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).

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


 * *[bə]teew 'water, river'
 * *[ca(n)]bɨŋ 'spider'
 * *[d/g]arɯɯɲ 'termite'
 * *[gə]liik 'to swallow'
 * *[gə]rɛɛs 'liver'
 * *[ɟa]lɯɯʔ 'pig'
 * *[kə]soom 'nest'
 * *[lə]bit 'to close (eyes)'
 * *[m/n]uay 'one'
 * *[pə]tam 'to plant'
 * *[s/h]uəc 'to whistle'
 * *[s]paay 'new'
 * *[sa]tam 'right (side)'
 * *[tam]pɯɯs 'to sweep'
 * *[ʔa]tiɛʔ 'earth'
 * *[ʔən]cɛɛn 'cooked'
 * *{(–)l–} '(iterative)'
 * *{(-)m-} '(nominalizer agentive)'
 * *{(-)n-} '(nominalizer)'
 * *{pər-} '(causative)'
 * *{–ra–} '(plural/comparative)'
 * *baay 'to dig'
 * *bakaʔ 'descendant'
 * *baliiŋ 'sky'
 * *baʔ '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[oo]k 'white'
 * *bəʔaak 'flood'
 * *bəʔet 'good'
 * *bɨt 'hot'
 * *bɯɯl 'drunk'
 * *bɯɯʔ 'to suck'
 * *boh 'to put/place'
 * *bus 'cane'
 * *buyaaʔ 'alligator'
 * *ca(a)l 'to say'
 * *caaʔ 'to eat'
 * *cah 'cah'
 * *cap 'to catch'
 * *cɔk 'to stab'
 * *cɛ(ɛ)s 'to tear'
 * *cɛ(ɛ)ʔ 'louse'
 * *cə(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'
 * *heeʔ 'you (2S)'
 * *hə̃m 'to breathe'
 * *hiiʔ 'we (1P.IN)'
 * *hiŋkaaʔ 'to play'
 * *ɟaam / *ʔiɟaam 'to cry'
 * *ɟak 'to step on'
 * *ɟaŋka(a)ʔ 'chin/jaw'
 * *ɟarlaaʔ 'thorn'
 * *ɟɔ̃ɔ̃t 'to suck'
 * *ɟeeʔ 'we (1P.EX)'
 * *ɟəhuuʔ 'tree'
 * *ɟəl 'to bark'
 * *ɟəʔaaŋ 'bone'
 * *ɟɨk 'to breathe'
 * *ɟɯɯk 'to move'
 * *ɟuŋ 'foot/leg'
 * *k[a]niɛʔ 'mouse'
 * *k[a]ʔiɛp 'centipede'
 * *kaac 'to scratch'
 * *kaaʔ 'fish'
 * *kamiɛk 'to carry under arm'
 * *kaɲɔŋ 'elbow'
 * *kanɛ(ɛ)t 'small'
 * *kap 'to bite'
 * *karɛɛy 'thunder'
 * *karəŋ 'tree trunk'
 * *kawããp 'bear'
 * *kayoot 'pregnant'
 * *kɔɔɲ 'male'
 * *ke 'he/she (3S)'
 * *ke(e)ŋ 'to pull'
 * *kə(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'
 * *paraaʔ 'shelf'
 * *pareeʔ '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'
 * *sə[n]taaʔ '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'
 * *tabooʔ 'thumb'
 * *taɟaak 'to carry in hand'
 * *taɟuuʔ '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[k]ʔaak 'crow'
 * *ʔɛc 'belly, excrement'
 * *ʔəmpuaʔ 'to dream'
 * *ʔəndɯɯm 'ripe'
 * *ʔəɲiiʔ 'before'
 * *ʔəntaŋ 'ear'
 * *ʔəntap 'testicle'
 * *ʔiiɲ 'I (1S)'
 * *ʔoo[k/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 comparisons (as quoted in Sidwell 2021 ).