Vāx
Wa
Austroasiatic (Palaungic)
Wa (Vāx) is the largest Palaungic language and the dominant language of the de facto independent Wa State in Myanmar. Non-tonal (unusual for the region), with rich consonant clusters and glottal-stop final syllables. Closely related to Lawa, De’ang, and Bulang.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Wa
Sources
- Wa Bible, Wa Common Language Translation (bible.com version 325 WCL), spelling of every cell; Justin Watkins 2013, Dictionary of Wa, with translations into English, Burmese and Chinese (Leiden: Brill; online database, SOAS Wa Dictionary Project, humancomp.org/wadict), glosses and IPA (its "Wa-MM" headwords = the Bible orthography, colons aside)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austroasiatic (Palaungic)
| Meaning | Wa | Parauk Wa | Eastern Lawa | Khmu | Shwe Palaung | Rumai De'ang | Proto-Austroasiatic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | rawm /rɔm/ | rom /rɔm/ | lʼauem /lᵊʔaɨ̯m/ | ʔom /ʔom/ | ʔoːm /ʔoːm/ | Ɂəm /ʔəm/ | *ɗaːk /ɗaːk/ |
| Fire | ngu /ŋu/ | ngū /ŋṳ/ | ngoa /ŋɔ/ | pʰrɨə /pʰrɨə/ | ŋal /ŋal/ | ŋaiɁ /ŋaiʔ/ | *ʔuːs /ʔuːs/ |
| Sun | singaix /siŋaiʔ/ | si ngāix /siŋa̤iʔ/ | sngaiʼ /sᵊŋajˀ/ | mat briʔ /mat briʔ/ | saŋi /saŋi/ | saŋaj /saŋaj/ | *tŋiːʔ /tŋiːʔ/ |
| Moon | khix /kʰiʔ/ | kix /kʰiʔ/ | kheʼ /kʰeʔ/ | moŋ /moŋ/ | plaŋ kiər /plaŋ kiər/ | pakjəː /pakjəː/ | *khe(ː)ʔ /kheːʔ/ |
| Star | simuing /simʔuɲ/ | sim uing /sim ʔuɲ/ | sboeng /sᵊɓəŋ/ | sərmeɲ /sərmeɲ/ | səmiŋ /səmiŋ/ | laːw /laːw/ | *smʔaɲ /smʔaɲ/ |
| Night | ponsawm /ponsɔm/ | som /sɔm/ | ma sauem /ma saɨ̯m/ | psɨəm /psɨəm/ | hmɯ /m̥ɯ/ | kasəm /kasəm/ | *cəːm /cəːm/ |
| Rain | lhiex /l̥ɛʔ/ | hliex /lʰɛʔ/ | hlaiʼ /l̥ajˀ/ | kəmaʔ /kəmaʔ/ | ɟuŋ /ɟuŋ/ | klaːj /klaːj/ | *gmaʔ /ɡmaʔ/ |
| Snow | rhax /r̥aʔ/ | hra /rʰa/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wind | bhaung /bʰaɯŋ/ | npaeng /bʰaɯŋ/ | kaue /kaɨ̯/ | hndrəːj /hndrəːj/ | khuːr /kʰuːr/ | khuː /kʰuː/ | *kjɔʔ /kjɔʔ/ |
| Earth | tiex /tɛʔ/ | diex /tɛʔ/ | — | pteʔ /pteʔ/ | kəɗɛː /kəɗɛː/ | kataːj /kataːj/ | *tiʔ /tiʔ/ |
| Stone | simaox /simauʔ/ | si māox /sima̤uʔ/ | smoʼ /sᵊmoʔ/ | glaŋ /ɡlaŋ/ | mo /mo/ | maːw /maːw/ | *tmɔʔ /tmɔʔ/ |
| Mountain | gawng /ɡɔŋ/ | mgōng /ɡɔ̤ŋ/ | moa /mɔ/ | mok /mok/ | sor /sor/ | kɔŋ /kɔŋ/ | *bruʔ /bruʔ/ |
| Sea | rawm sigrit sigra /rɔm siɡrit siɡra/ | rom si mgrid si mgra /rɔm siɡrit siɡra/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mother | miex /mɛʔ/ | mīex /mɛ̤ʔ/ | maʼ /maʔ/ | maʔ /maʔ/ | ma /ma/ | — /—/ | *maʔ /maʔ/ |
| Father | keeing /kɯɲ/ | geeing /kɯɲ/ | pueaʼ /pɨaʔ/ | joŋ /joŋ/ | kun /kun/ | — /—/ | *ɓa(ː)ʔ /ɓaːʔ/ |
| Daughter | kawn bun /kɔn bun/ | gon nbun /kɔn bun/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| I | aux /ʔaɯʔ/ | aex /ʔaɯʔ/ | ʔoʔ /ʔoʔ/ | oʔ /ʔoʔ/ | ʔɔ /ʔɔ/ | Ɂaw /ʔaw/ | *ʔaɲ /ʔaɲ/ |
| You | maix /maiʔ/ | maix /maiʔ/ | maiʔ /maiʔ/ | meʔ /meʔ/ | mi /miː/ | maj /maj/ | *miːʔ /miːʔ/ |
| We | ix /ʔiʔ/ | — /—/ | ʔɛ /ʔɛ/ | iʔ /ʔiʔ/ | ʔɛ / jɛ /ʔɛ / jɛ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Name | ceu kaux /tɕɤ kaɯʔ/ | jē gaex /tɕɤ̤ kaɯʔ/ | yum /jɔm/ | sŋməh /sŋməh/ | ʨɨː /ʨɨː/ | ʨɨː /tɕɨː/ | *ɟmuh /ɟmuh/ |
| Person | pui /pui/ | būi /pṳi/ | pui /puj/ | gon /ɡon/ | bi /bi/ | taɁiː /taʔiː/ | *m-raʔ /mraʔ/ |
| Head | kaing: /kaɲ/ | gaing /kaɲ/ | kany /kaɲ/ | kəmpoŋ /kəmpoŋ/ | kiŋ /kiŋ/ | kən /kən/ | *ɓoːkʔ /ɓoːkʔ/ |
| Eye | ngai /ŋai/ | ngai /ŋai/ | ʼia /ʔia̯/ | mat /mat/ | ŋai /ŋai/ | ŋaːj /ŋaːj/ | *mat /mat/ |
| Ear | yhaok /j̊auk/ | hyaog /ʑʰauk/ | — | rəməj /rəməj/ | hjɔʔ /hjɔʔ/ | ʨhok /tɕʰok/ | *Ctoːr /Ctoːr/ |
| Nose | meeih /mɯih/ | mēeih /mɯ̤ih/ | maueh /maɨ̯h/ | muh /muh/ | kɔŋmuh /kɔŋmuh/ | kaduŋmuh /kaduŋmuh/ | *muh /muh/ |
| Mouth | jheeh /dʑʰɯih/ | nqeeih /dʑʰɯih/ | ʼmboam /ʔᵊᵐbɔm/ | tənɔh /tənɔh/ | mur /mur/ | mojɁ /mojʔ/ | *miəŋʔ /miəŋʔ/ |
| Tooth | rhang /r̥aŋ/ | hrang /rʰaŋ/ | pioeng /piə̯ŋ/ | hraŋ /hraŋ/ | hraŋ /r̥aːŋ/ | xaːŋ /xaːŋ/ | *lmVɲ /lməɲ/ |
| Tongue | dak /dak/ | ndag /dak/ | tak /tak/ | həntak /həntak/ | kərdaʼ /kərɗaʔ/ | sataɁ /sataʔ/ | *lntaːk /lntaːk/ |
| Hand | taix /taiʔ/ | daix /taiʔ/ | miŋ /miŋ/ | tiʔ /tiʔ/ | tiː /tiː/ | taiɁ /taiʔ/ | *tiːʔ /tiːʔ/ |
| Foot | caong /tʃaɔŋ/ | jāong /tɕa̤uŋ/ | cuang /cua̯ŋ/ | krwɛh /krwɛh/ | ɟɯŋ /ɟɯŋ/ | ʥɔːn /dʑɔːn/ | *ɟəːŋ /ɟəːŋ/ |
| Heart | rhawm /r̥ɔm/ | hrom /rʰɔm/ | kavüa /kavɨa/ | tlɔːm ŋok /tlɔːm ŋok/ | nuər /nuər/ | poŋkanɔh /poŋkanɔh/ | *nuːɕ /nuːɕ/ |
| Bone | si-ang /siʔaŋ/ | si ang /siʔaŋ/ | sʼang /sᵊʔaŋ/ | cʼaaŋ /tʃʔaːŋ/ | kaʼang /kaʔaŋ/ | kaɁaːŋ /kaʔaːŋ/ | *cʔaːŋ /cʔaːŋ/ |
| Blood | nham /n̥am/ | hnam /nʰam/ | hnam /n̥am/ | maːm /maːm/ | hnam /n̥aːm/ | n̥aːm /n̥aːm/ | *mham /mham/ |
| Poop | aing /ʔaɲ/ | aing /ʔaɲ/ | ʼioeng /ʔiə̯ŋ/ | — | — | — | *ʔicʔ /ʔicʔ/ |
| Love | moh /moh/ | mōuh /mo̤h/ | kruŋ /kɾuŋ/ | kɔɔh /kɔːh/ | ʔoŋ /ʔoŋ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | khaox /kʰauʔ/ | kaox /kʰauʔ/ | khoʼ /kʰoʔ/ | sʔɔːŋ /sʔɔːŋ/ | tiŋ he /tiŋ he/ | taŋhɔj /taŋhɔj/ | *ɟɕɨːʔ /ɟɕɨːʔ/ |
| Dog | sox /soʔ/ | soux /soʔ/ | souʼ /sɒʔ/ | sɔʔ /sɔʔ/ | sɔ /sɔ/ | sow /sow/ | *cɔː /cɔː/ |
| Cat | miao: /miau/ | miao /miau/ | mai /mai/ | mɛːw /mɛːw/ | ʔəŋaw /ʔəŋaw/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | kax /kaʔ/ | gax /kaʔ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | ka /kaː/ | kaː /kaː/ | *kaʔ /kaʔ/ |
| Bird | sim /sim/ | sim /sim/ | sany /saɲ/ | sim /sim/ | sim /sim/ | siːm /siːm/ | *ciːm /ciːm/ |
| Butterfly | pung piang /puŋ piaŋ/ | būng bīang /pṳŋ pi̤aŋ/ | mbung mbang /ᵐbuŋ ᵐbaŋ/ | tlaːmpaːm /tlaːmpaːm/ | kərla /kərla/ | — | — |
| Egg | tawm ia /tɔm ʔia/ | dom /tɔm/ | toum /tɒm/ | kədoŋ /kədoŋ/ | kadam /kaɗam/ | bəːn /bəːn/ | *ktam /ktam/ |
| Bear | krih /krih/ | grih /krih/ | khleh /kʰleh/ | huəl /huəl/ | — | — | — |
| Horse | brung /bruŋ/ | nbrūng /brṳŋ/ | — | — | brəŋ /brəŋ/ | — | — |
| House | nyiex /ɲiɛʔ/ | nyīex /ɲi̤ɛʔ/ | nyueaʼ /ɲɨa̯ʔ/ | gaːŋ /ɡaːŋ/ | gaŋ /ɡaŋ/ | — /—/ | *ɲaːʔ /ɲaːʔ/ |
| Milk | teeh /tɯih/ | deeih /tɯih/ | — | — | ʔom bu /ʔom bu/ | — | — |
| Honey | rawm hia /rɔm hia/ | rom hia /rɔm hia/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Salt | kih /kih/ | gīh /ki̤h/ | kih /kih/ | hmaar /hmaːr/ | sɔʔ /sɔʔ/ | — | *ɓɔːh /ɓɔːh/ |
| Wine | rawm plix siiet /rɔm pliʔ siat/ | rom blix siad /rɔm pliʔ siat/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rice | gaox /ɡauʔ/ | mgaox /ɡauʔ/ | — | ʰŋɔʔ /ʰŋɔʔ/ | — | — | *rŋkoːʔ /rŋkoːʔ/ |
| Iron | lhek /l̥ek/ | hleig /lʰek/ | hlaec /l̥ɛc/ | cndroh /cndroh/ | — | — | — |
| Wheel | ling: /liɲ/ | ling /liɲ/ | — | — | — /—/ | — | — |
| Silk | pre /pre/ | man brēi /man pre̤/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Book | phuk lai /pʰuk lai/ | pug lāi /pʰuk la̤i/ | — | pɨːm /pɨːm/ | boʔok /boʔok/ | — | — |
| Eat | ih /ʔih/ | ih /ʔih/ | som /som/ | mah /mah/ | hɔm /hɔm/ | hoːm /hoːm/ | *ɟaː /ɟaː/ |
| Drink | nyaux /ɲaɯʔ/ | nyāex /ɲa̤ɯʔ/ | nyoʼ /ɲoʔ/ | ʔɨək /ʔɨək/ | tiəŋ /tiəŋ/ | ʨoŋ /tɕoŋ/ | *ɲuʔ /ɲuʔ/ |
| Sleep | it /ʔit/ | id /ʔit/ | ʼac /ʔac/ | sih /sih/ | ʔit /ʔit/ | ɁiɁ /ʔiʔ/ | *ɓic /ɓic/ |
| One | tix /tiʔ/ | dīx /ti̤ʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | moj /moj/ | ʔu /ʔu/ | Ɂuː /ʔuː/ | *muːj /muːj/ |
| Two | ra /ra/ | ra /ra/ | lʼa /lᵊʔa/ | baar /baːr/ | ar /ʔar/ | Ɂaː /ʔaː/ | *ɓaːr /ɓaːr/ |
| Three | loe /lɤ/ | loui /loi/ | lʼoi /lᵊʔoj/ | peʼ /peʔ/ | ʼuai /ʔuaj/ | Ɂoj /ʔoj/ | *peʔ /peʔ/ |
| Four | pon /pon/ | boun /pon/ | paueng /paɨ̯ŋ/ | pon /pon/ | phon /pʰon/ | phon /pʰon/ | *punʔ /punʔ/ |
| Five | phuan /pʰuan/ | puan /pʰuan/ | phuan /pʰua̯n/ | — | phən /pʰən/ | — | *pɗam /pɗam/ |
| Hundred | yieh /jiɛh/ | yīeh /ʑi̤ɛh/ | ʼyuea /ʔᵊjɨa̯/ | — | pəriah /pəriah/ | — | — |
| Hello | nawp nawm /nɔp nɔm/ | nob nom /nɔp nɔm/ | — /—/ | lɔh /lɔh/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | bwanson /buan son/ | nbuan soun /buan son/ | kop khun /kop kʰun/ | ɔrkun /ʔɔrkun/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | mhawm /m̥ɔm/ | hmom /mʰɔm/ | mac /mac/ | ləʔ /ləʔ/ | laʔ /laʔ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| New | khraox /kʰrauʔ/ | kraox /kʰrauʔ/ | khroʼ /kʰroʔ/ | həmmeʔ /həmmeʔ/ | kənmɛ /kənmɛ/ | tamaːj /tamaːj/ | *tmeːʔ /tmeːʔ/ |
| Red | raoh /rauh/ | raoh /rauh/ | skhrak /sᵊkʰrak/ | jim /jim/ | kho /kho/ | — /—/ | *roːŋ /roːŋ/ |
| White | paing /paɲ/ | bāing /pa̤ɲ/ | ping /piŋ/ | klɔɔk /klɔːk/ | blɔʔ /blɔʔ/ | Ɂiluj /ʔiluj/ | *ɓɔːk /ɓɔːk/ |
| Black | lung /luŋ/ | lūng /lṳŋ/ | loang /lɔŋ/ | hiəŋ /hiəŋ/ | yim /jim/ | Ɂivɔŋ /ʔivɔŋ/ | *Cjoŋ /Cjoŋ/ |
| Green | klai /klai/ | glāi /kla̤i/ | snga /sᵊŋa/ | siw /siw/ | ɲər /ɲər/ | niɨ /niɨ/ | — |
| Cuckoo | eeppid /ʔɯp pit/ | eeb bīd /ʔɯp pi̤t/ | — | — | pək tuʔ /pək tuʔ/ | — | — |
| Tea | chax /tɕʰaʔ/ | qax /tɕʰaʔ/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coffee | kha: feue: /kʰa fɤi/ | ka feui /kʰa fɤi/ | — | — | khəpi /kʰəpi/ | — | — |
| Sugar | nam oi: /nam ʔɔi/ | nām oi /na̤m ʔɔi/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | tixdim dim /tiʔdim dim/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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