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).

Proto-Aslian
Reconstruction of	Aslian languages
Reconstructed ancestor	Proto-Austroasiatic

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):

Gloss	Proto-Aslian	Kensiu	Jahai	Semnam	Semelai
‘bitter’	*kədɛk	kadek	kadɛk	kdɛk	kədɛc
‘marrow’	*suəm	–	suwəp	lasuoːm	smsɔm
‘bear’	*kawãːp	kawap	kawip	kaweːp	–
‘sweet’	*gəhɛːt	gəhɛt	bhɛt	bhɛt	gɛhɛt (Temoq)

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).

Gloss	Proto-Aslian	Nancowry
‘house-fly’	*ruəj	juəj
‘wasp’	*gr-tuəʔ	tũəʔ
‘child’	*kuən	kuən
‘to scratch’	*kuɔc	koac
‘dream’	*-mpuɔʔ	ʔinfoaʔ
‘fingernail’	*c-(n)r-uɔs	kisoah
‘four’	*puɔn	foan

See also

• Proto-Austroasiatic language

References

• Phillips, Timothy C. 2012. Proto-Aslian: towards an understanding of its historical linguistic systems, principles and processes. Ph.D. thesis, Institut Alam Dan Tamadun Melayu Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi.
• Sidwell, Paul and Felix Rau (2015). "Austroasiatic Comparative-Historical Reconstruction: An Overview." In Jenny, Mathias and Paul Sidwell, eds (2015). The Handbook of Austroasiatic Languages. Leiden: Brill.