PONTUS (THE BLACK SEA)

This article is very interesting. Subtle but rewarding for those attentive. 

The Black Sea has been known for millennia as Pontus (Latin), Πόντος (Greek) or Понт (Russian). The original meaning of this word is 'bridge'. Indeed, from it we derived the word 'ponton' in particular. In Kartvelian language the word ფონი [PhONI] means 'river passing', 'wade'. Well, something quite similar to 'bridge'. 

So, the words are clearly cognates. But who derived from whom? 

The Greeks have PONT as the root, the Kartvelians have PON. Which one was initial? 

Can Greeks explain the letter T in their root PONT? No. 

Can Kartvelians explain the letter T in the Greek root PONT? Yes. 

 Is the T in the Greek root Kartvelian? Yes. 

The ones to help settle the dispute are... Ukrainians with their Primary Chronicle (Povest Vremennikh Let) where the Black Sea is called ПОНЕТЬСКОЕ МОРЕ (Ponetskoe More). The PONET-part stands for Kartvelian PONETI (ფონეთი) - 'where the passings are', 'area' of wades'. THAT was the initial name of the Black Sea, which was taken by Greeks as PONET and later shortened to unexplicable PONT. That is the only explanation of how the T could get there. 

So, that is another proof of the direction of the borrowing between the two languages: from Kartvelian to Greek, not vice versa.