Klau
Central Gelao
Kra-Dai (Kra)
Gelao belongs to the Kra branch of Kra-Dai — the family's most divergent arm, which in Ostapirat's classification is sister to the Tai, Kam-Sui, Be and Hlai branches rather than a member of any of them. That makes it disproportionately important for reconstructing the family, and it is disappearing: the Gelao nationality numbers about 550,000 in the 2010 census, but the language has only a few thousand speakers, nearly all elderly, in scattered villages of western Guizhou and across the border in Vietnam, where the community is called Cờ Lao. What survives is not one speech but several, divergent enough that Green, Red and White Gelao are often counted as separate languages. This row is Central Gelao (Qau/Klau) as recorded at Wanzi near Anshun. Its word for 'red' is the word for blood: the Zhenfeng list writes red as a compound built on that root, and Wanzi gives the bare root for both.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Central Gelao
Sources
- 贺嘉善 (1983) 仡佬语简志. 北京: 民族出版社 — Gelao (Wanzi), ABVD list 699
- Ostapirat, W. (2000) Proto-Kra. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 23.1
- Glottolog: Qau
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Kra-Dai (Kra)
| Meaning | Central Gelao | Ho Ne She | Mulam | Sui | Ha Hlai | Maonan | Blang |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | əɯ55 /əɯ˥˥/ | ɔŋ31 /ɔŋ˧˩/ | nəm4 /nəm˨˦/ | nam3 /nam˧˧/ | nom3 /nom˩˩/ | nam3 /nam˥˩/ | ʔom33 /ʔom˧˧/ |
| Fire | pai33 /pai˧˧/ | tʰɔ54 /tʰɔ˥˦/ | fi1 /fi˦˨/ | vi1 /vi˩˩/ | fei1 /fei˥˧/ | vi1 /vi˦˨/ | ŋɔi31 /ŋɔi˧˩/ |
| Sun | — /—/ | lɔk22 kɔ44 /lɔk˨˨ kɔ˦˦/ | thəu5 fan1 /tʰəu˦˦ fan˦˨/ | ⁿda1 van1 /ⁿda˩˩ van˩˩/ | tsha1 hwan1 /tsʰa˥˧ hwan˥˧/ | la:k8 van1 /laːk˨˦ van˦˨/ | ŋai31 sa31 ŋi51 /ŋai˧˩ sa˧˩ ŋi˥˩/ |
| Moon | tsu33 /tsu˧˧/ | paŋ44 kɔ44 le11 /paŋ˦˦ kɔ˦˦ le˩˩/ | kɣa:ŋ1 njen2 /kɣaːŋ˦˨ njen˩˨˩/ | njen2 /njen˧˩/ | ȵa:n1 /ȵaːn˥˧/ | ni4 njen2 /ni˨˦ njen˨˧˩/ | kaŋ33 khi51 /kaŋ˧˧ kʰi˥˩/ |
| Star | lei31 tsu33 /lei˧˩ tsu˧˧/ | le11 taŋ22 /le˩˩ taŋ˨˨/ | la:k8 m̥ət7 /laːk˩˩ m̥ət˥˥/ | zət7 /zət˥˥/ | ra:u1 /raːu˥˧/ | zət7 /zət˥˥/ | sa31 məiŋ51 /sa˧˩ məiŋ˥˩/ |
| Night | men33 si44 /men˧˧ si˦˦/ | mɤŋ11 kaŋ54 /mɤŋ˩˩ kaŋ˥˦/ | mu2 /mu˩˨˩/ | saan2 /saːn˧˩/ | tshop7 /tsʰop˥˥/ | ʔȵam5 /ʔȵam˦˦/ | ta51 buh51 /ta˥˩ buh˥˩/ |
| Rain | mei44 zau44 /mei˦˦ zau˦˦/ | lɤŋ44 /lɤŋ˦˦/ | kwən1 /kwən˦˨/ | fən1 /fən˩˩/ | fun1 /fun˥˧/ | fin1 /fin˦˨/ | lei51 /lei˥˩/ |
| Snow | nai31 /nai˧˩/ | — | nui1 /nui˦˨/ | ʔnui1 /ʔnui˩˩/ | — | tɕu5 /tɕu˦˦/ | — |
| Wind | ven44 /ven˦˦/ | ki22 /ki˨˨/ | ləm2 /ləm˩˨˩/ | lum1 /lum˩˩/ | hwo:t7 /hwoːt˥˥/ | ləm1 /ləm˦˨/ | kɨn51 /kɨn˥˩/ |
| Earth | nta44 /nta˦˦/ | ta22 /ta˨˨/ | na:m6 /naːm˩˩/ | hum5 /hum˧˥/ | van1 /van˥˧/ | khəm5 /kʰəm˦˦/ | ka31 tɛ51 /ka˧˩ tɛ˥˩/ |
| Stone | əɯ33 /əɯ˧˧/ | ŋa22 /ŋa˨˨/ | tui2 /tui˩˨˩/ | tin2 /tin˧˩/ | tshi:n1 /tsʰiːn˥˧/ | tu:i2 /tuːi˨˧˩/ | — /—/ |
| Sea | hai33 /hai˧˧/ | fui44 /fui˦˦/ | hai3 /hai˥˧/ | haai3 /haːi˧˧/ | la:ŋ3 /laːŋ˩˩/ | hai3 /hai˥˩/ | ʔum51 hɔn51 /ʔum˥˩ hɔn˥˩/ |
| Mother | mɒ13 /mɒ˩˧/ | a22 me35 /a˨˨ me˧˥/ | ni4 /ni˨˦/ | ni4 /ni˥˩/ | pai3 /pai˩˩/ | ni4 /ni˨˦/ | ma31 ʔe51 /ma˧˩ ʔe˥˩/ |
| Father | pʰɒ44 /pʰɒ˦˦/ | a22 pa44 /a˨˨ pa˦˦/ | pu4 /pu˨˦/ | pu4 /pu˥˩/ | pha3 /pʰa˩˩/ | tɛ2 /tɛ˨˧˩/ | kɨiŋ51 ʔe51 /kɨiŋ˥˩ ʔe˥˩/ |
| Daughter | li42 məi35 /li˦˨ məi˧˥/ | — | la:k8 ʔja:k7 /laːk˩˩ ʔjaːk˦˨/ | laak8 ʔbjaak7 /laːk˦˨ ʔbjaːk˧˥/ | ɬɯ:k7 pai3 khau2 /ɬɯːk˥˥ pai˩˩ kʰau˥˥/ | la:ʔ8 piəʔ8 /laːʔ˨˦ piəʔ˨˦/ | kɔn51 ka31 pon51 /kɔn˥˩ ka˧˩ pon˥˩/ |
| I | i33 /i˧˧/ | vaŋ54 /vaŋ˥˦/ | həi2 /həi˩˨˩/ | ʔai2 /ʔai˧˩/ | hou1 /hou˥˧/ | ɦe2 /ɦe˨˧˩/ | ʔɨt33 /ʔɨt˧˧/ |
| You | mu31 /mu˧˩/ | mɤŋ31 /mɤŋ˧˩/ | ȵa2 /ȵa˩˨˩/ | ȵa2 /ȵa˧˩/ | meɯ1 /meɯ˥˧/ | ŋ2 /ŋ˨˧˩/ | mit33 /mit˧˧/ |
| We | su33 ta33 /su˧˧ ta˧˧/ | le31 pa22 /le˧˩ pa˨˨/ | hɣa:u6 / niu2 /hɣaːu˩˩ / niu˩˨˩/ | ȶən1 ⁿdaau1 / ȶən1 ⁿdiu1 /ȶən˩˩ ⁿdaːu˩˩ / ȶən˩˩ ⁿdiu˩˩/ | ga / fa1 /ɡa / fa˥˧/ | ⁿda:u1 / ⁿde1 /ⁿdaːu˦˨ / ⁿde˦˨/ | ʔet33 ti31 /ʔet˧˧ ti˧˩/ |
| Name | ntsai44 /ntsai˦˦/ | mui31 /mui˧˩/ | ʔɣa:n1 /ʔɣaːn˦˨/ | ʔdaan1 /ʔdaːn˩˩/ | phe:ŋ1 /pʰeːŋ˥˧/ | da:n2 /daːn˨˧˩/ | mɨh31 /mɨh˧˩/ |
| Person | tɕʰi55 /tɕʰi˥˥/ | le31 /le˧˩/ | śən1 /ɕən˦˨/ | zən1 /zən˩˩/ | u2 a:u1 /u˥˥ aːu˥˧/ | zən1 /zən˦˨/ | pəi51 /pəi˥˩/ |
| Head | klɒ24 /klɒ˨˦/ | kuaŋ35 kʰɤ11 /kuaŋ˧˥ kʰɤ˩˩/ | kɣo3 /kɣo˥˧/ | ku3 /ku˧˧/ | gwou3 /ɡwou˩˩/ | ko3 /ko˥˩/ | ka31 tɔŋ33 /ka˧˩ tɔŋ˧˧/ |
| Eye | ləɯ13 tau33 /ləɯ˩˧ tau˧˧/ | ka22 kʰɔ44 /ka˨˨ kʰɔ˦˦/ | l̥a1 /l̥a˦˨/ | ⁿda1 /ⁿda˩˩/ | tsha1 /tsʰa˥˧/ | ⁿda1 /ⁿda˦˨/ | ŋai33 /ŋai˧˧/ |
| Ear | zau44 /zau˦˦/ | ka31 kʰɤŋ44 /ka˧˩ kʰɤŋ˦˦/ | khɣa1 /kʰɣa˦˨/ | qha1 /qʰa˩˩/ | zai1 /zai˥˧/ | kha1 /kʰa˦˨/ | ja31 juk51 /ja˧˩ juk˥˩/ |
| Nose | ȵtɕe24 /ȵtɕe˨˦/ | kʰɤŋ44 piu54 /kʰɤŋ˦˦ piu˥˦/ | kə5 naŋ1 /kə˦˦ naŋ˦˨/ | ʔnaŋ1 /ʔnaŋ˩˩/ | khat7 /kʰat˥˥/ | ʔnaŋ1 /ʔnaŋ˦˨/ | mɨh33 /mɨh˧˧/ |
| Mouth | ŋku44 /ŋku˦˦/ | tiɔ31 /tiɔ˧˩/ | pa:k7 /paːk˦˨/ | paak7 /paːk˧˥/ | pom3 /pom˩˩/ | pa:k7 /paːk˦˦/ | mɔiŋ51 /mɔiŋ˥˩/ |
| Tooth | pan33 /pan˧˧/ | mun44 /mun˦˦/ | fan1 /fan˦˨/ | vjən1 /vjən˩˩/ | fan1 /fan˥˧/ | hi:u3 /hiːu˥˩/ | haŋ33 /haŋ˧˧/ |
| Tongue | pʰi55 te24 /pʰi˥˥ te˨˦/ | pi35 /pi˧˥/ | ma2 /ma˩˨˩/ | ʔu1 ma2 /ʔu˩˩ ma˧˩/ | ɬi:n3 /ɬiːn˩˩/ | ma2 /ma˨˧˩/ | ka31 tak51 /ka˧˩ tak˥˩/ |
| Hand | mpau44 /mpau˦˦/ | kʰua54 /kʰua˥˦/ | nja2 /nja˩˨˩/ | mjə1 /mjə˩˩/ | meɯ1 /meɯ˥˧/ | si:m3 /siːm˥˩/ | ti51 /ti˥˩/ |
| Foot | qa24 /qa˨˦/ | tɔ11 /tɔ˩˩/ | tin1 /tin˦˨/ | tin1 /tin˩˩/ | khok7 /kʰok˥˥/ | ti:n1 /tiːn˦˨/ | ćuŋ51 /tɕuŋ˥˩/ |
| Heart | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ɕim1 /ɕim˩˩/ | ɬa:u3 /ɬaːu˩˩/ | sam1 /sam˦˨/ | ćit51 /tɕit˥˩/ |
| Bone | taŋ31 /taŋ˧˩/ | sɤŋ44 /sɤŋ˦˦/ | hɣa:k7 /hɣaːk˦˨/ | laak7 /laːk˧˥/ | vɯ:k7 /vɯːk˥˥/ | da:k8 /daːk˨˦/ | sa31 ʔaŋ33 /sa˧˩ ʔaŋ˧˧/ |
| Blood | plɒ24 /plɒ˨˦/ | si44 /si˦˦/ | phɣa:t7 /pʰɣaːt˦˨/ | phjaat7 /pʰjaːt˧˥/ | ɬa:ȶ7 /ɬaːȶ˥˥/ | phja:t7 /pʰjaːt˦˦/ | nam55 /nam˥˥/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | — /—/ | — /—/ | mai4 /mai˨˦/ | mai4 /mai˥˩/ | tshai1 /tsʰai˥˧/ | mai4 /mai˨˦/ | khu51 /kʰu˥˩/ |
| Dog | mpau33 /mpau˧˧/ | kia44 /kia˦˦/ | ŋ̊wa1 /ŋ̊wa˦˨/ | m̥a1 /m̥a˩˩/ | pa1 /pa˥˧/ | ma1 /ma˦˨/ | so51 /so˥˩/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | ɒ55 lau44 /ɒ˥˥ lau˦˦/ | pia54 /pia˥˦/ | məm6 /məm˩˩/ | mom6 /mom˨˦/ | ɬa1 /ɬa˥˧/ | ᵐbjai3 /ᵐbjai˥˩/ | ka33 /ka˧˧/ |
| Bird | ntau31 /ntau˧˩/ | lɔ54 /lɔ˥˦/ | nɔk8 /nɔk˩˨/ | nok8 /nok˧˩/ | taȶ7 /taȶ˥˥/ | nɔk8 /nɔk˨˧/ | sim33 /sim˧˧/ |
| Egg | tan33 /tan˧˧/ | ka11 /ka˩˩/ | kɣəi5 /kɣəi˦˦/ | kai5 /kai˧˥/ | zɯ:m1 /zɯːm˥˧/ | kai5 /kai˦˦/ | ka31 tɔm33 /ka˧˩ tɔm˧˧/ |
| Bear | ɕuŋ31 /ɕuŋ˧˩/ | — | jɔŋ2 /jɔŋ˩˨˩/ | ʔmi1 /ʔmi˩˩/ | mui1 /mui˥˧/ | moi1 /moi˦˨/ | — |
| House | qə33 /qə˧˧/ | liu31 tɤŋ35 /liu˧˩ tɤŋ˧˥/ | ɣa:n2 /ɣaːn˩˨˩/ | ɣaan2 /ɣaːn˧˩/ | ploŋ3 /ploŋ˩˩/ | ja:n1 /jaːn˦˨/ | ɲa31 /ɲa˧˩/ |
| Honey | mo42 ji31 /mo˦˨ ji˧˩/ | — | — | taaŋ2 luk8 /taːŋ˧˩ luk˧˩/ | nom3 ko:i1 /nom˩˩ koːi˥˧/ | — | ʔum51 pheh31 /ʔum˥˩ pʰeh˧˩/ |
| Salt | ȵtɕəɯ44 /ȵtɕəɯ˦˦/ | tsa44 /tsa˦˦/ | cwa1 /cwa˦˨/ | ʔdwə1 /ʔdwə˩˩/ | ȵa:u3 /ȵaːu˩˩/ | kwo1 /kwo˦˨/ | kih33 /kih˧˧/ |
| Rice | mu42 sa42 /mu˦˨ sa˦˨/ | — | hu3 /hu˥˧/ | ʔau4 /ʔau˥˩/ | tha2 /tʰa˥˥/ | u5 /u˦˦/ | — |
| Eat | xɒ33 /xɒ˧˧/ | lɤŋ31 /lɤŋ˧˩/ | tsa:n1 /tsaːn˦˨/ | ʔman3 /ʔman˧˧/ | la2 /la˥˥/ | na4 /na˨˦/ | ʔeŋ33 /ʔeŋ˧˧/ |
| Drink | han55 /han˥˥/ | hɔ35 /hɔ˧˥/ | hɣop7 /hɣop˥˥/ | ɣəm4 /ɣəm˥˩/ | hja:u1 /hjaːu˥˧/ | na4 /na˨˦/ | ɲɨ51 /ɲɨ˥˩/ |
| Sleep | ŋka31 /ŋka˧˩/ | ŋiŋ35 /ŋiŋ˧˥/ | nun2 /nun˩˨˩/ | n̥ak7 /n̥ak˥˥/ | kau2 /kau˥˥/ | nu:n2 /nuːn˨˧˩/ | ʔit33 /ʔit˧˧/ |
| One | si33 /si˧˧/ | i35 /i˧˥/ | n̥a:u3 /n̥aːu˥˧/ | to2 /to˧˩/ | tsheɯ3 /tsʰeɯ˩˩/ | tɔ2 /tɔ˨˧˩/ | ti31 /ti˧˩/ |
| Two | su33 /su˧˧/ | u22 /u˨˨/ | ɣa2 /ɣa˩˨˩/ | ɣa2 /ɣa˧˩/ | ɬau3 /ɬau˩˩/ | ja1 /ja˦˨/ | lai33 /lai˧˧/ |
| Three | ta33 /ta˧˧/ | pa22 /pa˨˨/ | ta:m1 /taːm˦˨/ | haam1 /haːm˩˩/ | fu3 /fu˩˩/ | sa:m1 /saːm˦˨/ | — /—/ |
| Four | pu33 /pu˧˧/ | pi35 /pi˧˥/ | ti5 /ti˦˦/ | hi5 /hi˧˥/ | tshau3 /tsʰau˩˩/ | si5 /si˦˦/ | pun35 /pun˧˥/ |
| Five | mpu44 /mpu˦˦/ | pi22 /pi˨˨/ | ŋɔ4 /ŋɔ˨˦/ | ŋo4 /ŋo˥˩/ | pa1 /pa˥˧/ | ŋɔ4 /ŋɔ˨˦/ | phɔn35 /pʰɔn˧˥/ |
| Hundred | tɕin33 /tɕin˧˧/ | i35 pa11 /i˧˥ pa˩˩/ | fɛ:k7 /fɛːk˦˨/ | pek7 /pek˥˥/ | gwa:n1 /ɡwaːn˥˧/ | pɛk7 /pɛk˥˥/ | ti31 roi31 /ti˧˩ roi˧˩/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | ɒ33 /ɒ˧˧/ | ŋɔŋ11 /ŋɔŋ˩˩/ | i1 /i˦˨/ | ʔdaai1 /ʔdaːi˩˩/ | ɬeȵ1 /ɬeȵ˥˧/ | da:i2 /daːi˨˧˩/ | nhɔm33 /n̥ɔm˧˧/ |
| New | mu44 /mu˦˦/ | tɤ35 hin22 /tɤ˧˥ hin˨˨/ | m̥ai5 /m̥ai˦˦/ | m̥ai5 /m̥ai˧˥/ | pa:n1 /paːn˥˧/ | mai5 /mai˦˦/ | su51 /su˥˩/ |
| Red | plɒ24 /plɒ˨˦/ | si11 /si˩˩/ | l̥a:n3 /l̥aːn˥˧/ | haan3 /haːn˧˧/ | de:ŋ3 /deːŋ˩˩/ | la:n3 /laːn˥˩/ | sa31 khak33 /sa˧˩ kʰak˧˧/ |
| White | zu24 /zu˨˦/ | kiɔ22 /kiɔ˨˨/ | pa:k8 /paːk˩˩/ | paak8 /paːk˦˨/ | kha:u1 /kʰaːu˥˧/ | kwa3 /kwa˥˩/ | paiŋ51 /paiŋ˥˩/ |
| Black | lan33 /lan˧˧/ | kiaŋ22 /kiaŋ˨˨/ | nam1 /nam˦˨/ | ʔnam1 /ʔnam˩˩/ | dom3 /dom˩˩/ | nam1 /nam˦˨/ | lhɔŋ31 /l̥ɔŋ˧˩/ |
| Green | ten55 /ten˥˥/ | ka35 pʰɤ54 kʰun31 /ka˧˥ pʰɤ˥˦ kʰun˧˩/ | śau1 /ɕau˦˨/ | ȶhu1 /ȶʰu˩˩/ | khi:u1 /kʰiːu˥˧/ | ju1 /ju˦˨/ | khiu33 /kʰiu˧˧/ |
| Blue | su42 luŋ42 /su˦˨ luŋ˦˨/ | — | phoŋ3 /pʰoŋ˥˧/ | śu1 /ɕu˩˩/ | khi:u1 /kʰiːu˥˧/ | pha1 /pʰa˦˨/ | lən51 /lən˥˩/ |
| Sugar | ma31 thaŋ42 /ma˧˩ tʰaŋ˦˨/ | — | ta:ŋ2 /taːŋ˩˨˩/ | taaŋ2 /taːŋ˧˩/ | nom3 tha:ŋ3 /nom˩˩ tʰaːŋ˩˩/ | ta:ŋ2 /taːŋ˨˧˩/ | ʔum51 mɛʔ33 /ʔum˥˩ mɛʔ˧˧/ |
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