Ta-ang
Shwe Palaung
Austroasiatic
Shwe Palaung (Ta-ang, autonymously Ta-ang) is a Palaungic Mon-Khmer language spoken by ~560,000 people in the northern Shan State of Myanmar (around the cultural center Namhsan), with smaller populations in Yunnan, China and refugee communities in Thailand following the post-2011 Myanmar civil conflicts. The Palaungic family (Palaung, Wa, Lawa, Lamet, Bulang/Blang — ~25 languages, ~2M total speakers) is one of the major Mon-Khmer subgroups, distinct from the Wa cluster (wbm, etc.) despite both being Palaungic. Linguistically, Shwe Palaung shares Palaungic features with Wa: SVO constituent order, prepositions, sesquisyllabic morphology (a minor + major syllable structure), and rich consonant inventory. Milne's 1921 Elementary Palaung Grammar is the classical missionary documentation; modern academic work by Janzen (1976) treats Shwe Palaung phonology specifically. The Ta-ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has been a major political force advocating for Palaung autonomy and language rights since 2009.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Shwe Palaung
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austroasiatic
| Meaning | Shwe Palaung | Rumai De'ang | Wa | Khmu | Eastern Lawa | Parauk Wa | Proto-Austroasiatic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ʔoːm /ʔoːm/ | Ɂəm /ʔəm/ | rawm /rɔm/ | ʔom /ʔom/ | lʼauem /lᵊʔaɨ̯m/ | rom /rɔm/ | *ɗaːk /ɗaːk/ |
| Fire | ŋal /ŋal/ | ŋaiɁ /ŋaiʔ/ | ngu /ŋu/ | pʰrɨə /pʰrɨə/ | ngoa /ŋɔ/ | ngū /ŋṳ/ | *ʔuːs /ʔuːs/ |
| Sun | saŋi /saŋi/ | saŋaj /saŋaj/ | singaix /siŋaiʔ/ | mat briʔ /mat briʔ/ | sngaiʼ /sᵊŋajˀ/ | si ngāix /siŋa̤iʔ/ | *tŋiːʔ /tŋiːʔ/ |
| Moon | plaŋ kiər /plaŋ kiər/ | pakjəː /pakjəː/ | khix /kʰiʔ/ | moŋ /moŋ/ | kheʼ /kʰeʔ/ | kix /kʰiʔ/ | *khe(ː)ʔ /kheːʔ/ |
| Star | səmiŋ /səmiŋ/ | laːw /laːw/ | simuing /simʔuɲ/ | sərmeɲ /sərmeɲ/ | sboeng /sᵊɓəŋ/ | sim uing /sim ʔuɲ/ | *smʔaɲ /smʔaɲ/ |
| Night | hmɯ /m̥ɯ/ | kasəm /kasəm/ | ponsawm /ponsɔm/ | psɨəm /psɨəm/ | ma sauem /ma saɨ̯m/ | som /sɔm/ | *cəːm /cəːm/ |
| Rain | ɟuŋ /ɟuŋ/ | klaːj /klaːj/ | lhiex /l̥ɛʔ/ | kəmaʔ /kəmaʔ/ | hlaiʼ /l̥ajˀ/ | hliex /lʰɛʔ/ | *gmaʔ /ɡmaʔ/ |
| Wind | khuːr /kʰuːr/ | khuː /kʰuː/ | bhaung /bʰaɯŋ/ | hndrəːj /hndrəːj/ | kaue /kaɨ̯/ | npaeng /bʰaɯŋ/ | *kjɔʔ /kjɔʔ/ |
| Earth | kəɗɛː /kəɗɛː/ | kataːj /kataːj/ | tiex /tɛʔ/ | pteʔ /pteʔ/ | — | diex /tɛʔ/ | *tiʔ /tiʔ/ |
| Stone | mo /mo/ | maːw /maːw/ | simaox /simauʔ/ | glaŋ /ɡlaŋ/ | smoʼ /sᵊmoʔ/ | si māox /sima̤uʔ/ | *tmɔʔ /tmɔʔ/ |
| Mountain | sor /sor/ | kɔŋ /kɔŋ/ | gawng /ɡɔŋ/ | mok /mok/ | moa /mɔ/ | mgōng /ɡɔ̤ŋ/ | *bruʔ /bruʔ/ |
| Mother | ma /ma/ | — /—/ | miex /mɛʔ/ | maʔ /maʔ/ | maʼ /maʔ/ | mīex /mɛ̤ʔ/ | *maʔ /maʔ/ |
| Father | kun /kun/ | — /—/ | keeing /kɯɲ/ | joŋ /joŋ/ | pueaʼ /pɨaʔ/ | geeing /kɯɲ/ | *ɓa(ː)ʔ /ɓaːʔ/ |
| I | ʔɔ /ʔɔ/ | Ɂaw /ʔaw/ | aux /ʔaɯʔ/ | oʔ /ʔoʔ/ | ʔoʔ /ʔoʔ/ | aex /ʔaɯʔ/ | *ʔaɲ /ʔaɲ/ |
| You | mi /miː/ | maj /maj/ | maix /maiʔ/ | meʔ /meʔ/ | maiʔ /maiʔ/ | maix /maiʔ/ | *miːʔ /miːʔ/ |
| We | ʔɛ / jɛ /ʔɛ / jɛ/ | — /—/ | ix /ʔiʔ/ | iʔ /ʔiʔ/ | ʔɛ /ʔɛ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Name | ʨɨː /ʨɨː/ | ʨɨː /tɕɨː/ | ceu kaux /tɕɤ kaɯʔ/ | sŋməh /sŋməh/ | yum /jɔm/ | jē gaex /tɕɤ̤ kaɯʔ/ | *ɟmuh /ɟmuh/ |
| Person | bi /bi/ | taɁiː /taʔiː/ | pui /pui/ | gon /ɡon/ | pui /puj/ | būi /pṳi/ | *m-raʔ /mraʔ/ |
| Head | kiŋ /kiŋ/ | kən /kən/ | kaing: /kaɲ/ | kəmpoŋ /kəmpoŋ/ | kany /kaɲ/ | gaing /kaɲ/ | *ɓoːkʔ /ɓoːkʔ/ |
| Eye | ŋai /ŋai/ | ŋaːj /ŋaːj/ | ngai /ŋai/ | mat /mat/ | ʼia /ʔia̯/ | ngai /ŋai/ | *mat /mat/ |
| Ear | hjɔʔ /hjɔʔ/ | ʨhok /tɕʰok/ | yhaok /j̊auk/ | rəməj /rəməj/ | — | hyaog /ʑʰauk/ | *Ctoːr /Ctoːr/ |
| Nose | kɔŋmuh /kɔŋmuh/ | kaduŋmuh /kaduŋmuh/ | meeih /mɯih/ | muh /muh/ | maueh /maɨ̯h/ | mēeih /mɯ̤ih/ | *muh /muh/ |
| Mouth | mur /mur/ | mojɁ /mojʔ/ | jheeh /dʑʰɯih/ | tənɔh /tənɔh/ | ʼmboam /ʔᵊᵐbɔm/ | nqeeih /dʑʰɯih/ | *miəŋʔ /miəŋʔ/ |
| Tooth | hraŋ /r̥aːŋ/ | xaːŋ /xaːŋ/ | rhang /r̥aŋ/ | hraŋ /hraŋ/ | pioeng /piə̯ŋ/ | hrang /rʰaŋ/ | *lmVɲ /lməɲ/ |
| Tongue | kərdaʼ /kərɗaʔ/ | sataɁ /sataʔ/ | dak /dak/ | həntak /həntak/ | tak /tak/ | ndag /dak/ | *lntaːk /lntaːk/ |
| Hand | tiː /tiː/ | taiɁ /taiʔ/ | taix /taiʔ/ | tiʔ /tiʔ/ | miŋ /miŋ/ | daix /taiʔ/ | *tiːʔ /tiːʔ/ |
| Foot | ɟɯŋ /ɟɯŋ/ | ʥɔːn /dʑɔːn/ | caong /tʃaɔŋ/ | krwɛh /krwɛh/ | cuang /cua̯ŋ/ | jāong /tɕa̤uŋ/ | *ɟəːŋ /ɟəːŋ/ |
| Heart | nuər /nuər/ | poŋkanɔh /poŋkanɔh/ | rhawm /r̥ɔm/ | tlɔːm ŋok /tlɔːm ŋok/ | kavüa /kavɨa/ | hrom /rʰɔm/ | *nuːɕ /nuːɕ/ |
| Bone | kaʼang /kaʔaŋ/ | kaɁaːŋ /kaʔaːŋ/ | si-ang /siʔaŋ/ | cʼaaŋ /tʃʔaːŋ/ | sʼang /sᵊʔaŋ/ | si ang /siʔaŋ/ | *cʔaːŋ /cʔaːŋ/ |
| Blood | hnam /n̥aːm/ | n̥aːm /n̥aːm/ | nham /n̥am/ | maːm /maːm/ | hnam /n̥am/ | hnam /nʰam/ | *mham /mham/ |
| Love | ʔoŋ /ʔoŋ/ | — /—/ | moh /moh/ | kɔɔh /kɔːh/ | kruŋ /kɾuŋ/ | mōuh /mo̤h/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | tiŋ he /tiŋ he/ | taŋhɔj /taŋhɔj/ | khaox /kʰauʔ/ | sʔɔːŋ /sʔɔːŋ/ | khoʼ /kʰoʔ/ | kaox /kʰauʔ/ | *ɟɕɨːʔ /ɟɕɨːʔ/ |
| Dog | sɔ /sɔ/ | sow /sow/ | sox /soʔ/ | sɔʔ /sɔʔ/ | souʼ /sɒʔ/ | soux /soʔ/ | *cɔː /cɔː/ |
| Cat | ʔəŋaw /ʔəŋaw/ | — /—/ | miao: /miau/ | mɛːw /mɛːw/ | mai /mai/ | miao /miau/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | ka /kaː/ | kaː /kaː/ | kax /kaʔ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | gax /kaʔ/ | *kaʔ /kaʔ/ |
| Bird | sim /sim/ | siːm /siːm/ | sim /sim/ | sim /sim/ | sany /saɲ/ | sim /sim/ | *ciːm /ciːm/ |
| Butterfly | kərla /kərla/ | — | pung piang /puŋ piaŋ/ | tlaːmpaːm /tlaːmpaːm/ | mbung mbang /ᵐbuŋ ᵐbaŋ/ | būng bīang /pṳŋ pi̤aŋ/ | — |
| Egg | kadam /kaɗam/ | bəːn /bəːn/ | tawm ia /tɔm ʔia/ | kədoŋ /kədoŋ/ | toum /tɒm/ | dom /tɔm/ | *ktam /ktam/ |
| Horse | brəŋ /brəŋ/ | — | brung /bruŋ/ | — | — | nbrūng /brṳŋ/ | — |
| House | gaŋ /ɡaŋ/ | — /—/ | nyiex /ɲiɛʔ/ | gaːŋ /ɡaːŋ/ | nyueaʼ /ɲɨa̯ʔ/ | nyīex /ɲi̤ɛʔ/ | *ɲaːʔ /ɲaːʔ/ |
| Milk | ʔom bu /ʔom bu/ | — | teeh /tɯih/ | — | — | deeih /tɯih/ | — |
| Salt | sɔʔ /sɔʔ/ | — | kih /kih/ | hmaar /hmaːr/ | kih /kih/ | gīh /ki̤h/ | *ɓɔːh /ɓɔːh/ |
| Wheel | — /—/ | — | ling: /liɲ/ | — | — | ling /liɲ/ | — |
| Book | boʔok /boʔok/ | — | phuk lai /pʰuk lai/ | pɨːm /pɨːm/ | — | pug lāi /pʰuk la̤i/ | — |
| Eat | hɔm /hɔm/ | hoːm /hoːm/ | ih /ʔih/ | mah /mah/ | som /som/ | ih /ʔih/ | *ɟaː /ɟaː/ |
| Drink | tiəŋ /tiəŋ/ | ʨoŋ /tɕoŋ/ | nyaux /ɲaɯʔ/ | ʔɨək /ʔɨək/ | nyoʼ /ɲoʔ/ | nyāex /ɲa̤ɯʔ/ | *ɲuʔ /ɲuʔ/ |
| Sleep | ʔit /ʔit/ | ɁiɁ /ʔiʔ/ | it /ʔit/ | sih /sih/ | ʼac /ʔac/ | id /ʔit/ | *ɓic /ɓic/ |
| One | ʔu /ʔu/ | Ɂuː /ʔuː/ | tix /tiʔ/ | moj /moj/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | dīx /ti̤ʔ/ | *muːj /muːj/ |
| Two | ar /ʔar/ | Ɂaː /ʔaː/ | ra /ra/ | baar /baːr/ | lʼa /lᵊʔa/ | ra /ra/ | *ɓaːr /ɓaːr/ |
| Three | ʼuai /ʔuaj/ | Ɂoj /ʔoj/ | loe /lɤ/ | peʼ /peʔ/ | lʼoi /lᵊʔoj/ | loui /loi/ | *peʔ /peʔ/ |
| Four | phon /pʰon/ | phon /pʰon/ | pon /pon/ | pon /pon/ | paueng /paɨ̯ŋ/ | boun /pon/ | *punʔ /punʔ/ |
| Five | phən /pʰən/ | — | phuan /pʰuan/ | — | phuan /pʰua̯n/ | puan /pʰuan/ | *pɗam /pɗam/ |
| Hundred | pəriah /pəriah/ | — | yieh /jiɛh/ | — | ʼyuea /ʔᵊjɨa̯/ | yīeh /ʑi̤ɛh/ | — |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | nawp nawm /nɔp nɔm/ | lɔh /lɔh/ | — /—/ | nob nom /nɔp nɔm/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | bwanson /buan son/ | ɔrkun /ʔɔrkun/ | kop khun /kop kʰun/ | nbuan soun /buan son/ | — /—/ |
| Good | laʔ /laʔ/ | — /—/ | mhawm /m̥ɔm/ | ləʔ /ləʔ/ | mac /mac/ | hmom /mʰɔm/ | — /—/ |
| New | kənmɛ /kənmɛ/ | tamaːj /tamaːj/ | khraox /kʰrauʔ/ | həmmeʔ /həmmeʔ/ | khroʼ /kʰroʔ/ | kraox /kʰrauʔ/ | *tmeːʔ /tmeːʔ/ |
| Red | kho /kho/ | — /—/ | raoh /rauh/ | jim /jim/ | skhrak /sᵊkʰrak/ | raoh /rauh/ | *roːŋ /roːŋ/ |
| White | blɔʔ /blɔʔ/ | Ɂiluj /ʔiluj/ | paing /paɲ/ | klɔɔk /klɔːk/ | ping /piŋ/ | bāing /pa̤ɲ/ | *ɓɔːk /ɓɔːk/ |
| Black | yim /jim/ | Ɂivɔŋ /ʔivɔŋ/ | lung /luŋ/ | hiəŋ /hiəŋ/ | loang /lɔŋ/ | lūng /lṳŋ/ | *Cjoŋ /Cjoŋ/ |
| Green | ɲər /ɲər/ | niɨ /niɨ/ | klai /klai/ | siw /siw/ | snga /sᵊŋa/ | glāi /kla̤i/ | — |
| Cuckoo | pək tuʔ /pək tuʔ/ | — | eeppid /ʔɯp pit/ | — | — | eeb bīd /ʔɯp pi̤t/ | — |
| Coffee | khəpi /kʰəpi/ | — | kha: feue: /kʰa fɤi/ | — | — | ka feui /kʰa fɤi/ | — |
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