Reconstruction:Proto-Tai/naːjᴬ

This Proto-Tai 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-Tai

Alternative reconstructions

*naaiᴬ (Li, 1971)
*taːjᴮ (Liao, 2017)

Etymology

Cognate with Southern Kam deel, Maonan tɛ¹, Ai-Cham te¹, Mak (China) te⁶, Biao ta¹, Proto-Hlai *hnaːʔ (Liao, 2017).

Li (1971) connects it Old Chinese 嬭 (OC *niei, “mother”).

Noun

*naːjᴬ

(Pittayaporn, 2009)

maternal grandmother

Reconstruction notes

The reconstruction of this word has been problematic due to correspondences that are difficult to reconcile, including the rare correspondence of initials /n/ and /t/ and the different tone categories reflected in the daughter languages.

Descendants

Tai
- Northern Tai
  - Zhuang: daiq
- Central Tai
- Southwestern Tai
  - Thai: ยาย (yaai)
  - Lao: ຍາຍ (nyāi)
  - Shan: ၼၢႆး (náay)