Reconstruction:Proto-Austronesian/bahi

This Proto-Austronesian entry contains reconstructed words 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-Austronesian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bahi/

Noun

*bahi

female, woman

Descendants

Formosan:
- Amis: fafahi (“wife”), fafahiyan (“female, woman”); pafafahiyen (“get someone a wife”)
- Papora: pai
- Puyuma: babayan
- Paiwan: vavayan
- Rukai: ʔavai
Malayo-Polynesian: *bahi (“woman, wife, female of animals”), *babinahi
- Borneo-Philippines:
  - East Barito:
    - Lawangan: bawe
    - Ma'anyan: babei
    - Malagasy: vehivavy, vavy
  - Philippine: *bahi, *babahi; *mababahi (“to womanize, to court girls”); *babahiən (“to take a woman as mistress”); *binabahi (“effeminate”)
    - Abenlen Ayta: babai
    - Aklanon: babaye
    - Batad Ifugao: babāi, obay
    - Bontok: bai (“female animal”)
    - Cebuano: bayi, babaye
    - Central Bontoc: babái
    - Central Cagayan Agta: babbay
    - Hanunoo: bayi (“femininity”); babayi (“woman, girl”)
    - Hiligaynon: babayi
    - Ibanag: babay
    - Ilocano: babai; babayen (“to court a woman”)
    - Isnag: babay
    - Itawit: babay
    - Kalamian:
      - Agutaynen: babay
    - Kankanaey: babái
    - Kapampangan: babai mambabai (“to court girls”)
    - Limos Kalinga: babai
    - Manobo:
      - Binukid: bahi
      - Western Bukidnon Manobo: bahi
    - Maranao: bebay
    - Palawan Batak: baba'i
    - Sangir: bawine
    - Tagalog: bai, bayi (“princess, royal lady”), babae; mambabae (“to womanize”); babaihin (“take a concubine”); kababaihan (“womanhood, femininity”)
    - Tausug: babai
    - Waray-Waray: babaye
    - Yami: vai (“daughter-in-law”)
- Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian: *bai (“woman, female”)
  - Alune: bina
  - Eastern Malayo-Polynesian:
    - Halmahera-Cenderawasih:
      - Biak: bin
      - Wandamen: babin
    - Oceanic: *papine, *pe- (“mother”)
      - Admiralty Islands: *pepine (“woman”)
        Loniu: pihin
        Lou: pein
        Nali: pihin
        Nauna: pehin
        Penchal: pehin
        Seimat: hehin
        Sori-Harengan: bibiŋ
        Titan: pein
        Tulu-Bohuai: pihin
        Wuvulu-Aua: pifine
      - Central-Eastern Oceanic:
        Micronesian:
        Chuukese: feefin (“woman, womanhood, female”)
        Gilbertese: aine (“female”)
        Pohnpeian: pein (“woman”), peinakapw (“young woman”)
        Woleaian: faifil
        North-Central Vanuatu:
        Big Nambas: vənmaran (“old woman”)
        Mafea: v̋av̋ine (/ð̼að̼ine/, “woman”)
        Mota: vavine
        Neverver: vin
        Paama: ahin
        Raga: vavine
        Polynesian: *fafine
        Niuean: fifine
        Nuclear Polynesian:
        Anuta: papine
        East Futuna: fafine
        Eastern Polynesian:
        Hawaiian: wahine (“woman, lady, sister-in-law, female cousin”)
        → English: wahine (with Maori wahine)
        Mangarevan: veine
        Maori: wahine
        → English: wahine (with Hawaiian wahine)
        North Marquesan: vehine (“woman”)
        Rarotongan: va'ine (“woman, female, wife”)
        South Marquesan: vehine
        Tahitian: vahine
        → English: vahine
        → French: vahiné
        → Rapa Nui: vahine
        Tuamotuan: va'ine
        Kapingamarangi: ahina (“woman, female”)
        Nukuoro: hahine
        Ontong Java: hine
        Pileni: hahine
        Rennellese: hahine
        Samoan: fafine
        Sikaiana: hahine
        Takuu: ffine
        Tuvaluan: fafine
        Wallisian: fafine
        Tongan: fefine (“woman”), fehuhu (“mother”)
        Sie: vevne (“sister of a man”)
        Southeast Solomonic:
        Bauro: hehene
        Bughotu: vaivine
        Fagani: hehene
        Gela: vaivine
        Kahua: hehene
        Talise: vaivine
      - Niwer Mil: fifin
      - Ura (Vanuatu): yarvin
      - Western Oceanic:
        Are: babine
        Anuki: wavine
        Arifama-Miniafia: babin (“woman”), babine (“old woman”)
        Bilbil: pain
        Biliau: paen
        Bilur: vaina
        Boselewa: vavine
        Buhutu: waihin
        Bulu (New Guinea): tavine
        Bunama: wahine
        Bwaidoka: vavine
        Bwanabwana: waine
        Dawawa: wavine
        Diodio: vavine
        Dobu: waine
        Doga: babine
        Duau: wahine
        Gabadi: vavine
        Gapapaiwa: wavine
        Gedaged: pain
        Ghayavi: wavine
        Gweda: wavine
        Iamalele: vavine
        Kakabai: wavine
        Kaninuwa: vivine
        Keapara: vavine
        Kilivila: vivila
        Koluwawa: vavine
        Konomala: fafni
        Magori: vaini
        Manam: áine
        Mandara: vevine
        Matukar: pain
        Mbula: waine
        Meramera: tavine
        Minaveha: vavine
        Mindiri: pen
        Minigir: vavina
        Molima: vavine
        Motu: hahine
        Hiri Motu: hahine
        Muduapa: tavine
        Nimoa: vaini
        Patpatar: hahin
        Ronji: pain
        Roro: babine
        Sepa (New Guinea): waine
        Sinaugoro: vavine
        Sio: taine
        Suau: waihin
        Takia: pein
        Taupota: wavine
        Tawala: wawine
        Tolai: wawina
        Torau: baine
        Tungag: aina
        Uneapa: tavine
        Wab: pain
        Wedau: wavine
        Wogeo: veine
      - Yapese: pin
  - Kambera: kawini
  - Ngadha: fai
  - Sika: bai
  - Tetum: fen (“wife”)
- Komodo: wine (ata wine (“woman”)
- Li'o: fai
- Sunda-Sulawesi:
  - Kaili-Pamona:
    - Ledo Kaili: mombine
  - Malayo-Sumbawan:
    - Malayo-Chamic:
      - Chamic:
        Bih: pine
      - Malayic:
        Banjarese: binian
        Iban: bini (“wife, married woman”)
        → Betawi: bini (“wife”)
        Malay: bai (“mother”)
  - Muna-Buton:
    - Muna: roɓine
    - Tukang Besi North: wowine
    - Tukang Besi South: wowine
  - Palauan: babil (“female”)
  - South Sulawesi:
    - Bambam: baine
    - Mamasa: baine
    - Mandar: tobaine
  - Wotu-Wolio:
    - Wolio: bawine
- Tunjung: wawe

Usage notes

This word shows a wide range of concurrent forms in various Austronesian languages. One of the most productive forms is PAN *babahi ("woman, lady, girl"), with CV- reduplication of the first syllable, which appears to convey a diminutive sense. In Proto-Philippine, this reduplicated form can be augmented by verbal affixes like PPh *ma- or PPh *-en. Finally, in Proto-Malayo-Polynesian this word is reconstructed either as Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bahi (“woman, female of animals”) or as Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *babinahi (“woman, female”), with no apparent differences in meaning. The latter form probably gave rise to Proto-Oceanic *papine (“woman”), which is the only one attested for the term woman in Proto-Oceanic and Proto-Polynesian branches of the Austronesian language family, although the residual non-reduplicated form *pe- is still present as a prefix.

References

Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary — *bahi
Lynch, John (1998) Pacific Languages: An Introduction, University of Hawaii Press, →ISBN
Guérin, Valérie (2011) A Grammr of Mavea — An Oceanic Language of Vanuatu, University of Hawaii Press