Lavüa
Eastern Lawa
Austroasiatic
Eastern Lawa (Lavüa) is a Mon-Khmer language of the Palaungic subgroup, spoken by the Lawa hilltribe of northern Thailand. The Lawa people are believed to be one of the oldest surviving populations of mainland Southeast Asia, predating the Tai-Kadai migrations into the area. They cultivate terraced rice in the highland valleys of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai. The Eastern-Western Lawa split (lwl + lcp) reflects geographic isolation and historical migration patterns. Linguistically, Lawa shows classical Palaungic features: register tone, sesquisyllabic phonology (with reduced presyllables), and SVO constituent order with verb-final tendencies in Old Mon-Khmer style. UNESCO classifies definitely endangered with intergenerational transmission largely lost.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Eastern Lawa
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austroasiatic
| Meaning | Eastern Lawa | Wa | Parauk Wa | Shwe Palaung | Proto-Austroasiatic | Rumai De'ang | Khmu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | lʼauem /lᵊʔaɨ̯m/ | rawm /rɔm/ | rom /rɔm/ | ʔoːm /ʔoːm/ | *ɗaːk /ɗaːk/ | Ɂəm /ʔəm/ | ʔom /ʔom/ |
| Fire | ngoa /ŋɔ/ | ngu /ŋu/ | ngū /ŋṳ/ | ŋal /ŋal/ | *ʔuːs /ʔuːs/ | ŋaiɁ /ŋaiʔ/ | pʰrɨə /pʰrɨə/ |
| Sun | sngaiʼ /sᵊŋajˀ/ | singaix /siŋaiʔ/ | si ngāix /siŋa̤iʔ/ | saŋi /saŋi/ | *tŋiːʔ /tŋiːʔ/ | saŋaj /saŋaj/ | mat briʔ /mat briʔ/ |
| Moon | kheʼ /kʰeʔ/ | khix /kʰiʔ/ | kix /kʰiʔ/ | plaŋ kiər /plaŋ kiər/ | *khe(ː)ʔ /kheːʔ/ | pakjəː /pakjəː/ | moŋ /moŋ/ |
| Star | sboeng /sᵊɓəŋ/ | simuing /simʔuɲ/ | sim uing /sim ʔuɲ/ | səmiŋ /səmiŋ/ | *smʔaɲ /smʔaɲ/ | laːw /laːw/ | sərmeɲ /sərmeɲ/ |
| Night | ma sauem /ma saɨ̯m/ | ponsawm /ponsɔm/ | som /sɔm/ | hmɯ /m̥ɯ/ | *cəːm /cəːm/ | kasəm /kasəm/ | psɨəm /psɨəm/ |
| Rain | hlaiʼ /l̥ajˀ/ | lhiex /l̥ɛʔ/ | hliex /lʰɛʔ/ | ɟuŋ /ɟuŋ/ | *gmaʔ /ɡmaʔ/ | klaːj /klaːj/ | kəmaʔ /kəmaʔ/ |
| Wind | kaue /kaɨ̯/ | bhaung /bʰaɯŋ/ | npaeng /bʰaɯŋ/ | khuːr /kʰuːr/ | *kjɔʔ /kjɔʔ/ | khuː /kʰuː/ | hndrəːj /hndrəːj/ |
| Stone | smoʼ /sᵊmoʔ/ | simaox /simauʔ/ | si māox /sima̤uʔ/ | mo /mo/ | *tmɔʔ /tmɔʔ/ | maːw /maːw/ | glaŋ /ɡlaŋ/ |
| Mountain | moa /mɔ/ | gawng /ɡɔŋ/ | mgōng /ɡɔ̤ŋ/ | sor /sor/ | *bruʔ /bruʔ/ | kɔŋ /kɔŋ/ | mok /mok/ |
| Mother | maʼ /maʔ/ | miex /mɛʔ/ | mīex /mɛ̤ʔ/ | ma /ma/ | *maʔ /maʔ/ | — /—/ | maʔ /maʔ/ |
| Father | pueaʼ /pɨaʔ/ | keeing /kɯɲ/ | geeing /kɯɲ/ | kun /kun/ | *ɓa(ː)ʔ /ɓaːʔ/ | — /—/ | joŋ /joŋ/ |
| I | ʔoʔ /ʔoʔ/ | aux /ʔaɯʔ/ | aex /ʔaɯʔ/ | ʔɔ /ʔɔ/ | *ʔaɲ /ʔaɲ/ | Ɂaw /ʔaw/ | oʔ /ʔoʔ/ |
| You | maiʔ /maiʔ/ | maix /maiʔ/ | maix /maiʔ/ | mi /miː/ | *miːʔ /miːʔ/ | maj /maj/ | meʔ /meʔ/ |
| We | ʔɛ /ʔɛ/ | ix /ʔiʔ/ | — /—/ | ʔɛ / jɛ /ʔɛ / jɛ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | iʔ /ʔiʔ/ |
| Name | yum /jɔm/ | ceu kaux /tɕɤ kaɯʔ/ | jē gaex /tɕɤ̤ kaɯʔ/ | ʨɨː /ʨɨː/ | *ɟmuh /ɟmuh/ | ʨɨː /tɕɨː/ | sŋməh /sŋməh/ |
| Person | pui /puj/ | pui /pui/ | būi /pṳi/ | bi /bi/ | *m-raʔ /mraʔ/ | taɁiː /taʔiː/ | gon /ɡon/ |
| Head | kany /kaɲ/ | kaing: /kaɲ/ | gaing /kaɲ/ | kiŋ /kiŋ/ | *ɓoːkʔ /ɓoːkʔ/ | kən /kən/ | kəmpoŋ /kəmpoŋ/ |
| Eye | ʼia /ʔia̯/ | ngai /ŋai/ | ngai /ŋai/ | ŋai /ŋai/ | *mat /mat/ | ŋaːj /ŋaːj/ | mat /mat/ |
| Nose | maueh /maɨ̯h/ | meeih /mɯih/ | mēeih /mɯ̤ih/ | kɔŋmuh /kɔŋmuh/ | *muh /muh/ | kaduŋmuh /kaduŋmuh/ | muh /muh/ |
| Mouth | ʼmboam /ʔᵊᵐbɔm/ | jheeh /dʑʰɯih/ | nqeeih /dʑʰɯih/ | mur /mur/ | *miəŋʔ /miəŋʔ/ | mojɁ /mojʔ/ | tənɔh /tənɔh/ |
| Tooth | pioeng /piə̯ŋ/ | rhang /r̥aŋ/ | hrang /rʰaŋ/ | hraŋ /r̥aːŋ/ | *lmVɲ /lməɲ/ | xaːŋ /xaːŋ/ | hraŋ /hraŋ/ |
| Tongue | tak /tak/ | dak /dak/ | ndag /dak/ | kərdaʼ /kərɗaʔ/ | *lntaːk /lntaːk/ | sataɁ /sataʔ/ | həntak /həntak/ |
| Hand | miŋ /miŋ/ | taix /taiʔ/ | daix /taiʔ/ | tiː /tiː/ | *tiːʔ /tiːʔ/ | taiɁ /taiʔ/ | tiʔ /tiʔ/ |
| Foot | cuang /cua̯ŋ/ | caong /tʃaɔŋ/ | jāong /tɕa̤uŋ/ | ɟɯŋ /ɟɯŋ/ | *ɟəːŋ /ɟəːŋ/ | ʥɔːn /dʑɔːn/ | krwɛh /krwɛh/ |
| Heart | kavüa /kavɨa/ | rhawm /r̥ɔm/ | hrom /rʰɔm/ | nuər /nuər/ | *nuːɕ /nuːɕ/ | poŋkanɔh /poŋkanɔh/ | tlɔːm ŋok /tlɔːm ŋok/ |
| Bone | sʼang /sᵊʔaŋ/ | si-ang /siʔaŋ/ | si ang /siʔaŋ/ | kaʼang /kaʔaŋ/ | *cʔaːŋ /cʔaːŋ/ | kaɁaːŋ /kaʔaːŋ/ | cʼaaŋ /tʃʔaːŋ/ |
| Blood | hnam /n̥am/ | nham /n̥am/ | hnam /nʰam/ | hnam /n̥aːm/ | *mham /mham/ | n̥aːm /n̥aːm/ | maːm /maːm/ |
| Poop | ʼioeng /ʔiə̯ŋ/ | aing /ʔaɲ/ | aing /ʔaɲ/ | — | *ʔicʔ /ʔicʔ/ | — | — |
| Love | kruŋ /kɾuŋ/ | moh /moh/ | mōuh /mo̤h/ | ʔoŋ /ʔoŋ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | kɔɔh /kɔːh/ |
| Tree | khoʼ /kʰoʔ/ | khaox /kʰauʔ/ | kaox /kʰauʔ/ | tiŋ he /tiŋ he/ | *ɟɕɨːʔ /ɟɕɨːʔ/ | taŋhɔj /taŋhɔj/ | sʔɔːŋ /sʔɔːŋ/ |
| Dog | souʼ /sɒʔ/ | sox /soʔ/ | soux /soʔ/ | sɔ /sɔ/ | *cɔː /cɔː/ | sow /sow/ | sɔʔ /sɔʔ/ |
| Cat | mai /mai/ | miao: /miau/ | miao /miau/ | ʔəŋaw /ʔəŋaw/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | mɛːw /mɛːw/ |
| Fish | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | kax /kaʔ/ | gax /kaʔ/ | ka /kaː/ | *kaʔ /kaʔ/ | kaː /kaː/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ |
| Bird | sany /saɲ/ | sim /sim/ | sim /sim/ | sim /sim/ | *ciːm /ciːm/ | siːm /siːm/ | sim /sim/ |
| Butterfly | mbung mbang /ᵐbuŋ ᵐbaŋ/ | pung piang /puŋ piaŋ/ | būng bīang /pṳŋ pi̤aŋ/ | kərla /kərla/ | — | — | tlaːmpaːm /tlaːmpaːm/ |
| Egg | toum /tɒm/ | tawm ia /tɔm ʔia/ | dom /tɔm/ | kadam /kaɗam/ | *ktam /ktam/ | bəːn /bəːn/ | kədoŋ /kədoŋ/ |
| Bear | khleh /kʰleh/ | krih /krih/ | grih /krih/ | — | — | — | huəl /huəl/ |
| House | nyueaʼ /ɲɨa̯ʔ/ | nyiex /ɲiɛʔ/ | nyīex /ɲi̤ɛʔ/ | gaŋ /ɡaŋ/ | *ɲaːʔ /ɲaːʔ/ | — /—/ | gaːŋ /ɡaːŋ/ |
| Salt | kih /kih/ | kih /kih/ | gīh /ki̤h/ | sɔʔ /sɔʔ/ | *ɓɔːh /ɓɔːh/ | — | hmaar /hmaːr/ |
| Iron | hlaec /l̥ɛc/ | lhek /l̥ek/ | hleig /lʰek/ | — | — | — | cndroh /cndroh/ |
| Eat | som /som/ | ih /ʔih/ | ih /ʔih/ | hɔm /hɔm/ | *ɟaː /ɟaː/ | hoːm /hoːm/ | mah /mah/ |
| Drink | nyoʼ /ɲoʔ/ | nyaux /ɲaɯʔ/ | nyāex /ɲa̤ɯʔ/ | tiəŋ /tiəŋ/ | *ɲuʔ /ɲuʔ/ | ʨoŋ /tɕoŋ/ | ʔɨək /ʔɨək/ |
| Sleep | ʼac /ʔac/ | it /ʔit/ | id /ʔit/ | ʔit /ʔit/ | *ɓic /ɓic/ | ɁiɁ /ʔiʔ/ | sih /sih/ |
| One | teʼ /teʔ/ | tix /tiʔ/ | dīx /ti̤ʔ/ | ʔu /ʔu/ | *muːj /muːj/ | Ɂuː /ʔuː/ | moj /moj/ |
| Two | lʼa /lᵊʔa/ | ra /ra/ | ra /ra/ | ar /ʔar/ | *ɓaːr /ɓaːr/ | Ɂaː /ʔaː/ | baar /baːr/ |
| Three | lʼoi /lᵊʔoj/ | loe /lɤ/ | loui /loi/ | ʼuai /ʔuaj/ | *peʔ /peʔ/ | Ɂoj /ʔoj/ | peʼ /peʔ/ |
| Four | paueng /paɨ̯ŋ/ | pon /pon/ | boun /pon/ | phon /pʰon/ | *punʔ /punʔ/ | phon /pʰon/ | pon /pon/ |
| Five | phuan /pʰua̯n/ | phuan /pʰuan/ | puan /pʰuan/ | phən /pʰən/ | *pɗam /pɗam/ | — | — |
| Hundred | ʼyuea /ʔᵊjɨa̯/ | yieh /jiɛh/ | yīeh /ʑi̤ɛh/ | pəriah /pəriah/ | — | — | — |
| Hello | — /—/ | nawp nawm /nɔp nɔm/ | nob nom /nɔp nɔm/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | lɔh /lɔh/ |
| Thank you | kop khun /kop kʰun/ | bwanson /buan son/ | nbuan soun /buan son/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ɔrkun /ʔɔrkun/ |
| Good | mac /mac/ | mhawm /m̥ɔm/ | hmom /mʰɔm/ | laʔ /laʔ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ləʔ /ləʔ/ |
| New | khroʼ /kʰroʔ/ | khraox /kʰrauʔ/ | kraox /kʰrauʔ/ | kənmɛ /kənmɛ/ | *tmeːʔ /tmeːʔ/ | tamaːj /tamaːj/ | həmmeʔ /həmmeʔ/ |
| Red | skhrak /sᵊkʰrak/ | raoh /rauh/ | raoh /rauh/ | kho /kho/ | *roːŋ /roːŋ/ | — /—/ | jim /jim/ |
| White | ping /piŋ/ | paing /paɲ/ | bāing /pa̤ɲ/ | blɔʔ /blɔʔ/ | *ɓɔːk /ɓɔːk/ | Ɂiluj /ʔiluj/ | klɔɔk /klɔːk/ |
| Black | loang /lɔŋ/ | lung /luŋ/ | lūng /lṳŋ/ | yim /jim/ | *Cjoŋ /Cjoŋ/ | Ɂivɔŋ /ʔivɔŋ/ | hiəŋ /hiəŋ/ |
| Green | snga /sᵊŋa/ | klai /klai/ | glāi /kla̤i/ | ɲər /ɲər/ | — | niɨ /niɨ/ | siw /siw/ |
| Blue | snga /sᵊŋa/ | — | — | — | — | — | siːw /siːw/ |
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