Proto-Aslian Language

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).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.

Reconstructed forms

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

* * əeew 'water, river'
* *a(n)ɨŋ 'spider'
* * /grɯɯɲ 'termite'
* * əiik 'to swallow'
* * əɛɛs 'liver'
* * �aɯɯʔ 'pig'
* * əoom 'nest'
* * əit 'to close (eyes)'
* * /nay 'one'
* * əam 'to plant'
* * /həc 'to whistle'
* * aay 'new'
* * aam 'right (side)'
* * amɯɯs 'to sweep'
* * �aiɛʔ 'earth'
* * �ənɛɛn 'cooked'
* * '(iterative)'
* * '(nominalizer agentive)'
* * '(nominalizer)'
* * '(causative)'
* * '(plural/comparative)'
* *baay 'to dig'
* *bakaÊ” 'descendant'
* *baliiŋ 'sky'
* *baÊ” '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 o 'white'
* *bəʔaak 'flood'
* *bəʔet 'good'
* *bɨt 'hot'
* *bɯɯl 'drunk'
* *bɯɯʔ 'to suck'
* *boh 'to put/place'
* *bus 'cane'
* *buyaaÊ” 'alligator'
* *ca(a)l 'to say'
* *caaÊ” 'to eat'
* *cah 'cah'
* *cap 'to catch'
* *cɔk 'to stab'
* *cÉ›(É›)s 'to tear'
* *cÉ›(É›)Ê” 'louse'
* *cÉ™(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'
* *heeÊ” 'you (2S)'
* *hə̃m 'to breathe'
* *hiiÊ” 'we (1P.IN)'
* *hiŋkaaʔ 'to play'
* *ɟaam / *ʔiɟaam 'to cry'
* *ÉŸak 'to step on'
* *ɟaŋka(a)ʔ 'chin/jaw'
* *ÉŸarlaaÊ” 'thorn'
* *ɟɔ̃ɔ̃t 'to suck'
* *ÉŸeeÊ” 'we (1P.EX)'
* *ɟəhuuʔ 'tree'
* *ɟəl 'to bark'
* *ɟəʔaaŋ 'bone'
* *ɟɨk 'to breathe'
* *ɟɯɯk 'to move'
* *ɟuŋ 'foot/leg'
* *k iɛʔ 'mouse'
* *k �iɛp 'centipede'
* *kaac 'to scratch'
* *kaaÊ” 'fish'
* *kamiɛk 'to carry under arm'
* *kaɲɔŋ 'elbow'
* *kanÉ›(É›)t 'small'
* *kap 'to bite'
* *karɛɛy 'thunder'
* *karəŋ 'tree trunk'
* *kawããp 'bear'
* *kayoot 'pregnant'
* *kɔɔɲ 'male'
* *ke 'he/she (3S)'
* *ke(e)Å‹ 'to pull'
* *kÉ™(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'
* *paraaÊ” 'shelf'
* *pareeÊ” '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'
* *sÉ™ aaÊ” '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'
* *tabooÊ” 'thumb'
* *taÉŸaak 'to carry in hand'
* *taÉŸuuÊ” '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 �aak 'crow'
* *ʔɛc 'belly, excrement'
* *ʔəmpuaʔ 'to dream'
* *ʔəndɯɯm 'ripe'
* *ʔəɲiiʔ 'before'
* *ʔəntaŋ 'ear'
* *ʔəntap 'testicle'
* *ʔiiɲ 'I (1S)'
* *ʔoo /ŋ'wasp'
* *ʔoor 'to command'
* *ʔuək 'to give'
* *ʔuuy 'to do'

Lexical innovations

Selected Aslian lexical innovations as identified by Paul Sidwell (2021):

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 comparisonsDiffloth, 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. (as quoted in Sidwell 2021).

See also

*Proto-Austroasiatic language

References

*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.

{{Austro-Asiatic languages

Aslian languages
Aslian