Manegacha
Bonan
Mongolic (Shirongolic)
Bonan is a Mongolic language of about 6,000 speakers, from a nationality of roughly 20,000 in the 2010 census, in Jishishan county in Gansu and across the provincial line at Tongren in Qinghai. Its interest is that it barely looks Mongolic any more. Bonan belongs to the Gansu-Qinghai or Amdo Sprachbund, a corner of the northwest where Mongolic, Turkic, Tibetic and Chinese have lived on top of one another for centuries, and where Bonan, Santa (Dongxiang), Monguor and Eastern Yugur have all been reshaped the same way — vowel harmony weakened or lost, Tibetan and Chinese vocabulary throughout, and syntax pulled towards the neighbours. The Bonan themselves are split by religion and by that border: the Gansu community is Muslim, the Qinghai one Buddhist, and they were separated in the nineteenth century. The language is unwritten; its speakers use Chinese in writing.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Bonan
Sources
- Liu Zhaoxiong 刘照雄 (1981) 保安语简志. 民族出版社
- ABVD — Bao’an 保安语
- Glottolog: Bonan
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Mongolic (Shirongolic)
| Meaning | Bonan | Mongghul | Proto-Mongolic | Eastern Yugur | Dongxiang | Middle Mongol | Daur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | sə /sə/ | szu /ʂdzu/ | *usun /usun/ | qusun /qusun/ | usu /usu/ | ᠤᠰᠤᠨ /usun/ | oso /oso/ |
| Fire | χal /χal/ | ghal /ɢal/ | *gal /ɡal/ | ʁal /ʁal/ | qan /qɑn/ | ᠭᠠᠯ /qal/ | gali /ɡali/ |
| Sun | naraŋ /naraŋ/ | nara /nara/ | *naran /naran/ | naran /naran/ | naran /nɑrən/ | ᠨᠠᠷᠠᠨ /naran/ | nara /nara/ |
| Moon | sarə /sarə/ | sara /sara/ | *sara /sara/ | sara /sara/ | sara /sɑrə/ | ᠰᠠᠷᠠ /sara/ | sarūla /saruːla/ |
| Star | hotuŋ /hotuŋ/ | foodi /foodə/ | *hodun /hodun/ | hodən /hodən/ | hodun /hodun/ | ᠬᠣᠳᠤᠨ /hodun/ | odə /odə/ |
| Night | sonə /sonə/ | soni /sonə/ | *söni /søni/ | søønə /søːnə/ | shieni /ɕiəni/ | ᠰᠥᠨᠢ /søni/ | suni /suni/ |
| Rain | ɢura /ɢura/ | huraa /xuraa/ | *kura /kura/ | xura /χura/ | ghura /ɢura/ | ᠬᠤᠷᠠ /qura/ | huar /huar/ |
| Snow | ʥasɵŋ /dʑasɵŋ/ | qasi /ʨasə/ | *časun /tʃasun/ | tʃasən /tʃasən/ | chasun /tʂasun/ | ᠴᠠᠰᠤᠨ /tʃasun/ | čas /tʃas/ |
| Wind | ki /ki/ | kii /kii/ | *salkïn /salkin/ | salɢən /salɢən/ | kei /kəi/ | ᠬᠡᠢ /kei/ | kein /kein/ |
| Earth | saʨiə /satɕiə/ | — | *gaǰar /ɡadʒar/ | ʃəruu /ʃəruː/ | ghazha /ɢadʐa/ | ᠬᠠᠵᠠᠷ /qadʒar/ | gaǯiri /ɡadʒiri/ |
| Mountain | uːla /uːla/ | ula /ula/ | *huɣula /huɣula/ | uula /uːla/ | ula /ula/ | — | aulə /aulə/ |
| Sea | χai /χai/ | dalii /dalii/ | *dalai /dalai/ | dalii /daliː/ | hai /xai/ | ᠳᠠᠯᠠᠢ /dalai/ | dalje /dalje/ |
| Mother | amə /amə/ | aama /aama/ | *eke /eke/ | hge /hɡe/ | ana /ɑnə/ | ᠡᠭᠡ /eke/ | ewe: /eweː/ |
| Father | abo /abo/ | aaba /aaba/ | *ečige /etʃiɡe/ | tʃiɣe /tʃiɣe/ | ada /ada/ | ᠡᠴᠢᠭᠡ /etʃiɡe/ | ečige /etʃiɡe/ |
| I | bǔ /bǔ/ | bu /bu/ | *bi /bi/ | bə /bə/ | bi /pi/ | ᠪᠢ /bi/ | bi /bi/ |
| You | ʨǐ /tɕǐ/ | qi /ʨə/ | *či /tʃi/ | tʃə /tʃə/ | chi /tɕi/ | ᠴᠢ /tʃi/ | sí /si/ |
| We | bədə /bədə/ | budangula /budaŋɡula/ | *bida / *ba /bida / ba/ | budas / buda /budas / buda/ | matan / bijien /matan / pitɕiən/ | ᠪᠢᠳᠠ / ᠪᠠ /bida / ba/ | bide / ba: /bide / baː/ |
| Name | narə /narə/ | nire /nəre/ | *nere /nere/ | nere /nere/ | niere /niərə/ | ᠨᠡᠷᠡ /nere/ | nera /nera/ |
| Person | kuŋ /kuŋ/ | kun /kun/ | *kümün /kymyn/ | kuun /kuːn/ | kun /kun/ | ᠬᠦᠮᠦᠨ /kymyn/ | kū /kuː/ |
| Head | tɵrɵŋ /tɵrɵŋ/ | — | *tolagaï /tolaɡai/ | toloʁui /toloʁui/ | qierun /tɕʰjəˈrun/ | — | oki /oki/ |
| Eye | nəduŋ /nəduŋ/ | nudu /nudu/ | *nidün /nidyn/ | nudun /nudun/ | udun /udun/ | ᠨᠢᠳᠦᠨ /nidyn/ | nid /nid/ |
| Ear | ʨiχaŋ /tɕiχaŋ/ | qigi /ʨiɡə/ | *čikin /tʃikin/ | tʃəʁən /tʃəʁən/ | chighin /tʃiʁin/ | ᠴᠢᠬᠢᠨ /tʃikin/ | čikə /tʃikə/ |
| Nose | χor /χor/ | hawar /xavar/ | *kamar /kamar/ | xawar /χawar/ | khawa /kʰawa/ | ᠬᠠᠪᠠᠷ /qabar/ | hamara /hamara/ |
| Mouth | aman /aman/ | ama /ama/ | *aman /aman/ | aman /aman/ | aman /aman/ | ᠠᠮᠠᠨ /aman/ | ama /ama/ |
| Tooth | duŋ /duŋ/ | shdi /ʂdə/ | *sidün /sidyn/ | ʃdən /ʃdən/ | shidun /ʂidun/ | ᠰᠢᠳᠦᠨ /ʃidyn/ | sídə /sidə/ |
| Tongue | kalaŋ /kalaŋ/ | kile /kəle/ | *kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kielien /kʰjəˈljən/ | ᠬᠡᠯᠡᠨ /kelen/ | keli /keli/ |
| Hand | χar /χar/ | ghar /ɢar/ | *gar /ɡar/ | ʁar /ʁar/ | qa /qɑ/ | ᠭᠠᠷ /qar/ | gari /ɡari/ |
| Foot | kual /kual/ | kol /kol/ | *köl /køl/ | køl /køl/ | kon /kon/ | ᠬᠥᠯ /køl/ | kuli /kuli/ |
| Heart | ʥirgə /dʑirɡə/ | jirge /ʥirɡe/ | *ǰirüken /dʒiryken/ | dʒyrɣen /dʒyrɣen/ | — /—/ | ᠵᠢᠷᠦᠭᠡ /dʒiryke/ | ǯurəgə /dʒurəɡə/ |
| Bone | iasuŋ /iasuŋ/ | yasi /jasə/ | *yasun /jasun/ | yasən /jasən/ | yasun /jasun/ | ᠶᠠᠰᠤᠨ /jasun/ | yas /jas/ |
| Blood | ʨisuŋ /tɕisuŋ/ | qisi /ʨisə/ | *čisun /tʃisun/ | tʃusun /tʃusun/ | chusun /tʂusun/ | ᠴᠢᠰᠤᠨ /tʃisun/ | čos /tʃos/ |
| Love | — /—/ | duraala /duraala/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | khotula- /xoːtulə/ | ᠳᠤᠷᠠ /dura/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | mutoŋ /mutoŋ/ | xjoosi /ɕʥoosə/ | *modun /modun/ | mɔːdən /mɔːdən/ | mutun /mutun/ | ᠮᠣᠳᠤᠨ /modun/ | mo:də /moːdə/ |
| Dog | noɢoi /noɢoi/ | nuhui /nuxui/ | *nokai /nokai/ | noxqui /noχqui/ | noghoi /noɣəi/ | ᠨᠣᠬᠠᠢ /noqai/ | nogə /noɡə/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | mauxi /mauɕi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | bisalai /biːsəlai/ | ᠮᠢᠭᠤᠢ /miɣui/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | ʥilɣasuŋ /dʑilɣasuŋ/ | jaghasi /ʥaɢasə/ | *ǰigasu /dʒiɡasu/ | dʒaʁasən /dʒaʁasən/ | zhagvasun /tʂɑʁɑˈsun/ | ᠵᠢᠭᠠᠰᠤ /dʒiɡasu/ | ǯagusa /dʒaɡusa/ |
| Bird | bandʒir /bandʒir/ | — | *sibaɣun /sibaɣun/ | ʃuun /ʃuːn/ | bunzhu /bundʐu/ | ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠤᠨ /ʃibaun/ | degi /deɡi/ |
| Egg | əndəgi /əndəɡi/ | ndige /ndəɡe/ | *öndegen /øndeɡen/ | bala /bala/ | endegvei /əndəɣəi/ | ᠥᠨᠳᠡᠭᠡᠨ /øndeɡen/ | əndugu /ənduɡu/ |
| House | gər /ɡər/ | ger /ɡer/ | *ger /ɡer/ | ger /ɡer/ | gie /ɡiə/ | ᠭᠡᠷ /ɡer/ | geri /ɡeri/ |
| Salt | dabsuŋ /dabsuŋ/ | dabsi /dabsə/ | *dabusun /dabusun/ | daabsən /daːbsən/ | dansun /dansun/ | ᠳᠠᠪᠤᠰᠤᠨ /dabusun/ | hata: /hataː/ |
| Eat | nda- /nda/ | ide /ide/ | *ide- /ide/ | ede /ede/ | ijie- /idʑiə/ | ᠢᠳᠡ /ide/ | idə- /idə/ |
| Drink | u- /u/ | uqu /uʨu/ | *uu- /uu/ | uu /uː/ | otsu- /otʂɯ/ | ᠤᠭᠤ /uɣu/ | o: /oː/ |
| Sleep | təra- /təra/ | ntiraa /ntəraa/ | *unta- /unta/ | nda /nda/ | hhuntura- /huntura/ | ᠤᠨᠲᠠ /unta/ | wante- /wante/ |
| One | nəgə /nəɡə/ | nige /nəɡe/ | *nigen /nigen/ | niɣe /niɣe/ | nie /niə/ | ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠨ /niɡen/ | nəka /nəka/ |
| Two | ɢuar /ɢuar/ | ghoor /ɢoor/ | *koyar /kojar/ | ʁuur /ʁuːr/ | ghua /ʁua/ | ᠬᠣᠶᠠᠷ /qojar/ | hoira /hoira/ |
| Three | ɢuraŋ /ɢuraŋ/ | ghuraan /ɢuraan/ | *gurban /ɡurban/ | ʁurwan /ʁurwan/ | ghuran /ʁuran/ | ᠭᠤᠷᠪᠠᠨ /qurban/ | guarwe /ɡuarwe/ |
| Four | deraŋ /deraŋ/ | deeren /deeren/ | *dörben /dørben/ | dørwen /dørwen/ | jieran /dʑiəran/ | ᠳᠥᠷᠪᠡᠨ /dørben/ | durwe /durwe/ |
| Five | tawuŋ /tawuŋ/ | taawun /taavun/ | *tabun /tabun/ | taawən /taːwən/ | tawun /tawuŋ/ | ᠲᠠᠪᠤᠨ /tabun/ | ta:w /taːw/ |
| Hundred | ʥyŋ /dʑyŋ/ | jong /ʥoŋ/ | *ǰagun /dʒaɡun/ | dʒuun /dʒuːn/ | be /bə/ | ᠵᠠᠭᠤᠨ /dʒaun/ | — |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ᠠᠮᠤᠷ /amur/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | hgerli /xɡerlə/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠷᠯᠠᠪᠠ /bajarlaba/ | — /—/ |
| Good | saŋ /saŋ/ | sain /sain/ | *sajin /sajin/ | sain /sajn/ | sain /sain/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ /sain/ | sain /sain/ |
| New | ɕinə /ɕinə/ | xini /ɕinə/ | *sine /sine/ | ʃənə /ʃənə/ | shini /ʂini/ | ᠰᠢᠨᠡ /ʃini/ | śinken /ʃinken/ |
| Red | fulaŋ /fulaŋ/ | fulaan /fulaan/ | *hulaɣan /hulaɣan/ | ɬaan /ɬaːn/ | hulan /xulan/ | ᠤᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ /hulaan/ | ulān /ulaːn/ |
| White | ʨiɢaŋ /tɕiɢaŋ/ | qighaan /ʨaɢaan/ | *čagaɣan /tʃaɡaɣan/ | tʃaʁaan /tʃaʁaːn/ | chighan /tʂiɢan/ | ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ /tʃaqaan/ | čigān /tʃiɡaːn/ |
| Black | χəra /χəra/ | hara /xara/ | *kara /kara/ | xara /χara/ | khara /kʰara/ | ᠬᠠᠷᠠ /qara/ | xar /xar/ |
| Green | noɢoŋ /noɢoŋ/ | noghoon /noɢoon/ | *noguɣan /noɡuɣan/ | noʁoon /noʁoːn/ | noghon /noɣon/ | ᠨ᠋ᠣᠬᠤᠬᠠᠨ /noqoan/ | — |
Page 1/8
Open the interactive map: Word Map · HanMap · Name Map · Word Order · Tree
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.
Made by Heuron Inc. · GitHub · cho@heuron.com · LangMap home