Santa
Dongxiang
Mongolic
Dongxiang, also called Santa (ISO 639-3: sce), is a Mongolic language spoken mainly by the Dongxiang people in Gansu Province, northwestern China, especially in Dongxiang Autonomous County and neighboring areas. Estimates commonly place the speaker population between 200,000 and 300,000, although language shift toward Northwestern Mandarin has weakened transmission in some communities. Long contact with Sinitic languages has strongly shaped Dongxiang: it has limited vowel harmony, no phonemic vowel length, and extensive Chinese influence in its vocabulary and syntax. A Latin transcription approved in Gansu in 1994 has been used in dictionaries and bilingual teaching experiments, while some speakers also write the language in an adapted Arabic script known as Xiao'erjing.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Dongxiang
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Mongolic
| Meaning | Dongxiang | Middle Mongol | Proto-Mongolic | Bonan | Mongghul | Classical Mongolian | Eastern Yugur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | usu /usu/ | ᠤᠰᠤᠨ /usun/ | *usun /usun/ | sə /sə/ | szu /ʂdzu/ | ᠤᠰᠤᠨ /usun/ | qusun /qusun/ |
| Fire | qan /qɑn/ | ᠭᠠᠯ /qal/ | *gal /ɡal/ | χal /χal/ | ghal /ɢal/ | ᠭᠠᠯ /ɡal/ | ʁal /ʁal/ |
| Sun | naran /nɑrən/ | ᠨᠠᠷᠠᠨ /naran/ | *naran /naran/ | naraŋ /naraŋ/ | nara /nara/ | ᠨᠠᠷᠠᠨ /naran/ | naran /naran/ |
| Moon | sara /sɑrə/ | ᠰᠠᠷᠠ /sara/ | *sara /sara/ | sarə /sarə/ | sara /sara/ | ᠰᠠᠷᠠ /sara/ | sara /sara/ |
| Star | hodun /hodun/ | ᠬᠣᠳᠤᠨ /hodun/ | *hodun /hodun/ | hotuŋ /hotuŋ/ | foodi /foodə/ | ᠣᠳᠣᠨ /odun/ | hodən /hodən/ |
| Night | shieni /ɕiəni/ | ᠰᠥᠨᠢ /søni/ | *söni /søni/ | sonə /sonə/ | soni /sonə/ | ᠰᠥᠨᠢ /søni/ | søønə /søːnə/ |
| Rain | ghura /ɢura/ | ᠬᠤᠷᠠ /qura/ | *kura /kura/ | ɢura /ɢura/ | huraa /xuraa/ | ᠬᠤᠷᠠ /qura/ | xura /χura/ |
| Snow | chasun /tʂasun/ | ᠴᠠᠰᠤᠨ /tʃasun/ | *časun /tʃasun/ | ʥasɵŋ /dʑasɵŋ/ | qasi /ʨasə/ | ᠴᠠᠰᠤ /tʃasu/ | tʃasən /tʃasən/ |
| Wind | kei /kəi/ | ᠬᠡᠢ /kei/ | *salkïn /salkin/ | ki /ki/ | kii /kii/ | ᠰᠠᠯᠬᠢ /salki/ | salɢən /salɢən/ |
| Earth | ghazha /ɢadʐa/ | ᠬᠠᠵᠠᠷ /qadʒar/ | *gaǰar /ɡadʒar/ | saʨiə /satɕiə/ | — | ᠭᠠᠵᠠᠷ /ɡadʒar/ | ʃəruu /ʃəruː/ |
| Stone | tashi /taʂi/ | ᠴᠢᠯᠠᠭᠤᠨ /tʃilaun/ | *čilaɣun /tʃilaɣun/ | — | tash /taʂ/ | ᠴᠢᠯᠠᠭᠤᠨ /tʃilaɣun/ | tʃəluu /tʃəluː/ |
| Mountain | ula /ula/ | — | *huɣula /huɣula/ | uːla /uːla/ | ula /ula/ | ᠠᠭᠤᠯᠠ /aɣula/ | uula /uːla/ |
| Sea | hai /xai/ | ᠳᠠᠯᠠᠢ /dalai/ | *dalai /dalai/ | χai /χai/ | dalii /dalii/ | ᠳᠠᠯᠠᠢ /dalai/ | dalii /daliː/ |
| Mother | ana /ɑnə/ | ᠡᠭᠡ /eke/ | *eke /eke/ | amə /amə/ | aama /aama/ | ᠡᠬᠡ /eke/ | hge /hɡe/ |
| Father | ada /ada/ | ᠡᠴᠢᠭᠡ /etʃiɡe/ | *ečige /etʃiɡe/ | abo /abo/ | aaba /aaba/ | ᠡᠴᠢᠭᠡ /etʃiɡe/ | tʃiɣe /tʃiɣe/ |
| Daughter | oqin /otɕin/ | ᠥᠬᠢᠨ /økin/ | *ökin /økin/ | — | — | ᠥᠬᠢᠨ /økin/ | — |
| I | bi /pi/ | ᠪᠢ /bi/ | *bi /bi/ | bǔ /bǔ/ | bu /bu/ | ᠪᠢ /bi/ | bə /bə/ |
| You | chi /tɕi/ | ᠴᠢ /tʃi/ | *či /tʃi/ | ʨǐ /tɕǐ/ | qi /ʨə/ | ᠴᠢ /tʃi/ | tʃə /tʃə/ |
| We | matan / bijien /matan / pitɕiən/ | ᠪᠢᠳᠠ / ᠪᠠ /bida / ba/ | *bida / *ba /bida / ba/ | bədə /bədə/ | budangula /budaŋɡula/ | ᠪᠢᠳᠠ / ᠪᠠ /bida / ba/ | budas / buda /budas / buda/ |
| Name | niere /niərə/ | ᠨᠡᠷᠡ /nere/ | *nere /nere/ | narə /narə/ | nire /nəre/ | ᠨᠡᠷᠡ /nere/ | nere /nere/ |
| Person | kun /kun/ | ᠬᠦᠮᠦᠨ /kymyn/ | *kümün /kymyn/ | kuŋ /kuŋ/ | kun /kun/ | ᠬᠦᠮᠦᠨ /kymyn/ | kuun /kuːn/ |
| Head | qierun /tɕʰjəˈrun/ | — | *tolagaï /tolaɡai/ | tɵrɵŋ /tɵrɵŋ/ | — | ᠲᠣᠯᠣᠭᠠᠢ /toloɣai/ | toloʁui /toloʁui/ |
| Eye | udun /udun/ | ᠨᠢᠳᠦᠨ /nidyn/ | *nidün /nidyn/ | nəduŋ /nəduŋ/ | nudu /nudu/ | ᠨᠢᠳᠦ /nidü/ | nudun /nudun/ |
| Ear | chighin /tʃiʁin/ | ᠴᠢᠬᠢᠨ /tʃikin/ | *čikin /tʃikin/ | ʨiχaŋ /tɕiχaŋ/ | qigi /ʨiɡə/ | ᠴᠢᠬᠢᠨ /tʃikin/ | tʃəʁən /tʃəʁən/ |
| Nose | khawa /kʰawa/ | ᠬᠠᠪᠠᠷ /qabar/ | *kamar /kamar/ | χor /χor/ | hawar /xavar/ | ᠬᠠᠪᠠᠷ /qabar/ | xawar /χawar/ |
| Mouth | aman /aman/ | ᠠᠮᠠᠨ /aman/ | *aman /aman/ | aman /aman/ | ama /ama/ | ᠠᠮᠠᠨ /aman/ | aman /aman/ |
| Tooth | shidun /ʂidun/ | ᠰᠢᠳᠦᠨ /ʃidyn/ | *sidün /sidyn/ | duŋ /duŋ/ | shdi /ʂdə/ | ᠰᠢᠳᠦᠨ /ʃidyn/ | ʃdən /ʃdən/ |
| Tongue | kielien /kʰjəˈljən/ | ᠬᠡᠯᠡᠨ /kelen/ | *kelen /kelen/ | kalaŋ /kalaŋ/ | kile /kəle/ | ᠬᠡᠯᠡᠨ /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ |
| Hand | qa /qɑ/ | ᠭᠠᠷ /qar/ | *gar /ɡar/ | χar /χar/ | ghar /ɢar/ | ᠭᠠᠷ /ɡar/ | ʁar /ʁar/ |
| Foot | kon /kon/ | ᠬᠥᠯ /køl/ | *köl /køl/ | kual /kual/ | kol /kol/ | ᠬᠥᠯ /køl/ | køl /køl/ |
| Heart | — /—/ | ᠵᠢᠷᠦᠭᠡ /dʒiryke/ | *ǰirüken /dʒiryken/ | ʥirgə /dʑirɡə/ | jirge /ʥirɡe/ | ᠵᠢᠷᠦᠬᠡ /dʒirüke/ | dʒyrɣen /dʒyrɣen/ |
| Bone | yasun /jasun/ | ᠶᠠᠰᠤᠨ /jasun/ | *yasun /jasun/ | iasuŋ /iasuŋ/ | yasi /jasə/ | ᠶᠠᠰᠤᠨ /jasun/ | yasən /jasən/ |
| Blood | chusun /tʂusun/ | ᠴᠢᠰᠤᠨ /tʃisun/ | *čisun /tʃisun/ | ʨisuŋ /tɕisuŋ/ | qisi /ʨisə/ | ᠴᠢᠰᠤᠨ /tʃisun/ | tʃusun /tʃusun/ |
| Love | khotula- /xoːtulə/ | ᠳᠤᠷᠠ /dura/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | duraala /duraala/ | ᠬᠠᠶᠢᠷᠠ /qajira/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | mutun /mutun/ | ᠮᠣᠳᠤᠨ /modun/ | *modun /modun/ | mutoŋ /mutoŋ/ | xjoosi /ɕʥoosə/ | ᠮᠣᠳᠤ /modu/ | mɔːdən /mɔːdən/ |
| Dog | noghoi /noɣəi/ | ᠨᠣᠬᠠᠢ /noqai/ | *nokai /nokai/ | noɢoi /noɢoi/ | nuhui /nuxui/ | ᠨᠣᠬᠠᠢ /noqai/ | noxqui /noχqui/ |
| Cat | bisalai /biːsəlai/ | ᠮᠢᠭᠤᠢ /miɣui/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | mauxi /mauɕi/ | ᠮᠢᠭᠤᠢ /miɣui/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | zhagvasun /tʂɑʁɑˈsun/ | ᠵᠢᠭᠠᠰᠤ /dʒiɡasu/ | *ǰigasu /dʒiɡasu/ | ʥilɣasuŋ /dʑilɣasuŋ/ | jaghasi /ʥaɢasə/ | ᠵᠢᠭᠠᠰᠤ /dʒiɡasu/ | dʒaʁasən /dʒaʁasən/ |
| Bird | bunzhu /bundʐu/ | ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠤᠨ /ʃibaun/ | *sibaɣun /sibaɣun/ | bandʒir /bandʒir/ | — | ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠤ /ʃibaɣu/ | ʃuun /ʃuːn/ |
| Egg | endegvei /əndəɣəi/ | ᠥᠨᠳᠡᠭᠡᠨ /øndeɡen/ | *öndegen /øndeɡen/ | əndəgi /əndəɡi/ | ndige /ndəɡe/ | ᠥᠨᠳᠡᠭᠡ /ɵndeɡe/ | bala /bala/ |
| Bear | gouxin /kəwˈɕin/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Horse | morei /morəi/ | ᠮᠣᠷᠢᠨ /morin/ | *morïn /morin/ | — | mori /mori/ | ᠮᠣᠷᠢᠨ /morin/ | — |
| House | gie /ɡiə/ | ᠭᠡᠷ /ɡer/ | *ger /ɡer/ | gər /ɡər/ | ger /ɡer/ | ᠭᠡᠷ /ɡer/ | ger /ɡer/ |
| Milk | neizi /neitsɿ/ | — | *sün /syn/ | — | — | ᠰᠦᠨ /syn/ | — |
| Honey | shimei /ʂimei/ | — | *bal /bal/ | — | — | ᠪᠠᠯ /bal/ | — |
| Salt | dansun /dansun/ | ᠳᠠᠪᠤᠰᠤᠨ /dabusun/ | *dabusun /dabusun/ | dabsuŋ /dabsuŋ/ | dabsi /dabsə/ | ᠳᠠᠪᠤᠰᠤᠨ /dabusun/ | daabsən /daːbsən/ |
| Wine | putoujiu /putəudʑiəu/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Iron | qiemu /tɕiemu/ | ᠲᠡᠮᠦᠷ /temyr/ | *temür /temyr/ | — | tumur /tumur/ | ᠲᠡᠮᠦᠷ /temyr/ | — |
| Book | shu /ʂu/ | — | — | — | — | ᠨᠣᠮ /nom/ | — |
| Eat | ijie- /idʑiə/ | ᠢᠳᠡ /ide/ | *ide- /ide/ | nda- /nda/ | ide /ide/ | ᠢᠳᠡ- /ide-/ | ede /ede/ |
| Drink | otsu- /otʂɯ/ | ᠤᠭᠤ /uɣu/ | *uu- /uu/ | u- /u/ | uqu /uʨu/ | ᠤᠭᠤ- /uɣu-/ | uu /uː/ |
| Sleep | hhuntura- /huntura/ | ᠤᠨᠲᠠ /unta/ | *unta- /unta/ | təra- /təra/ | ntiraa /ntəraa/ | ᠤᠨᠲᠠ- /unta-/ | nda /nda/ |
| One | nie /niə/ | ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠨ /niɡen/ | *nigen /nigen/ | nəgə /nəɡə/ | nige /nəɡe/ | ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠨ /niɡen/ | niɣe /niɣe/ |
| Two | ghua /ʁua/ | ᠬᠣᠶᠠᠷ /qojar/ | *koyar /kojar/ | ɢuar /ɢuar/ | ghoor /ɢoor/ | ᠬᠣᠶᠠᠷ /qojar/ | ʁuur /ʁuːr/ |
| Three | ghuran /ʁuran/ | ᠭᠤᠷᠪᠠᠨ /qurban/ | *gurban /ɡurban/ | ɢuraŋ /ɢuraŋ/ | ghuraan /ɢuraan/ | ᠭᠤᠷᠪᠠᠨ /ɡurban/ | ʁurwan /ʁurwan/ |
| Four | jieran /dʑiəran/ | ᠳᠥᠷᠪᠡᠨ /dørben/ | *dörben /dørben/ | deraŋ /deraŋ/ | deeren /deeren/ | ᠳᠥᠷᠪᠡᠨ /dørben/ | dørwen /dørwen/ |
| Five | tawun /tawuŋ/ | ᠲᠠᠪᠤᠨ /tabun/ | *tabun /tabun/ | tawuŋ /tawuŋ/ | taawun /taavun/ | ᠲᠠᠪᠤᠨ /tabun/ | taawən /taːwən/ |
| Hundred | be /bə/ | ᠵᠠᠭᠤᠨ /dʒaun/ | *ǰagun /dʒaɡun/ | ʥyŋ /dʑyŋ/ | jong /ʥoŋ/ | ᠵᠠᠭᠤᠨ /dʒaɡun/ | dʒuun /dʒuːn/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | ᠠᠮᠤᠷ /amur/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ ᠤᠤ /sajin uu/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠷᠯᠠᠪᠠ /bajarlaba/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | hgerli /xɡerlə/ | ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠷᠯᠠᠯᠠ /bajarlala/ | — /—/ |
| Good | sain /sain/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ /sain/ | *sajin /sajin/ | saŋ /saŋ/ | sain /sain/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ /sajin/ | sain /sajn/ |
| New | shini /ʂini/ | ᠰᠢᠨᠡ /ʃini/ | *sine /sine/ | ɕinə /ɕinə/ | xini /ɕinə/ | ᠰᠢᠨᠡ /ʃine/ | ʃənə /ʃənə/ |
| Red | hulan /xulan/ | ᠤᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ /hulaan/ | *hulaɣan /hulaɣan/ | fulaŋ /fulaŋ/ | fulaan /fulaan/ | ᠤᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ /ulaɣan/ | ɬaan /ɬaːn/ |
| White | chighan /tʂiɢan/ | ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ /tʃaqaan/ | *čagaɣan /tʃaɡaɣan/ | ʨiɢaŋ /tɕiɢaŋ/ | qighaan /ʨaɢaan/ | ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ /tʃaɣan/ | tʃaʁaan /tʃaʁaːn/ |
| Black | khara /kʰara/ | ᠬᠠᠷᠠ /qara/ | *kara /kara/ | χəra /χəra/ | hara /xara/ | ᠬᠠᠷᠠ /qara/ | xara /χara/ |
| Green | noghon /noɣon/ | ᠨ᠋ᠣᠬᠤᠬᠠᠨ /noqoan/ | *noguɣan /noɡuɣan/ | noɢoŋ /noɢoŋ/ | noghoon /noɢoon/ | ᠨᠣᠭᠤᠭᠠᠨ /noɣuɣan/ | noʁoon /noʁoːn/ |
| Blue | kugie /kuɡiə/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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