Proto-Aslian language

Proto-Aslian
Reconstruction of	Aslian languages
Reconstructed ancestor	Proto-Austroasiatic

Proto-Aslian is the reconstructed proto-language of the Aslian languages of Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand. It has been reconstructed by Timothy Phillips (2012). ^[1]

Reconstructed forms

The 289 reconstructed Proto-Aslian forms below are from Phillips (2012:259-262).

• *[bə]teew 'water, river'
• *[ca(n)]bɨŋ 'spider'
• *[d/g]arɯɯɲ 'termite'
• *[gə]liik 'to swallow'
• *[gə]rɛɛs 'liver'
• *[ɟa]lɯɯʔ 'pig'
• *[kə]soom 'nest'
• *[lə]bit 'to close (eyes)'
• *[m/n]uay 'one'
• *[pə]tam 'to plant'
• *[s/h]uəc 'to whistle'
• *[s]paay 'new'
• *[sa]tam 'right (side)'
• *[tam]pɯɯs 'to sweep'
• *[ʔa]tiɛʔ 'earth'
• *[ʔən]cɛɛn 'cooked'
• *{(–)l–} '(iterative)'
• *{(-)m-} '(nominalizer agentive)'
• *{(-)n-} '(nominalizer)'
• *{pər-} '(causative)'
• *{–ra–} '(plural/comparative)'
• *baay 'to dig'
• *bakaʔ 'descendant'
• *baliiŋ 'sky'
• *baʔ 'to carry on back'
• *bəhɔ(ɔ)l 'deer'
• *bəhiiʔ 'sated (of food)'
• *bək 'to tie'
• *bəkaaw 'flower'
• *bəkah 'to break'
• *bəlaaw 'blowgun'
• *bəliiŋ 'arm'
• *bəlooʔ 'thigh'
• *bənɨ(ɨ)m 'mountain'
• *bərɔl 'dart butt'
• *bəriʔ 'forest'
• *bətees 'mushroom'
• *bəy[oo]k 'white'
• *bəʔaak 'flood'
• *bəʔet 'good'
• *bɨt 'hot'
• *bɯɯl 'drunk'
• *bɯɯʔ 'to suck'
• *boh 'to put/place'
• *bus 'cane'
• *buyaaʔ 'alligator'
• *ca(a)l 'to say'
• *caaʔ 'to eat'
• *cah 'cah'
• *cap 'to catch'
• *cɔk 'to stab'
• *cɛ(ɛ)s 'to tear'
• *cɛ(ɛ)ʔ 'louse'
• *cə(n)ruas 'fingernail'
• *cədaaw 'rainbow'
• *cədək 'to hiccup'
• *cɛɛm 'bird'
• *cɛɛn 'to cook'
• *cəgɛh 'hard'
• *cəkʔiɛk 'gecko'
• *cəloon 'back'
• *cəma(a)ʔ 'sharp'
• *cəntɯɯgŋ 'drum'
• *cəŋcɛ̃ɛ̃ŋ 'eyebrow'
• *cərəs 'rib'
• *cəruuʔ 'winnow basket'
• *ciip 'to walk'
• *cɨl 'tattoo'
• *coom 'to burn'
• *cuam 'to dig'
• *cuəh 'to defecate'
• *cuəʔ 'dog'
• *daŋ 'to see'
• *dɔŋ 't.o. monkey'
• *deh 'they (3P)'
• *dəka(a)n 'bamboo rat'
• *dəlũũʔ 'to push'
• *dɯɯŋ 'house'
• *duuy 'afternoon'
• *gaal 'waist'
• *gaɲ 'to bite'
• *gɔl 'to carry on back'
• *gəcɛɛʔ 'moon'
• *gəhɛɛt 'sweet'
• *gəlisɛɛh 'to whisper'
• *gəluk 'to laugh'
• *gəriɛŋ 'monitor lizard'
• *gətɔh 'to spit'
• *gɨn 'they (3P)'
• *gɯɯm 'to winnow'
• *gulam 'to carry on shoulder'
• *guul 'mortar'
• *hã(ã)n 'where'
• *haar 'we two (1D.IN)'
• *halap 'to raft'
• *hawa(a)r 'mucus'
• *heeʔ 'you (2S)'
• *hə̃m 'to breathe'
• *hiiʔ 'we (1P.IN)'
• *hiŋkaaʔ 'to play'
• *ɟaam / *ʔiɟaam 'to cry'
• *ɟak 'to step on'
• *ɟaŋka(a)ʔ 'chin/jaw'
• *ɟarlaaʔ 'thorn'
• *ɟɔ̃ɔ̃t 'to suck'
• *ɟeeʔ 'we (1P.EX)'
• *ɟəhuuʔ 'tree'
• *ɟəl 'to bark'
• *ɟəʔaaŋ 'bone'
• *ɟɨk 'to breathe'
• *ɟɯɯk 'to move'
• *ɟuŋ 'foot/leg'
• *k[a]niɛʔ 'mouse'
• *k[a]ʔiɛp 'centipede'
• *kaac 'to scratch'
• *kaaʔ 'fish'
• *kamiɛk 'to carry under arm'
• *kaɲɔŋ 'elbow'
• *kanɛ(ɛ)t 'small'
• *kap 'to bite'
• *karɛɛy 'thunder'
• *karəŋ 'tree trunk'
• *kawããp 'bear'
• *kayoot 'pregnant'
• *kɔɔɲ 'male'
• *ke 'he/she (3S)'
• *ke(e)ŋ 'to pull'
• *kə(n)siir 'husband'
• *kəbəc 'to fish'
• *kəbɛɛc 'to spit'
• *kəbɨɨʔ 'fruit'
• *kəbɨs 'to die'
• *kəboʔ 'mosquito'
• *kədɛk 'bitter'
• *kɛɛʔ 'to seek'
• *kəhuəy 'to gape'
• *kəl 'to fall'
• *kəlaaŋ 'eagle'
• *kəlapuəh 'shoulder'
• *kəlɨɨt 'firefly'
• *kəluəŋ 'inside'
• *kəm 'to obtain'
• *kəmbaar 'twin'
• *kəmeet 'mosquito'
• *kəmooc 'ghost'
• *kəmuar 'worm, caterpillar'
• *kəmuən 'nephew'
• *kəɲaaŋ 'quick'
• *kəndah 'wife'
• *kəpiil 'turtle'
• *kərɔʔ 'back'
• *kərɟɛr 'to dance'
• *kəroom 'under'
• *kərual 'knee'
• *kəteŋ 'calf (leg)'
• *kətɯɯʔ 'skin, bark'
• *kəyɔŋ 'to hear'
• *kiɛt 'anus'
• *kipaaŋ 'top'
• *kɯɯʔ 'to vomit'
• *kooɲ 'male'
• *krkbaak 'butterfly'
• *kuəm 'to hold, grasp'
• *kuən 'child'
• *kuuy 'head'
• *lakuəm 'brain'
• *las 'ant'
• *lɛc 'wrong/miss'
• *ləda(a)ʔ 'armpit'
• *leew 'bamboo'
• *ləhiɛŋ 'saliva'
• *lək 'quiver'
• *ləmooɲ 'tooth'
• *ləɲsiɲ 'gums'
• *ləntaak 'tongue'
• *ləŋɛ(ɛ)ʔ 'neck'
• *ləsəm 'rain'
• *ləwɛɛy 'bee'
• *liɛp 'to plait (leaves)'
• *m(??)h 'you (2S)'
• *mahaam 'blood'
• *man 'to play'
• *mat 'eye'
• *mɔɔh 'nose'
• *məriɛm 'how many?'
• *miɛŋ 'cheek'
• *mro(o)ɲ 'louse'
• *muuh 'to bathe'
• *napak 'boar'
• *nɔɔm 'to urinate'
• *nɛŋ 'before'
• *niis 'mat'
• *nooŋ 'road'
• *ɲooʔ 'to suck'
• *padaw 'bee'
• *pak 'to chop'
• *paraaʔ 'shelf'
• *pareeʔ 'monitor lizard'
• *pəhɨɨm 'to break wind'
• *pəlɛ(ɛ)ʔ 'astonished'
• *pəleek 'bat'
• *pəlɛɛʔ 'fruit'
• *pələm 'leech'
• *pəluaŋ 'roof'
• *pənlɯɯŋ 'egg'
• *pərəc 'wing'
• *pəʔaas 'turtle'
• *pɨɨt 'to extinguish'
• *pɨt 'to blow'
• *puk 'chicken'
• *rəmpiɛt 'to thresh'
• *rəwaay 'soul'
• *riɛt 'to wring'
• *rudɔŋ 'friend'
• *ruəp 'friend'
• *ruəy 'fly'
• *ruuy 'to sow'
• *rʔiɛs / ʔriɛs 'root'
• *sa(a)r 'to descend'
• *sɔɔk 'hair, feather'
• *sɛ(ɛ)ɲ 'end'
• *sə[n]taaʔ 'tail'
• *sɛc 'flesh'
• *sɛɛh 'to pound'
• *sɛɛl 'shy'
• *səgu(u)ʔ 'to ask, request'
• *səlaay 'field'
• *səlaaʔ 'leaf'
• *səlɨʔdeʔ 'cockroach'
• *səluuh 'to blowpipe'
• *səmaaɲ 'to ask'
• *səmaaʔ 'human being'
• *səŋɛc 'cold'
• *səŋəp 'darkness'
• *siɛc 'to steal'
• *siɛm 'to forget'
• *sisɛʔ 'to dance'
• *siyãʔ 'house'
• *sɯɯc 'to sting'
• *suək 'navel'
• *suəm 'marrow'
• *suuc 'to wash'
• *suup 'lung'
• *taaɲ 'to plait, weave'
• *tabooʔ 'thumb'
• *taɟaak 'to carry in hand'
• *taɟuuʔ 'snake'
• *talun 'python'
• *tawɔɔh 't.o. gibbon'
• *tawiiŋ 'spider'
• *tɔɔt 'to burn'
• *təbiŋ 'full'
• *təhop 'turtle'
• *təhuəl 'to blow'
• *təkɔɔʔ 'pus'
• *təmɔʔ 'stone'
• *təmkal 'male'
• *təniit 'lip'
• *təŋ(k)əm 'molar'
• *tiɛk 'to sleep'
• *tiɛl 'footprint'
• *tiil 'to dry'
• *tool 'to carry on head'
• *tuəs 'to pull out'
• *wɔɔk 'to wake up'
• *we(e)n 'to throw out'
• *weeh 'they two (3D)'
• *weel 'again'
• *wɛ̃ɛ̃n 'to squeeze'
• *wiɛl 'left (side)'
• *yɛɛʔ 'I (1S)'
• *ʔaap 'tiger'
• *ʔaat 'stick/spear'
• *ʔas 'to swell'
• *ʔawak 'ladle'
• *ʔɔ̃ɔ̃ɲ 'to smell'
• *ʔɔɔs 'fire'
• *ʔə[k]ʔaak 'crow'
• *ʔɛc 'belly, excrement'
• *ʔəmpuaʔ 'to dream'
• *ʔəndɯɯm 'ripe'
• *ʔəɲiiʔ 'before'
• *ʔəntaŋ 'ear'
• *ʔəntap 'testicle'
• *ʔiiɲ 'I (1S)'
• *ʔoo[k/ŋ] 'wasp'
• *ʔoor 'to command'
• *ʔuək 'to give'
• *ʔuuy 'to do'

Lexical innovations

Selected Aslian lexical innovations as identified by Paul Sidwell (2021): ^[2]

Gloss	Proto-Aslian	Kensiu	Jahai	Semnam	Semelai
‘bitter’	*kədɛk	kadek	kadɛk	kdɛk	kədɛc
‘marrow’	*suəm	–	suwəp	lasuoːm	smsɔm
‘bear’	*kawãːp	kawap	kawip	kaweːp	–
‘sweet’	*gəhɛːt	gəhɛt	bhɛt	bhɛt	gɛhɛt (Temoq)

Phonological correspondences

Proto-Aslian appears to have some phonological rime correspondences with Nancowry, suggesting that there could be a Southern Austroasiatic branch or linkage that includes Aslian and Nicobaric. Gérard Diffloth (2008) presents the following comparisons ^[3] (as quoted in Sidwell 2021 ^[2] ).

Gloss	Proto-Aslian	Nancowry
‘house-fly’	*ruəj	juəj
‘wasp’	*gr-tuəʔ	tũəʔ
‘child’	*kuən	kuən
‘to scratch’	*kuɔc	koac
‘dream’	*-mpuɔʔ	ʔinfoaʔ
‘fingernail’	*c-(n)r-uɔs	kisoah
‘four’	*puɔn	foan

See also

• Proto-Austroasiatic language

References

1. Phillips, Timothy C. 2012. Proto-Aslian: towards an understanding of its historical linguistic systems, principles and processes. Ph.D. thesis, Institut Alam Dan Tamadun Melayu Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi.
2. Sidwell, Paul (2021). "Classification of MSEA Austroasiatic languages". The Languages and Linguistics of Mainland Southeast Asia. De Gruyter. pp. 179–206. doi:10.1515/9783110558142-011. ISBN   9783110558142. S2CID   242599355.
3. Diffloth, Gérard. 2008. Proto-Aslian diphthongs and historical parallels in other Austroasiatic languages. Paper presented at the 18th Meeting of the Southeast Asian Linguistic Society, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 22 May.

• Phillips, Timothy C. 2012. Proto-Aslian: towards an understanding of its historical linguistic systems, principles and processes. Ph.D. thesis, Institut Alam Dan Tamadun Melayu Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi.
• Sidwell, Paul and Felix Rau (2015). "Austroasiatic Comparative-Historical Reconstruction: An Overview." In Jenny, Mathias and Paul Sidwell, eds (2015). The Handbook of Austroasiatic Languages. Leiden: Brill.