Appendix:Stable lexical roots in Sino-Tibetan languages
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Matisoff (2009) lists a number of roots that he considers to be stable in the Sino-Tibetan language family.
- Body parts
- blood: *s-hjwəj-t
- bone: *rus
- ear: *g/r-na
- eye: *mik ~ mjak
- hair (body): *(t)sam, *s/r-m(u/i/ja)l, *s-kra, *r-maːw
- fur: *s/r-m(u/i/ja)l
- feather: *s/r-m(u/i/ja)l, *wa ~ wu
- hand: *lak ~ C-jak
- nose: *s-na
- tail: *r-maj ~ m-raj
- tongue: *s-laj ~ s-lej
- tooth: *s-wa ~ p-wa
- breast/milk/suck: *s-nəw
- gall: *m/s-kri(j)-s
- joint: *tsik
- liver: *m-sin, *b-ka-(n/m/ŋ)
- snot: *s-nap
- spleen: *p-li(k/ŋ)
- Animals
- animal: *sja-n
- dog: *d-kʷəj-n
- fish: *s-ŋja
- pig: *pʷak
- snake: *s-b/m-ruːl
- bear: *d-wam
- cattle: *ŋwa
- dove: *m-k(r)əw
- louse: *s-r(j)ik, *s(j)ar
- Numerals
- two (2): *g/s-ni-s
- three (3): *g-sum
- four (4): *b-ləj
- five (5): *l/b-ŋa
- six (6): *d-(k-)ruk
- seven (7): *s-ni-s
- eight (8): *b-r-gjat ~ b-g-rjat
- nine (9): *d/s-kəw
- hundred (100): *b-r-gja
- Natural objects, units of time
- day (of 24 hours): *s-r(j)ak
- sun / daytime: *nəj
- fire: *mej
- moon: *s-(g)la
- smoke: *kəw-n/t
- wind: *g-ləj
- year: *s-ni(ː)ŋ ~ s-nik
- People and habitation
- child / son: *tsa ~ za
- grandfather / elder brother: *pəw
- house: *k-jim ~ k-jum
- husband / male: *p/ba, *pʷa, *wa
- man / person: *r-mi(j)-n, *wa
- name: *r-miŋ
- father: *p/ba, *pʷa, *pu
- Plants and ingestibles
- medicine / juice / paint: *tsij ~ r-tsəj, *s-man
- poison: *duk ~ tuk
- bamboo: *g-pʷa ~ r-pʷa
- fruit: *sej
- garlic / onion: *swa-n
- Pronouns
- Verbs
- bitter: *b-ka-(n/m/ŋ)
- die: *səj
- dream: *(s/r)-ma(ŋ/k), *r/s-mwəj
- eat: *dz(j)a-k/n/t/s
- ill: *na-(n/t)
- kill: *g/b-sat
- lick: *m/s/g-ljak
- steal: *r-kəw
- bent / crooked: *(m)ku(ː)-k/ŋ
- give: *s-bəj-n/k
- know: *sjej-s, *ken ~ m-kjen
- open: *m-ka
- pour / spill: *sjwar ~ g/b-sjwa-n/t
- stand: *g-r(j)ap
- Abstract
- copula (to be): *g-raj ~ waj, *s-riː-t ~ s-rut
- negative: *ma
- negative imperative: *ta
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- Matisoff, James A (2009). "Stable Roots in Sino-Tibetan/Tibeto-Burman". Senri Ethnological Studies. 75: 291–318. https://doi.org/10.15021/00002570