Proto-Circassian (or Proto-Adyghe–Kabardian) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Adyghean and Kabardian languages.

Phonology

Consonants

The consonant system is reconstructed with a four-way phonation contrast in stops and affricates, and a two-way contrast in fricatives.

Aspirated consonants to plain

In the Proto-Circassian there was a series of aspirated consonants that survived in the Shapsug and Bzhedugh dialect while they became plain consonants in the other dialects.

Plain voiceless consonants to voiced

In the Proto-Circassian there was a series of tense consonants that became voiced in the eastern dialects.

Velar consonants to palato-alveolar

In the Proto-Circassian language there exist a palatalized voiced velar stop ⟨гь⟩, a palatalized aspirated voiceless velar stop, a palatalized voiceless velar stop ⟨кь⟩ and a palatalized velar ejective ⟨кӏь⟩. The consonants гь, кь and кӏь survive in the Shapsug dialect, in the Besleney dialect and in the Kabardian Uzunyayla dialect. In other Circassian dialects they were merged with the palato-alveolar consonants дж, ч and кӏ respectively.

Affricate to fricative

In the Abzakh and the Kabardian dialects, the affricate postalveolar consonants became fricative.

Labialized voiceless velar fricative

Proto-Circassian had a labialized voiceless velar fricative [xʷ] which survived in the eastern dialects while it became a voiceless labiodental fricative [f] in the western dialects.

Labialized postalveolar

Proto-Circassian had a series of labialized postalveolar consonants (t͡ɕʷ, ʑʷ, ɕʷ and ɕʷʼ). These consonants survived in the western dialects while they became labiodental consonants in the eastern dialects.

Grammar

Numbers

Schleicher's fable

Schleicher's fable in Proto-Circassian: χʷǝ č́ʷara-gjǝ χʷǝ ja laśʷam mә q́ˤ:an č́ʷara pǝʎ́an; mǝ χwanǝta k:ʷǝm q:irǝ, mǝ čʷǝχʷa čʷam, mǝ ć̣ǝm pasa mǝš́ʷrǝ. χʷǝ č́ʷara q̇́ˤan: "źǝʁʷǝ sā ǵʷǝ, q:ać̣am ć̣arǝ č́ʷara ḳ́ʷarǝ." č́ʷara q̇́ˤan: "q:́ˤʷa χʷǝ! źǝʁʷǝ š́a ǵʷǝ ć̣arǝ, q:ać̣a, ł́a, č́ʷara laśʷam ʎ́ʷa ḳ́ač̣ʷǝm čǝ-wǝ, χʷiara-gjǝ laśʷam mә q́ˤ:a." nǝ q:́aˤʷasa χʷǝ rǝq:ʷada q:ˤʷan.