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
31 core words in Amis
Water
nanom
/nanom/
Fire
namal
/namal/
Sun
cidal
/tsiðal/
Moon
folad
/folað/
Star
fo'is
/foʔis/
Mother
ina
/ina/
Father
ama
/ama/
I
kako
/kako/
You
kiso
/kiso/
Name
ngangan
/ŋaŋan/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hand
kamay
/kamaj/
Heart
faloko'
/falokoʔ/
Love
maolah
/maolah/
Tree
kilang
/kilaŋ/
House
loma'
/lomaʔ/
Dog
wacu
/watsu/
Cat
posi
/posi/
Eat
komaen
/komaən/
Drink
minom
/minom/
One
cecay
/tsetsaj/
Two
tosa
/tosaʔ/
Hello
nga'ay ho
/ŋaʔaj ho/
Thank you
aray
/araj/
Good
kapah
/kapah/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (East Formosan) languages
| Meaning | Amis | Sakizaya | Tao/Yami | Maranao | Thao | Old Tagalog | Bunun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nanom /nanom/ | nanum /nanum/ | ranom /ranom/ | ig /iɡ/ | nanum /nanum/ | ᜆᜓᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /tubiɡ/ | danum /danum/ |
| Fire | namal /namal/ | lamal /lamal/ | apuy /apuj/ | apoy /apoj/ | apuy /apuj/ | ᜀᜉᜓᜌ᜔ /apuj/ | sapuz /sapuz/ |
| Sun | cidal /tsiðal/ | cidal /tʃidal/ | araw /araw/ | alongan /aloŋan/ | fitulha /fituʎa/ | ᜀᜇᜏ᜔ /araw/ | vali /vali/ |
| Moon | folad /folað/ | bulad /bulad/ | vehan /vehan/ | bolan /bolan/ | furaz /fuɾað/ | ᜊᜓᜏᜈ᜔ /buwan/ | buan /buan/ |
| Star | fo'is /foʔis/ | bo'is /boʔis/ | vituen /vituən/ | bito-on /bitoʔon/ | fitu'ish /fituʔiʃ/ | ᜊᜒᜆᜓᜁᜈ᜔ /bituʔin/ | bintuhan /bintuhan/ |
| 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/ |
| I | kako /kako/ | zaku /ʐaku/ | yaken /jakən/ | ako /ako/ | yaku /jaku/ | ᜀᜃᜓ /ako/ | saikin /saikin/ |
| You | kiso /kiso/ | kisu /kisu/ | imo /ʔimo/ | seka /sɵka/ | ihu /ʔihu/ | ᜁᜃᜏ᜔ /ikaw/ | suu /suʔu/ |
| Name | ngangan /ŋaŋan/ | ngangan /ŋaŋan/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | tanan /tanan/ | ᜅᜎᜈ᜔ /ŋalan/ | ngaan /ŋaan/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | maca /maθa/ | ᜋᜆ /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hand | kamay /kamaj/ | kamay /kamai/ | kamay /kamaj/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | ᜃᜋᜌ᜔ /kamaj/ | ima /ima/ |
| Heart | faloko' /falokoʔ/ | gawang /ɡawaŋ/ | paso /paso/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ | putul /putul/ | ᜉᜓᜐᜓ /puso/ | is-ang /isaŋ/ |
| Love | maolah /maolah/ | maolah /maolah/ | makakdeng /makakdəŋ/ | kalimo /kalimo/ | suka /suka/ | ᜁᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /ibiɡ/ | madaidaz /madaidaz/ |
| Tree | kilang /kilaŋ/ | kilang /kilaŋ/ | kayo /kajo/ | kayo /kajo/ | lhalum /ʎalum/ | ᜃᜑᜓᜌ᜔ /kahoj/ | kahu /kahu/ |
| House | loma' /lomaʔ/ | luma /luma/ | vahay /vahaj/ | walay /walaj/ | kayan /kajan/ | ᜊᜑᜌ᜔ /bahaj/ | lumaq /lumaq/ |
| Dog | wacu /watsu/ | waco /watʃo/ | ino /ino/ | aso /aso/ | atu /atu/ | ᜀᜐᜓ /aso/ | asu /asu/ |
| Cat | posi /posi/ | posi /posi/ | koving /koviŋ/ | pusa /pusa/ | posi /posi/ | ᜉᜓᜐ /pusa/ | ngingiyaw /ŋiŋijaw/ |
| Eat | komaen /komaən/ | hekal /hekal/ | kuman /kuman/ | mangan /maŋan/ | kuman /kuman/ | ᜃᜁᜈ᜔ /kain/ | maun /maun/ |
| Drink | minom /minom/ | mihecak /mihetʃak/ | minum /minum/ | minom /minom/ | naqayan /naqajan/ | ᜁᜈᜓᜋ᜔ /inom/ | muqun /muqun/ |
| One | cecay /tsetsaj/ | cacay /tʃatʃai/ | asa /asa/ | isa /isa/ | tata /tata/ | ᜁᜐ /isa/ | tasa /tasa/ |
| Two | tosa /tosaʔ/ | tusa /tusa/ | doa /doa/ | dowa /dowa/ | tusha /tuʃa/ | ᜇᜎᜏ /dalaˈwa/ | dusa /dusa/ |
| Hello | nga'ay ho /ŋaʔaj ho/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | akokay /akokaj/ | kapian /kapijan/ | ya /ja/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜑᜌ᜔ /mabuhaj/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ |
| Thank you | aray /araj/ | lalumahan /lalumahan/ | ayoy /ajoj/ | salamat /salamat/ | mihu /mihu/ | ᜐᜎᜋᜆ᜔ /salamat/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ |
| Good | kapah /kapah/ | kapah /kapah/ | mapia /mapia/ | mapia /mapija/ | kapah /kapah/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜆᜒ /mabuti/ | masial /masial/ |
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