Pangcah
Amis
Austronesian (East Formosan)
Amis (Pangcah) is the largest of Taiwan's recognized indigenous Austronesian languages, spoken on the east coast in Hualien and Taitung. Verb-initial (VOS), with a focus system marking participant roles on the verb. Several major dialect clusters (Sakizaya, Northern, Central, Coastal, Southern Amis). Recognized as a national language under the 2017 Indigenous Languages Development Act.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Amis
Water
nanom
/nanom/
Fire
namal
/namal/
Sun
cidal
/tsiðal/
Moon
folad
/folað/
Mother
ina
/ina/
Father
ama
/ama/
Eat
komaen
/komaen/
Drink
minom
/minom/
Love
maolah
/maolah/
Heart
faloko'
/falokoʔ/
Tree
kilang
/kilaŋ/
House
loma'
/lomaʔ/
Dog
wacu
/watsu/
Cat
posi
/posi/
Hand
kamay
/kamaj/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hello
nga'ay ho
/ŋaʔaj ho/
Thank you
aray
/araj/
One
cecay
/tsetsaj/
Good
kapah
/kapah/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (East Formosan) languages
| Meaning | Amis | Sakizaya | Tao/Yami | Thao | Maranao | Old Tagalog | Bunun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nanom /nanom/ | nanum /nanum/ | ranom /ranom/ | nanum /nanum/ | ig /iɡ/ | ᜆᜓᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /tubiɡ/ | danum /danum/ |
| Fire | namal /namal/ | lamal /lamal/ | apuy /apuj/ | azpu /azpu/ | apoy /apoj/ | ᜀᜉᜓᜌ᜔ /apuj/ | sapuz /sapuz/ |
| Sun | cidal /tsiðal/ | cidal /tʃidal/ | araw /araw/ | fitulha /fituʎa/ | alongan /aloŋan/ | ᜀᜇᜏ᜔ /araw/ | vali /vali/ |
| Moon | folad /folað/ | ʔulalalalal /ʔulalal/ | vehan /vehan/ | lhmiat /ʎmiat/ | bolan /bolan/ | ᜊᜓᜏᜈ᜔ /buwan/ | buan /buan/ |
| Mother | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ᜁᜈ /ina/ | tina /tina/ |
| Father | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ᜀᜋ /ama/ | tama /tama/ |
| Eat | komaen /komaen/ | hekal /hekal/ | kuman /kuman/ | kuman /kuman/ | mangan /maŋan/ | ᜃᜁᜈ᜔ /kain/ | maun /maun/ |
| Drink | minom /minom/ | mihecak /mihetʃak/ | minum /minum/ | naqayan /naqajan/ | minom /minom/ | ᜁᜈᜓᜋ᜔ /inom/ | muqun /muqun/ |
| Love | maolah /maolah/ | kapah /kapah/ | makakdeng /makakdəŋ/ | suka /suka/ | kalimo /kalimo/ | ᜁᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /ibiɡ/ | madaidaz /madaidaz/ |
| Heart | faloko' /falokoʔ/ | gawang /ɡawaŋ/ | paso /paso/ | putul /putul/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ | ᜉᜓᜐᜓ /puso/ | is-ang /isaŋ/ |
| Tree | kilang /kilaŋ/ | kilang /kilaŋ/ | kayo /kajo/ | lhalum /ʎalum/ | kayo /kajo/ | ᜃᜑᜓᜌ᜔ /kahoj/ | kahu /kahu/ |
| House | loma' /lomaʔ/ | luma /luma/ | vahay /vahaj/ | kayan /kajan/ | walay /walaj/ | ᜊᜑᜌ᜔ /bahaj/ | lumaq /lumaq/ |
| Dog | wacu /watsu/ | waco /watʃo/ | ino /ino/ | atu /atu/ | aso /aso/ | ᜀᜐᜓ /aso/ | asu /asu/ |
| Cat | posi /posi/ | posi /posi/ | koving /koviŋ/ | posi /posi/ | pusa /pusa/ | ᜉᜓᜐ /pusa/ | ngingiyaw /ŋiŋijaw/ |
| Hand | kamay /kamaj/ | kamay /kamai/ | kamay /kamaj/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | ᜃᜋᜌ᜔ /kamaj/ | ima /ima/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | ᜋᜆ /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | nga'ay ho /ŋaʔaj ho/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | akokay /akokaj/ | ya /ja/ | kapian /kapijan/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜑᜌ᜔ /mabuhaj/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ |
| Thank you | aray /araj/ | lalumahan /lalumahan/ | ayoy /ajoj/ | mihu /mihu/ | salamat /salamat/ | ᜐᜎᜋᜆ᜔ /salamat/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ |
| One | cecay /tsetsaj/ | cacay /tʃatʃai/ | asa /asa/ | tata /tata/ | isa /isa/ | ᜁᜐ /isa/ | tasa /tasa/ |
| Good | kapah /kapah/ | kapah /kapah/ | mapia /mapia/ | kapah /kapah/ | mapia /mapija/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜆᜒ /mabuti/ | masial /masial/ |
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