Bunun
Austronesian (Bunun)
Bunun is a Formosan (Austronesian) language of the Bunun people, who inhabit the highest-elevation villages of central Taiwan, often above 1,000m. With ~60K ethnic Bunun and ~12K daily L1 speakers, it has five main dialect groups (Isbukun, Takbanuaz, Takivatan, Takbakha, and the extinct/moribund Takituduh); Isbukun is the modern standard. Bunun is famous worldwide for the eight-part polyphonic Pasibutbut harvest song, one of Asia's best-known indigenous polyphonic traditions, documented by Kurosawa Takatomo in 1943 and presented to UNESCO ethnomusicology archives.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Bunun
Sources
- Ethnologue: bnn
- Li (1988) A Comparative Study of Bunun Dialects
- Kurosawa (1943) Takasago-zoku no ongaku
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Bunun)
| Meaning | Bunun | Proto-Austronesian | Old Malay | Mandar | Old Cham | Thao | Paiwan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | danum /danum/ | *daNum /daNum/ | air /air/ | uai /uai/ | ie /ʔiə/ | sazum /saðum/ | zaljum /zaʎum/ |
| Fire | sapuz /sapuz/ | *Sapuy /Sapuy/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | apuy /ʔapuj/ | apuy /apuj/ | sapuy /sapui/ |
| Sun | vali /vali/ | *waRi /waRi/ | matari /matari/ | mata allo /mata alːo/ | huriy /hurij/ | fitulha /fituʎa/ | qadaw /qadaw/ |
| Moon | buan /buan/ | *bulaN /bulaN/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulang /bulaŋ/ | bulan /bulan/ | furaz /fuɾað/ | qiljas /qiʎas/ |
| Star | bintuhan /bintuhan/ | *bituqen /bituqen/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bittoeng /bittoeŋ/ | bituk /bituʔ/ | fituʼish /fituʔiʃ/ | vituqan /vituqan/ |
| Night | labian /labian/ | *beRŋi /beʀŋi/ | malam /malam/ | bongi /boŋi/ | malam /malam/ | tanlhuan /tanɬuan/ | qezemezemetj /qəzəməzəmətʲ/ |
| Rain | qudan /qudan/ | *quzaN /quzaN/ | — | urang /uˈraŋ/ | — | qusaz /qusað/ | qudjalj /quɟaʎ/ |
| Snow | paav /paav/ | *SuReNa /SuReNa/ | — | — | — | ulhza /uɬða/ | sulja /suʎa/ |
| Wind | luvluv /luvluv/ | *bali /bali/ | — | angin /aŋin/ | — | fari /faɾi/ | vali /vali/ |
| Earth | dalah /dalah/ | *taneq /taneq/ | — | litaq /litaʔ/ | — | pruq /pruq/ | qipu /qipu/ |
| Stone | batu /batu/ | *batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ | batau /batau/ | fatu /fatu/ | qaciljai /qatsiʎai/ |
| Mountain | ludun /ludun/ | *bukij /bukij/ | — | buttu /butːu/ | — | huzun /huðun/ | gadu /ɡadu/ |
| Sea | ning-av /ŋiŋʔav/ | *tenem /tenem/ | — | sasiq /sasiʔ/ | — | wazakan /waðakan/ | ljavek /ʎavək/ |
| Mother | tina /tina/ | *ina /ina/ | ibu /ibu/ | indoq /indoʔ/ | inā /ina/ | ina /ina/ | kina /kina/ |
| Father | tama /tama/ | *ama /ama/ | bapa /bapa/ | ama /ama/ | amā /ama/ | ama /ama/ | kama /kama/ |
| Daughter | uvaazpingaz /uvaazpiŋaz/ | — | — | — | — | — | aljak a vavayan /aʎak a vavajan/ |
| I | saikin /saikin/ | *aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ | iyau /ijau/ | ku /ku/ | yaku /jaku/ | tiaken /tiakən/ |
| You | suu /suʔu/ | *iSu /iSu/ | kamu /kamu/ | io /iʔo/ | hã /haː/ | ihu /ʔihu/ | sun /sun/ |
| We | kata / kaimin /kata / kaimin/ | *kita / *kami /kita / kami/ | kita / kami /kita / kami/ | ikiq / ingkaiq /ikiʔ / iŋkaiʔ/ | — /—/ | ita / yamin /ʔita / jamin/ | titjen / tiamen /titʲən / tiamən/ |
| Name | ngaan /ŋaan/ | *ŋajan /ŋajan/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | sanga /saŋa/ | angan /aŋan/ | tanan /tanan/ | ngadan /ŋadan/ |
| Person | bunun /bunun/ | *Cau /tsau/ | — | tau /tau/ | urāṅ /uraːŋ/ | caw /θaw/ | caucau /tsautsau/ |
| Head | bungu /buŋu/ | *quluh /quluh/ | — | ulu /ulu/ | — | punuq /punuq/ | qulu /qulu/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | *maCa /maCa/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | matā /mata/ | maca /maθa/ | maca /matsa/ |
| Ear | tainga /taiŋa/ | *Caliŋa /tsaliŋa/ | — | talinga /taliŋa/ | — | lharina /ɬarina/ | caliŋa /tsaliŋa/ |
| Nose | ngutus /ŋutus/ | *ujuŋ /ujuŋ/ | — | pudzung /puðuŋ/ | idung /iduŋ/ | muzin /muðin/ | ŋudus /ŋudus/ |
| Mouth | ngulus /ŋulus/ | — | — | nganga /ŋaŋa/ | — | ruzic /ɺuðiθ/ | angal /aŋaɭ/ |
| Tooth | nipun /nipun/ | *nipen /nipen/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | isi /isi/ | tagai /taɡaj/ | nipin /nipin/ | alis /aɭis/ |
| Tongue | mamaʼ /mamaʔ/ | *Sema /Sema/ | lidah /lidah/ | lila /lila/ | dalah /dalah/ | zama /ðama/ | sema /səma/ |
| Hand | ima /ima/ | *lima /lima/ | tangan /taŋan/ | lima /lima/ | taŋin /taŋin/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Foot | bantas /bantas/ | *qaqay /qaqay/ | — | — | takai /takai/ | kuskus /kuskus/ | — |
| Heart | is-ang /isaŋ/ | *pusuq /pusuq/ | hati /hati/ | ate /ate/ | hatai /hatai/ | putul /putul/ | varung /vaɾuŋ/ |
| Bone | tuhnaz /tuhnað/ | *CuqelaN /CuqelaN/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | buku /buku/ | talang /talaŋ/ | puʼu /puʔu/ | cuqelalj /tsuqəlaʎ/ |
| Blood | haidang /haidaŋ/ | *daRaq /daRaq/ | darah /darah/ | ceraq /tʃɛraʔ/ | darah /darah/ | talhum /taɬum/ | djamuq /ɟamuq/ |
| Poop | taki /taki/ | *Caqi /tsaqi/ | — | tai /tai/ | — | caqi /θaqi/ | caqi /tsaqi/ |
| Love | madaidaz /madaidaz/ | — /—/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | mappinawa /mapːinawa/ | klɛn /klɛn/ | madaidaz /madaiðað/ | nasaqaqa /nasaqaqa/ |
| Tree | kahu /kahu/ | *kaSiw /kaSiw/ | kayu /kaju/ | kaju /kaju/ | phuəŋ /pʰuəŋ/ | lhalum /ʎalum/ | kasiw /kasiw/ |
| Dog | asu /asu/ | *asu /asu/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | asu /asu/ | asuv /asuw/ | atu /atu/ | vatu /vatu/ |
| Cat | ngingiyaw /ŋiŋijaw/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | mio /mio/ | mɛw /mɛw/ | posi /posi/ | ngiaw /ŋiaw/ |
| Fish | iskan /iskan/ | *Sikan /Sikan/ | ikan /ikan/ | bau /ˈbau/ | ikan /ikan/ | rusaw /ɾusaw/ | ciqaw /tsiqaw/ |
| Bird | hazam /hazam/ | *manuk /manuk/ | burung /buruŋ/ | manu-manuq /manu manuʔ/ | cim /tʃim/ | rumfaz /ɾumfað/ | qayaqayam /qajaqajam/ |
| Butterfly | balikuan /balikuan/ | *baŋbaŋ /baŋbaŋ/ | — | — | — | kurari /kuɾaɾi/ | pepe /pəpə/ |
| Egg | lububunun /lububunun/ | *qiCeluR /qicəlur/ | — | talloq /talːoʔ/ | — | qaricuy /qaɾiθuj/ | qecilu /qətsiɭu/ |
| Bear | tumaz /tumað/ | *Cumay /Cumay/ | — | — | — | cumay /θumai/ | cumay /tsumai/ |
| Horse | tasasikis /tasasikis/ | — | — | — | — | tishmamraw /tiʃmamɾaw/ | rigi /ɾiɡi/ |
| House | lumaq /lumaq/ | *Rumaq /Rumaq/ | rumah /rumah/ | boyang /bojaŋ/ | sɔŋ /sɔŋ/ | kayan /kajan/ | umaq /umaq/ |
| Milk | susu /susu/ | — | susu /susu/ | — | — | — | — |
| Honey | vanu /vanu/ | — | — | — | — | fulhia wa madahun /fuɬia wa madahun/ | alju /aʎu/ |
| Salt | hasila /hasila/ | *qasiRa /qasiRa/ | garam /ɡaram/ | sia /sia/ | — | qtilha /qtiɬa/ | qatia /qatia/ |
| Rice | cilas /tsilas/ | *beRas /beRas/ | — | baras /baras/ | — | — | paday /padai/ |
| Iron | ngul-a /ŋulʔa/ | — | — | bassi /basːi/ | — | balis /balis/ | vatjuljayan /vatʲuʎajan/ |
| Wheel | tauntaun /tauntaun/ | — | — | — | — | — | tjukutjuku /tʲukutʲuku/ |
| Silk | kaiku /kaiku/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Book | patasan /patasan/ | — | — | suraq /suraʔ/ | — | patashan /pataʃan/ | sapitj /sapitʲ/ |
| Eat | maun /maun/ | *kaen /kaen/ | makan /makan/ | maʼande /maʔande/ | bɔh /bɔh/ | kuman /kuman/ | keman /kəman/ |
| Drink | muqun /muqun/ | *inum /inum/ | minum /minum/ | minung /minuŋ/ | mɛnum /mɛnum/ | naqayan /naqajan/ | temekel /təməkəl/ |
| Sleep | masabah /masabah/ | *tuduR /tuduR/ | tidur /tidur/ | matindro /matindro/ | — | malhus /maɬus/ | qemreng /qəmɾəŋ/ |
| One | tasa /tasa/ | *isa /isa/ | sa /sa/ | mesa /mesa/ | sa /sa/ | tata /tata/ | ita /ita/ |
| Two | dusa /dusa/ | *duSa /duSa/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | tusha /tuʃa/ | drusa /ɖusa/ |
| Three | tau /tau/ | *telu /telu/ | tlu /tlu/ | tallu /talːu/ | klau /klau/ | turu /tuɾu/ | tjelu /tʲəlu/ |
| Four | paat /paːt/ | *Sepat /səpat/ | mpat /əmpat/ | appe /apːe/ | pāt /paːt/ | shpat /ʃpat/ | sepatj /səpatʲ/ |
| Five | hima /hima/ | *lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | rima /rima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hundred | saba /saba/ | *RaCus /RaCus/ | ratus /ratus/ | sangatus /saŋatus/ | — | shaba /ʃaba/ | taidai /taidai/ |
| Hello | uninang /uninaŋ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | salamaʼ maʼondong /salamaʔ maʔondoŋ/ | — /—/ | ya /ja/ | masalu /masalu/ |
| Thank you | uninang /uninaŋ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | kuruʼ sumangaʼ /kuruʔ sumaŋaʔ/ | — /—/ | mihu /mihu/ | masalu /masalu/ |
| Good | masial /masial/ | — /—/ | baik /baik/ | macoa /matʃoa/ | siam /siam/ | kapah /kapah/ | nguanguaq /ŋuaŋuaq/ |
| New | bahlu /baɬu/ | *baqeRuh /baqeRuh/ | — | baru /baru/ | — | faqlhu /faqɬu/ | vaquan /vaquan/ |
| Red | madanghas /madaŋhas/ | *ma-iRaq /ma-iRaq/ | merah /merah/ | mamea /mamea/ | mưriah /mɨriah/ | mashinaw /maʃinaw/ | qudjidjilj /quɟiɟiʎ/ |
| White | maduhlas /maduɬas/ | *ma-putiq /maputiq/ | putih /putih/ | mapute /mapute/ | patih /patih/ | mapuzi /mapuði/ | vuqavuqalj /vuqavuqaʎ/ |
| Black | matahdung /matahduŋ/ | *qeCeŋeN /qeCeŋeN/ | hitam /hitam/ | malotong /malotoŋ/ | hitam /hitam/ | maqusum /maqusum/ | qucengecengel /qutsəŋətsəŋəl/ |
| Green | masanglav /masaŋlav/ | — | — | mekurarraq /mekurarːaʔ/ | — | madishlum /madiʃlum/ | liljuas /ɭiʎuas/ |
| Blue | masanglav /masaŋlav/ | — | — | magavu /maɡavu/ | — | madishlum /madiʃlum/ | cangiangia /tsaŋiaŋia/ |
| Computer | tinnau /tinnau/ | — | — | komputer /komˈputər/ | — | tiannau /tiannau/ | tinnaw /tinnaw/ |
| Tea | ucia /utsia/ | — | — | — | — | — | ucia /utsia/ |
| Coffee | kapi /kapi/ | — | — | — | — | — | kuhi /kuhi/ |
| Sugar | kamasia /kamasia/ | — | — | golla /ɡolːa/ | — | — | ljualju /ʎuaʎu/ |
| Orange | izuk /izuk/ | — | — | — | — | — | tjianes /tʲianəs/ |
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