Ai Sui
Sui
Kra-Dai (Kam-Sui)
Sui belongs to the Kam-Sui branch of Kra-Dai and is spoken in southern Guizhou, China, chiefly in Sandu Sui Autonomous County; the Sui nationality numbers about 496,000 in the 2020 census and well over half of them speak the language. Two things stand out. Its consonant inventory is unusually large for the region, around seventy initials in some analyses, including pre-glottalised stops and nasals, prenasalised stops and voiceless nasals that most neighbouring languages have lost. The Sui also have a script of their own, sui shu 水书, several hundred characters, some of which look like mirror-images or variants of Chinese characters. It is not a full writing system for the language but a ritual and divinatory notation, used by shuishu masters (水书先生) for almanacs and rites, and it has been the subject of preservation programmes in China. The digit after each form is a tone-category number; the IPA converts it to Chao values.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Sui
Sources
- Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R. & Gray, R.D. (2008) The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database. Evolutionary Bioinformatics 4:271-283 — Sui (Miaocao, Sandu), list 736
- Wei Xuecun & Edmondson, J.A. (2003) Sui (Shui)-Chinese-Thai-English Dictionary. Salaya: Mahidol University — source wordlist and tone values
- Diller, A., Edmondson, J. & Luo, Y. (eds.) (2008) The Tai-Kadai Languages. London: Routledge, p. 590 — Sui tone values
- Castro, A. (2011) Southern Sui: a Fourth Sui Dialect. Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society 4.2, pp. 1-31, Table 1 p. 3
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Kra-Dai (Kam-Sui)
| Meaning | Sui | Maonan | Mulam | Southern Dong | Bouyei | Ha Hlai | Nùng |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nam3 /nam˧˧/ | nam3 /nam˥˩/ | nəm4 /nəm˨˦/ | nɐm31 /nɐm˧˩/ | raamx /ðaːm˧˩/ | nom3 /nom˩˩/ | nặm /naːm˨˩/ |
| Fire | vi1 /vi˩˩/ | vi1 /vi˦˨/ | fi1 /fi˦˨/ | pui55 /pui˥˥/ | feih /fei˧˩/ | fei1 /fei˥˧/ | fầy /fəj˨˩/ |
| Sun | ⁿda1 van1 /ⁿda˩˩ van˩˩/ | la:k8 van1 /laːk˨˦ van˦˨/ | thəu5 fan1 /tʰəu˦˦ fan˦˨/ | ta53 mən55 /ta˥˧ mən˥˥/ | ngonzbyaaiz /ŋon˩˩pjaːi˩˩/ | tsha1 hwan1 /tsʰa˥˧ hwan˥˧/ | tha vằn /tʰaː˧˧vən˨˩/ |
| Moon | njen2 /njen˧˩/ | ni4 njen2 /ni˨˦ njen˨˧˩/ | kɣa:ŋ1 njen2 /kɣaːŋ˦˨ njen˩˨˩/ | kwaŋ55 ɲan55 /kwaŋ˥˥ ɲan˥˥/ | ronh /roːn˧˩/ | ȵa:n1 /ȵaːn˥˧/ | boon /boːn˧˧/ |
| Star | zət7 /zət˥˥/ | zət7 /zət˥˥/ | la:k8 m̥ət7 /laːk˩˩ m̥ət˥˥/ | ɕət55 /ɕət˥˥/ | ndaux /ɗaːu˧˧/ | ra:u1 /raːu˥˧/ | đao /ɗaːw˧˧/ |
| Night | saan2 /saːn˧˩/ | ʔȵam5 /ʔȵam˦˦/ | mu2 /mu˩˨˩/ | ɲɐm53 /ɲɐm˥˧/ | haemh /ham˧˩/ | tshop7 /tsʰop˥˥/ | khưn /kʰɯn˧˧/ |
| Rain | fən1 /fən˩˩/ | fin1 /fin˦˨/ | kwən1 /kwən˦˨/ | pjən55 /pjən˥˥/ | — | fun1 /fun˥˧/ | phɔn /pʰɔn˧˧/ |
| Snow | ʔnui1 /ʔnui˩˩/ | tɕu5 /tɕu˦˦/ | nui1 /nui˦˨/ | nui55 /nui˥˥/ | nail /nɐi˨˦/ | — | nai /nai˧˧/ |
| Wind | lum1 /lum˩˩/ | ləm1 /ləm˦˨/ | ləm2 /ləm˩˨˩/ | ləm212 /ləm˨˩˨/ | rumz /ðum˩˩/ | hwo:t7 /hwoːt˥˥/ | lam /lam˧˧/ |
| Earth | hum5 /hum˧˥/ | khəm5 /kʰəm˦˦/ | na:m6 /naːm˩˩/ | nam33 /nam˧˧/ | naamh /naːm˧/ | van1 /van˥˧/ | na:m /naːm/ |
| Stone | tin2 /tin˧˩/ | tu:i2 /tuːi˨˧˩/ | tui2 /tui˩˨˩/ | pja55 /pja˥˥/ | hinl /hin˨˦/ | tshi:n1 /tsʰiːn˥˧/ | thin /tʰin˧˧/ |
| Mountain | nu2 /nu˧˩/ | kɔŋ5 pja1 /kɔŋ˦˦ pja˦˨/ | pɣa1 /pɣa˦˨/ | — | bol /po˨˦/ | — | phja /pʰjaː˧˧/ |
| Sea | haai3 /haːi˧˧/ | hai3 /hai˥˩/ | hai3 /hai˥˧/ | hɐi13 /hɐi˩˧/ | haaic /xaːi˥˧/ | la:ŋ3 /laːŋ˩˩/ | hải /haːj˨˩˧/ |
| Mother | ni4 /ni˥˩/ | ni4 /ni˨˦/ | ni4 /ni˨˦/ | nɐi31 /nɐi˧˩/ | meeh /me˧/ | pai3 /pai˩˩/ | mé /mɛ˨˩˧/ |
| Father | pu4 /pu˥˩/ | tɛ2 /tɛ˨˧˩/ | pu4 /pu˨˦/ | pu31 /pu˧˩/ | poh /po˧/ | pha3 /pʰa˩˩/ | pò /pɔ˨˩/ |
| Daughter | laak8 ʔbjaak7 /laːk˦˨ ʔbjaːk˧˥/ | la:ʔ8 piəʔ8 /laːʔ˨˦ piəʔ˨˦/ | la:k8 ʔja:k7 /laːk˩˩ ʔjaːk˦˨/ | pəi31 /pəi˧˩/ | — | ɬɯ:k7 pai3 khau2 /ɬɯːk˥˥ pai˩˩ kʰau˥˥/ | — |
| I | ʔai2 /ʔai˧˩/ | ɦe2 /ɦe˨˧˩/ | həi2 /həi˩˨˩/ | jau212 /jau˨˩˨/ | gul /ku˨˦/ | hou1 /hou˥˧/ | khỏi /xɔːj˨˩˧/ |
| You | ȵa2 /ȵa˧˩/ | ŋ2 /ŋ˨˧˩/ | ȵa2 /ȵa˩˨˩/ | ɲa212 /ɲa˨˩˨/ | mengz /məŋ˩˩/ | meɯ1 /meɯ˥˧/ | mưng /mɯŋ˧˧/ |
| We | ȶən1 ⁿdaau1 / ȶən1 ⁿdiu1 /ȶən˩˩ ⁿdaːu˩˩ / ȶən˩˩ ⁿdiu˩˩/ | ⁿda:u1 / ⁿde1 /ⁿdaːu˦˨ / ⁿde˦˨/ | hɣa:u6 / niu2 /hɣaːu˩˩ / niu˩˨˩/ | tau55 / tɕiu55 /tau˥˥ / tɕiu˥˥/ | rauz / dul /ðɐu˩˩ / tu˨˦/ | ga / fa1 /ɡa / fa˥˧/ | rầu /rəw˨˩/ |
| Name | ʔdaan1 /ʔdaːn˩˩/ | da:n2 /daːn˨˧˩/ | ʔɣa:n1 /ʔɣaːn˦˨/ | kwan55 /kwan˥˥/ | mingz /miŋ˩˩/ | phe:ŋ1 /pʰeːŋ˥˧/ | chứ /tʃɯ˧˥/ |
| Person | zən1 /zən˩˩/ | zən1 /zən˦˨/ | śən1 /ɕən˦˨/ | ɲən212 /ɲən˨˩˨/ | wenz /wɯn˩˩/ | u2 a:u1 /u˥˥ aːu˥˧/ | cần /kən˨˩/ |
| Head | ku3 /ku˧˧/ | ko3 /ko˥˩/ | kɣo3 /kɣo˥˧/ | kau323 /kau˧˨˧/ | jauc /tɕɐu˥˧/ | gwou3 /ɡwou˩˩/ | hu /hu˧˧/ |
| Eye | ⁿda1 /ⁿda˩˩/ | ⁿda1 /ⁿda˦˨/ | l̥a1 /l̥a˦˨/ | ta55 /ta˥˥/ | daa /taː˨˦/ | tsha1 /tsʰa˥˧/ | tha /tʰaː˧˧/ |
| Ear | qha1 /qʰa˩˩/ | kha1 /kʰa˦˨/ | khɣa1 /kʰɣa˦˨/ | kha35 /kʰa˧˥/ | riez /ðiə˩˩/ | zai1 /zai˥˧/ | khjou /kʰjou˧˧/ |
| Nose | ʔnaŋ1 /ʔnaŋ˩˩/ | ʔnaŋ1 /ʔnaŋ˦˨/ | kə5 naŋ1 /kə˦˦ naŋ˦˨/ | mɐŋ55 /mɐŋ˥˥/ | ndangl /ɗɐŋ˨˦/ | khat7 /kʰat˥˥/ | đăng /ɗaŋ˧˧/ |
| Mouth | paak7 /paːk˧˥/ | pa:k7 /paːk˦˦/ | pa:k7 /paːk˦˨/ | ʔəp55 /ʔəp˥˥/ | bas /pa˧˥/ | pom3 /pom˩˩/ | pác /paːk˥/ |
| Tooth | vjən1 /vjən˩˩/ | hi:u3 /hiːu˥˩/ | fan1 /fan˦˨/ | pjɐn55 /pjɐn˥˥/ | heuj /hɐu˧˥/ | fan1 /fan˥˧/ | khẻo /kʰɛːw˧˩/ |
| Tongue | ʔu1 ma2 /ʔu˩˩ ma˧˩/ | ma2 /ma˨˧˩/ | ma2 /ma˩˨˩/ | ma212 /ma˨˩˨/ | linx /lin˧˩/ | ɬi:n3 /ɬiːn˩˩/ | lin /lin˥˩/ |
| Hand | mjə1 /mjə˩˩/ | si:m3 /siːm˥˩/ | nja2 /nja˩˨˩/ | mja212 /mja˨˩˨/ | faengz /faŋ˩˩/ | meɯ1 /meɯ˥˧/ | mừ /mɯ˨˩/ |
| Foot | tin1 /tin˩˩/ | ti:n1 /tiːn˦˨/ | tin1 /tin˦˨/ | tin55 /tin˥˥/ | dinl /tin˨˦/ | khok7 /kʰok˥˥/ | tin /tin˧˧/ |
| Heart | ɕim1 /ɕim˩˩/ | sam1 /sam˦˨/ | — /—/ | səm323 /səm˧˨˧/ | saamh /saːm˧˩/ | ɬa:u3 /ɬaːu˩˩/ | cấy /kəj˨˩˧/ |
| Bone | laak7 /laːk˧˥/ | da:k8 /daːk˨˦/ | hɣa:k7 /hɣaːk˦˨/ | lak323 /lak˧˨˧/ | ndos /ɗo˧˥/ | vɯ:k7 /vɯːk˥˥/ | đúc /ɗuk˥/ |
| Blood | phjaat7 /pʰjaːt˧˥/ | phja:t7 /pʰjaːt˦˦/ | phɣa:t7 /pʰɣaːt˦˨/ | phat13 /pʰat˩˧/ | lweed /luət˧˧/ | ɬa:ȶ7 /ɬaːȶ˥˥/ | lượt /lɯət˥˩/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | gaais /kaːi˧˥/ | — /—/ | rắc /rak˧˥/ |
| Tree | mai4 /mai˥˩/ | mai4 /mai˨˦/ | mai4 /mai˨˦/ | mɐi31 /mɐi˧˩/ | faix /fai˧˩/ | tshai1 /tsʰai˥˧/ | mạy /maːj˨˩/ |
| Dog | m̥a1 /m̥a˩˩/ | ma1 /ma˦˨/ | ŋ̊wa1 /ŋ̊wa˦˨/ | ŋwa35 /ŋwa˧˥/ | ma /ma˨˦/ | pa1 /pa˥˧/ | ma /maː˧˧/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | meeuq /meːu˧˧/ | — /—/ | meo /meo˧˧/ |
| Fish | mom6 /mom˨˦/ | ᵐbjai3 /ᵐbjai˥˩/ | məm6 /məm˩˩/ | pa55 /pa˥˥/ | bya /pjaː˨˦/ | ɬa1 /ɬa˥˧/ | pya /pjaː˧˧/ |
| Bird | nok8 /nok˧˩/ | nɔk8 /nɔk˨˧/ | nɔk8 /nɔk˩˨/ | mok21 /mok˨˩/ | rog /ðɔk˧/ | taȶ7 /taȶ˥˥/ | nục /nuk˥˩/ |
| Butterfly | ʔba3 /ʔba˧˧/ | phuŋ6 pa4 /pʰuŋ˨˩˧ pa˨˦/ | wa3 /wa˥˧/ | ma55 mən323 /ma˥˥ mən˧˨˧/ | mbax /ɓa˧˩/ | pɯ1 tshom1 /pɯ˥˧ tsʰom˥˧/ | — |
| Egg | kai5 /kai˧˥/ | kai5 /kai˦˦/ | kɣəi5 /kɣəi˦˦/ | kɐi53 /kɐi˥˧/ | jais /tɕɐi˧˥/ | zɯ:m1 /zɯːm˥˧/ | xáy /saj˧˥/ |
| Bear | ʔmi1 /ʔmi˩˩/ | moi1 /moi˦˨/ | jɔŋ2 /jɔŋ˩˨˩/ | me55 /me˥˥/ | moil /moi˨˦/ | mui1 /mui˥˧/ | mui /mui˧˧/ |
| Horse | ma4 /ma˥˩/ | mja4 /mja˨˦/ | ma4 /ma˨˦/ | ma31 /ma˧˩/ | max /ma˧˩/ | ka3 /ka˩˩/ | mạ /maː˨˩/ |
| House | ɣaan2 /ɣaːn˧˩/ | ja:n1 /jaːn˦˨/ | ɣa:n2 /ɣaːn˩˨˩/ | jan212 /jan˨˩˨/ | ranz /ðaːn˩˩/ | ploŋ3 /ploŋ˩˩/ | rườn /zɯən˨˩/ |
| Milk | tiu4 /tiu˥˩/ | tsɛ5 /tsɛ˦˦/ | ne6 /ne˩˩/ | nɐm31 məi323 /nɐm˧˩ məi˧˨˧/ | — | nom3 tshei1 /nom˩˩ tsʰei˥˧/ | nùm /num˨˩/ |
| Honey | taaŋ2 luk8 /taːŋ˧˩ luk˧˩/ | — | — | mət212 taŋ212 /mət˨˩˨ taŋ˨˩˨/ | — | nom3 ko:i1 /nom˩˩ koːi˥˧/ | — |
| Salt | ʔdwə1 /ʔdwə˩˩/ | kwo1 /kwo˦˨/ | cwa1 /cwa˦˨/ | jim212 /jim˨˩˨/ | guel /kuə˨˦/ | ȵa:u3 /ȵaːu˩˩/ | cưa /kɯə˧˧/ |
| Wine | haau3 ʔit7 /haːu˧˧ ʔit˥˥/ | — | — | kwau323 phu212 thau212 tɕiu53 /kwau˧˨˧ pʰu˨˩˨ tʰau˨˩˨ tɕiu˥˧/ | — | bi:ŋ2 phu3 tha:u3 /biːŋ˥˥ pʰu˩˩ tʰaːu˩˩/ | lảu /laːw˨˩˧/ |
| Rice | ʔau4 /ʔau˥˩/ | u5 /u˦˦/ | hu3 /hu˥˧/ | — | haux /xɐu˧˩/ | tha2 /tʰa˥˥/ | khảu /kʰaːw˨˩˧/ |
| Iron | ɕət7 /ɕət˥˥/ | tɕhit7 /tɕʰit˥˥/ | khat7 /kʰat˥˥/ | kwat35 /kwat˧˥/ | faz /fa˩˩/ | go:i1 /ɡoːi˥˧/ | lích /lik˥/ |
| Wheel | quk8 luk8 tshə3 /quk˧˩ luk˧˩ tsʰə˧˧/ | lun6 tsha1 /lun˨˩˧ tsʰa˦˨/ | lan2 tshja1 /lan˩˨˩ tsʰja˦˨/ | lok55 /lok˥˥/ | — | pai3 tshia1 /pai˩˩ tsʰia˥˧/ | — |
| Silk | min2 /min˧˩/ | tɕɔn5 /tɕɔn˦˦/ | tsau2 /tsau˩˨˩/ | ɕu212 /ɕu˨˩˨/ | — | diu3 /diu˩˩/ | — |
| Book | le1 /le˩˩/ | lɛ1 /lɛ˦˨/ | lɛ2 /lɛ˩˨˩/ | le212 /le˨˩˨/ | sel /sɯ˨˦/ | bui1 tshia3 /bui˥˧ tsʰia˩˩/ | xéc /sɛk˥/ |
| Eat | ʔman3 /ʔman˧˧/ | na4 /na˨˦/ | tsa:n1 /tsaːn˦˨/ | tɕan55 /tɕan˥˥/ | gianl /ɡian˧˥/ | la2 /la˥˥/ | kin /kin˧˧/ |
| Drink | ɣəm4 /ɣəm˥˩/ | na4 /na˨˦/ | hɣop7 /hɣop˥˥/ | wum31 /wum˧˩/ | gunl /ɡuŋ˧˥/ | hja:u1 /hjaːu˥˧/ | kin nặm /kin˧˧naːm˨˩/ |
| Sleep | n̥ak7 /n̥ak˥˥/ | nu:n2 /nuːn˨˧˩/ | nun2 /nun˩˨˩/ | nun212 /nun˨˩˨/ | ninh /nin˧˩/ | kau2 /kau˥˥/ | nòn /nɔn˨˩/ |
| One | to2 /to˧˩/ | tɔ2 /tɔ˨˧˩/ | n̥a:u3 /n̥aːu˥˧/ | ʔi55 /ʔi˥˥/ | ndeeul /ɗeu˨˦/ | tsheɯ3 /tsʰeɯ˩˩/ | nưng /nɯŋ˧˧/ |
| Two | ɣa2 /ɣa˧˩/ | ja1 /ja˦˨/ | ɣa2 /ɣa˩˨˩/ | ja323 /ja˧˨˧/ | song /soːŋ˨˦/ | ɬau3 /ɬau˩˩/ | soong /soːŋ˧˧/ |
| Three | haam1 /haːm˩˩/ | sa:m1 /saːm˦˨/ | ta:m1 /taːm˦˨/ | sam35 /sam˧˥/ | sam /saːm˨˦/ | fu3 /fu˩˩/ | slam /ɬaːm˧˧/ |
| Four | hi5 /hi˧˥/ | si5 /si˦˦/ | ti5 /ti˦˦/ | si453 /si˦˥˧/ | sis /si˧˥/ | tshau3 /tsʰau˩˩/ | slí /ɬi˧˥/ |
| Five | ŋo4 /ŋo˥˩/ | ŋɔ4 /ŋɔ˨˦/ | ŋɔ4 /ŋɔ˨˦/ | ŋo31 /ŋo˧˩/ | hac /xa˥˧/ | pa1 /pa˥˧/ | hả /haː˨˩˧/ |
| Hundred | pek7 /pek˥˥/ | pɛk7 /pɛk˥˥/ | fɛ:k7 /fɛːk˦˨/ | pek323 /pek˧˨˧/ | bas /pa˧˥/ | gwa:n1 /ɡwaːn˥˧/ | — |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | meez ndil /meː˩˩ ɗi˨˦/ | — /—/ | choà /tʃɔaː˨˩/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | gangzhainh /ɡaŋ˩˩haiŋ˧˩/ | — /—/ | ơn rể /ɤn˧˧zɛ˨˩˧/ |
| Good | ʔdaai1 /ʔdaːi˩˩/ | da:i2 /daːi˨˧˩/ | i1 /i˦˨/ | lai55 /lai˥˥/ | ndil /ɗi˨˦/ | ɬeȵ1 /ɬeȵ˥˧/ | đây /ɗəj˧˧/ |
| New | m̥ai5 /m̥ai˧˥/ | mai5 /mai˦˦/ | m̥ai5 /m̥ai˦˦/ | mɐi453 /mɐi˦˥˧/ | mos /mo˧˥/ | pa:n1 /paːn˥˧/ | máư /maɯ˧˥/ |
| Red | haan3 /haːn˧˧/ | la:n3 /laːn˥˩/ | l̥a:n3 /l̥aːn˥˧/ | ja453 /ja˦˥˧/ | ndeengz /ɗɛŋ˨˦/ | de:ŋ3 /deːŋ˩˩/ | đeng /ɗɛŋ˧˧/ |
| White | paak8 /paːk˦˨/ | kwa3 /kwa˥˩/ | pa:k8 /paːk˩˩/ | pak31 /pak˧˩/ | haaul /xaːu˨˦/ | kha:u1 /kʰaːu˥˧/ | khao /kʰaːw˧˧/ |
| Black | ʔnam1 /ʔnam˩˩/ | nam1 /nam˦˨/ | nam1 /nam˦˨/ | nɐm55 /nɐm˥˥/ | foonx /foːn˧˩/ | dom3 /dom˩˩/ | đăm /ɗam˧˧/ |
| Green | ȶhu1 /ȶʰu˩˩/ | ju1 /ju˦˨/ | śau1 /ɕau˦˨/ | su35 /su˧˥/ | — | khi:u1 /kʰiːu˥˧/ | kheo /kʰɛːw˧˧/ |
| Blue | śu1 /ɕu˩˩/ | pha1 /pʰa˦˨/ | phoŋ3 /pʰoŋ˥˧/ | pha35 su55 /pʰa˧˥ su˥˥/ | — | khi:u1 /kʰiːu˥˧/ | kheo /kʰɛːw˧˧/ |
| Sugar | taaŋ2 /taːŋ˧˩/ | ta:ŋ2 /taːŋ˨˧˩/ | ta:ŋ2 /taːŋ˩˨˩/ | taŋ212 /taŋ˨˩˨/ | diangz /tiaŋ˩˩/ | nom3 tha:ŋ3 /nom˩˩ tʰaːŋ˩˩/ | — |
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