Reconstruction:Proto-Austroasiatic/rwaːjʔ

This Proto-Austroasiatic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Austroasiatic

Etymology

• Proto-Austroasiatic: *rwaːjʔ (Sidwell, 2024, #AA163)
• Proto-Mon-Khmer: *rwaaj (Shorto, 2006)

Noun

*rwaːjʔ

1. tiger, large felid

It is unknown whether the sense of “soul”, “spirit” was present at the Proto-Mon-Khmer stage or was a later development. Either way, this root reflects the animistic lifestyle of the early Mon-Khmer-speaking peoples.

Descendants

• Aslian: *rəwaay (“soul, spirit”) (Phillips, 2012)
  • Temiar: reiwai
  • Semai: ruwaay
• Bahnaric:
• Proto-Katuic: *rwaaj (“soul, spirit”) (Sidwell, 2005)
  • Pacoh: rvai
  • So: rawi̤aj
  • Eastern Katu: r'vai
• Khmeric:
  • Khmer: រវើ រវាយ (rôveu rôvéay)?
• Proto-Khmuic: *rwaːj (“tiger”) (Sidwell, 2013)
  • Khmu: rwaːj
  • Mlabri: rwaːj
• Proto-Palaungic: *rəʋaːj (“tiger”) (Sidwell, 2015)
  • Palaung:
    • Shwe:
      • Sam-Loong: ရႎါည်
  • Plang:
    • Man Noi: kà.vàj
  • Lamet: rəwaːj
  • Riang: rᵊwaj²
• Proto-Pearic: *rəvaːj (Headley, 1985)
  • Chong: rəwaj ~ rəwɤ̤ːj
• Proto-Vietic: *r-vaːjʔ (“soul, spirit”) (Ferlus, 2007)
  • Arem: vaːjʔ
  • Chut:
    • Rục: vaːj³
    • Sách: vaːj³
  • Kri: rʋaːjʔ
  • Maleng: rəvɐːj⁴
  • Tho
    • Cuoi Cham: vaːj³
  • Viet-Muong:
    • Muong: wãi
    • Vietnamese: vía?