Yoy language

Last updated
Yoy
Native to Thailand, Laos
Native speakers
(6,000 cited 1990–1995) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 yoy
Glottolog yoyy1238

Yoy is a Tai language of Thailand and Laos. The Yoy language is now in the critical endangered state due to a rapid language shift, which may eventually lead to complete language loss. [3]

Contents

Phonology

The phonology of Yoy, according to Phakkahn (2017). [3]

Consonants

Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Stop Aspirated
Voicelessptkʔ
Voicedbd
Nasal mnɲŋ
Fricative sh
Affricate
Approximant wlj

Only /p t k ʔ m n ŋ j w/ occur in word-final position. Yoy also has six initial consonant clusters which are /tw-/, /kw-/, /kw-/, /sw-/, /hw-/, and /bw-/.

Some words show alternate pronunciations between the initial syllable consonants:

/jaːk⁵/ ~ /ɲaːk⁵/ to want
/jaːw²/ ~ /ɲaːw²/ long
/joːj⁴/ ~ /ɲoːj⁴/ Yoy

Vowels

Front Central Back
unr. rnd.
Diphthongs iaɯaua
Monophthongs Close i,  ɯ, ɯːu,
Close-mid e,  ɤ, ɤːo,
Open-mid æ, æː  ɔ, ɔː
Open  a,   

Yoy has two different phonemic vowel lengths. There are nine short vowels and nine long vowels. In the word-final open syllables, there is no contrast between short and long vowels, but in closed syllables and non-final open syllables, short and long vowels are distinctive. [3]

Tones

Yoy has five phonologically distinctive tones in non-checked syllables.[ what are they? ] Checked syllables in Yoy can carry only tone 1 (mid-leveled tone), tone 2 (high-rising tone), and tone 5 (low-falling creaky). [3]

Vocabulary

Numberals

EnglishYoy
onenɯŋ¹
twosɔːŋ³
threesaːm³
foursiː⁵
fivehaː⁵
sixhok²
seventɕet²
eightpæːt⁵
ninekaw¹
tensip²
hundredhoːj⁴
thousandpʰan²

Verbs

EnglishYoy
to gopaj³
to openpɤːt⁵
to dreampʰan³
to falltok²
to wash (clothes)top²
to dietaj³
to waittʰaː⁵
to bitekat²
to asktʰaːm³
to thinkkʰɯt⁴
to throwkʰwæŋ⁵
to smelldom³
to burnʔuːt⁵
to sitmep⁵
to likemak⁵
to smileɲiːm⁴
to wantɲaːk⁵
to eatkin²
to dohet¹
to teachsɔːn³
to runlæn⁴
to playlin⁵

Nouns

EnglishYoy
eyetaː³
sunta¹ wen²
skytʰɔŋ⁴ pʰaː⁵
milktu²
skinkʰiːŋ²
firepʰaj²
mountainpʰu¹ kʰaw³
fishpaː³
woodpæn⁴
treekok¹ maj¹
toothkʰæːw⁵
legkʰaː³
chinkʰaːŋ²
eggkʰaj²
peoplekʰon²
ricekʰaːw⁵
leafbaɯʔ³
soildin³
waternaːm⁴
cloudmek¹
dogmaː³
birdnok⁵
bloodlɯat¹

Adjectives

EnglishYoy
farkaj³
near, short (distance)kaɯ⁴
oldkaw¹
newmaj⁵
gooddiː³
fatpʰiː²
beautifultɕop²
reddæŋ³
blackdam³
whitekʰaːw⁵
softʔon⁵
stupidpɯk²
wetʔɯn³
dryhæŋ⁵
bigɲaɯ²
fewnoj⁵

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References

  1. Yoy at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
  2. Pittayaporn classified Yoy as Southwestern Tai, but does not provide supporting analysis.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Naiyapak, Phakkahn (2017). Phonology and Grammar Sketch of Yoy (Master of Arts thesis). California State University, Long Beach.