
Welsh cribin rake, from crib 'comb'
And in Nakh-Daghestanian lgs, *q:ʷa(n)ṭa means broom, rake in some lgs, but comb in others.
The word is in turn an ancient compound of *purcʲ- leaf (from which Georgian gets ფურცელი purceli leaf, sheet) and *cx- comb:
Old Geo: საცხინველი sacxinveli a comb
Meg: რცხონუა rcxonua to comb
Laz: ოცხონუ ocxonu to comb
Svan: ლიცხე:ნე licxēne to comb
Old Geo: საცხინველი sacxinveli a comb
Meg: რცხონუა rcxonua to comb
Laz: ოცხონუ ocxonu to comb
Svan: ლიცხე:ნე licxēne to comb
November 5, 2025 at 10:06 AM
The word is in turn an ancient compound of *purcʲ- leaf (from which Georgian gets ფურცელი purceli leaf, sheet) and *cx- comb:
Old Geo: საცხინველი sacxinveli a comb
Meg: რცხონუა rcxonua to comb
Laz: ოცხონუ ocxonu to comb
Svan: ლიცხე:ნე licxēne to comb
Old Geo: საცხინველი sacxinveli a comb
Meg: რცხონუა rcxonua to comb
Laz: ოცხონუ ocxonu to comb
Svan: ლიცხე:ნე licxēne to comb
This particular word is found in Georgian, but it seems a likely loan from Megrelian: *cʲ- regularly becomes /c/ in Georgian, but /č/ in Megrelian and Laz. This is a strong indication the word goes back at least to Georgian-Zan: otherwise we would see no sound correspondence.
November 5, 2025 at 10:06 AM
This particular word is found in Georgian, but it seems a likely loan from Megrelian: *cʲ- regularly becomes /c/ in Georgian, but /č/ in Megrelian and Laz. This is a strong indication the word goes back at least to Georgian-Zan: otherwise we would see no sound correspondence.
In each of these forms, an /r/ coda consonant has been lost, a common kind of sound change in the history of Georgian. We can see this because the /r/ has survived in some dialect words like ფორჩხი porčxi.
November 5, 2025 at 10:05 AM
In each of these forms, an /r/ coda consonant has been lost, a common kind of sound change in the history of Georgian. We can see this because the /r/ has survived in some dialect words like ფორჩხი porčxi.
The root is found in a variety of different forms across Kartvelian, with a few phonological peculiarities:
Megrelian ფეცხი pecxi
Laz ბუცხი bucxi
Svan ფოცხ pocx
The Megrelian form for example shows umlaut of the original *o to /e/.
Megrelian ფეცხი pecxi
Laz ბუცხი bucxi
Svan ფოცხ pocx
The Megrelian form for example shows umlaut of the original *o to /e/.
November 5, 2025 at 10:05 AM
The root is found in a variety of different forms across Kartvelian, with a few phonological peculiarities:
Megrelian ფეცხი pecxi
Laz ბუცხი bucxi
Svan ფოცხ pocx
The Megrelian form for example shows umlaut of the original *o to /e/.
Megrelian ფეცხი pecxi
Laz ბუცხი bucxi
Svan ფოცხ pocx
The Megrelian form for example shows umlaut of the original *o to /e/.
The word is first attested in a 10th-11th century martyrology: რამეთუ ვბრძანო ხუეტაჲ გუერდთა თქუენთაჲ ფოცხჳთა რკინისაჲთა, ვიდრემდის განვაშიშულნე ფერცხალნი თქუენნი. "For I ordered them to rake your sides with an iron rake until your ribs show"
November 5, 2025 at 10:05 AM
The word is first attested in a 10th-11th century martyrology: რამეთუ ვბრძანო ხუეტაჲ გუერდთა თქუენთაჲ ფოცხჳთა რკინისაჲთა, ვიდრემდის განვაშიშულნე ფერცხალნი თქუენნი. "For I ordered them to rake your sides with an iron rake until your ribs show"
So ultimately this word for a shape-shifting mythological creature comes from some form of verb of motion. In western Georgia, another name for such a creature is found: მგელკაცა mgelḳaca lit. 'wolf-man', probably a calque of Greek λυκάνθρωπος, whence English lycanthrope.
October 27, 2025 at 11:42 AM
So ultimately this word for a shape-shifting mythological creature comes from some form of verb of motion. In western Georgia, another name for such a creature is found: მგელკაცა mgelḳaca lit. 'wolf-man', probably a calque of Greek λυκάνθρωπος, whence English lycanthrope.
And in Altaic languages, we also find potential loan sources of motion verbs/particles:
Turkish: geč- pass, wade
Uzbek: keč- pass
Nanai: qas through
Manchu: qas 'quickly'
So the Kartvelian form may involve a poorly understood ancient contact scenario.
Turkish: geč- pass, wade
Uzbek: keč- pass
Nanai: qas through
Manchu: qas 'quickly'
So the Kartvelian form may involve a poorly understood ancient contact scenario.
October 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
And in Altaic languages, we also find potential loan sources of motion verbs/particles:
Turkish: geč- pass, wade
Uzbek: keč- pass
Nanai: qas through
Manchu: qas 'quickly'
So the Kartvelian form may involve a poorly understood ancient contact scenario.
Turkish: geč- pass, wade
Uzbek: keč- pass
Nanai: qas through
Manchu: qas 'quickly'
So the Kartvelian form may involve a poorly understood ancient contact scenario.
Although securely reconstructed to Kartvelian, the root may yet be a loan from the North Caucasus or the Central Asian Steppe. In Nakh-Daghestanian for example we find similar verbs of motion:
Avar: ḳanc̣- jump
Chadakolob: ḳanč̣- jump
Bezhta: =oḳic̣- run, fly
Hunzib: =eḳič-
Avar: ḳanc̣- jump
Chadakolob: ḳanč̣- jump
Bezhta: =oḳic̣- run, fly
Hunzib: =eḳič-
October 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Although securely reconstructed to Kartvelian, the root may yet be a loan from the North Caucasus or the Central Asian Steppe. In Nakh-Daghestanian for example we find similar verbs of motion:
Avar: ḳanc̣- jump
Chadakolob: ḳanč̣- jump
Bezhta: =oḳic̣- run, fly
Hunzib: =eḳič-
Avar: ḳanc̣- jump
Chadakolob: ḳanč̣- jump
Bezhta: =oḳic̣- run, fly
Hunzib: =eḳič-
This word has numerous meanings, but seems to be derived from a Kartvelian verb of motion *kecʲ- turn, behave, touch, run, which is also found in Svan ლიქეჩ likeč 'to sneak up, to commit secretly, to touch, to behave, to dare': in Svan, *cʲ regularly becomes č, but c in Georgian.
October 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
This word has numerous meanings, but seems to be derived from a Kartvelian verb of motion *kecʲ- turn, behave, touch, run, which is also found in Svan ლიქეჩ likeč 'to sneak up, to commit secretly, to touch, to behave, to dare': in Svan, *cʲ regularly becomes č, but c in Georgian.
Since at least the Middle Ages, Georgian folklore has passed on ideas of a მაქცია makcia who was not so much a werewolf per se, but more of a shape-shifting monster. This word comes from the agent noun of (მი/მო/გა/და)აქცევს (mi/mo/ga/da)-akcevs 'change, turn, twist, run'
October 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Since at least the Middle Ages, Georgian folklore has passed on ideas of a მაქცია makcia who was not so much a werewolf per se, but more of a shape-shifting monster. This word comes from the agent noun of (მი/მო/გა/და)აქცევს (mi/mo/ga/da)-akcevs 'change, turn, twist, run'
In later times, in the verse epic about King Teimuraz written by King Archil of Kakheti in 1684, we see this word used as a metaphor for the psychological loss of control:
October 27, 2025 at 11:40 AM
In later times, in the verse epic about King Teimuraz written by King Archil of Kakheti in 1684, we see this word used as a metaphor for the psychological loss of control:
Which translates: "Woe is me, woe is me, servant of God, why did you send me into the wilderness? Why did I not rebuke you for this, as you again sent me into the [mouth] of a ravenous beast?"
October 27, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Which translates: "Woe is me, woe is me, servant of God, why did you send me into the wilderness? Why did I not rebuke you for this, as you again sent me into the [mouth] of a ravenous beast?"
The word is first attested in an 11th century translation of the life of Ephrem of Syria where it refers broadly to a wild beast: "ვაჲ მე, ვაჲ მე, მონაო ღმრთისაო, რაჲსათჳს მიმავლინებდი უდაბნოდ? ამისთჳს რაჲთა-მცა არა შეგაგინე, და კუალად მაქცია ცალიერად რომლისა თანა შენ მიმავლინე?"
October 27, 2025 at 11:40 AM
The word is first attested in an 11th century translation of the life of Ephrem of Syria where it refers broadly to a wild beast: "ვაჲ მე, ვაჲ მე, მონაო ღმრთისაო, რაჲსათჳს მიმავლინებდი უდაბნოდ? ამისთჳს რაჲთა-მცა არა შეგაგინე, და კუალად მაქცია ცალიერად რომლისა თანა შენ მიმავლინე?"