Proto-Uto-Aztecan
Proto-language (reconstructed) · historical / hidden variety
Proto-Uto-Aztecan is the reconstructed ancestor of the Uto-Aztecan family of western North America and Mexico (Nahuatl, Hopi, Comanche, Shoshone and others). It is usually placed in the US Southwest or northwestern Mexico around 3000–2500 BCE.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Proto-Uto-Aztecan
Water
*paʔ
/paʔ/
Fire
*na-
/na-/
Sun
*ta
/ta/
Moon
*mɨca
/mɨca/
Star
—
/—/
Mother
—
/—/
Father
—
/—/
I
*nɨ
/nɨ/
You
—
/—/
Name
*tewa
/tewa/
Eye
*pusi
/pusi/
Hand
*maʔ
/maʔ/
Heart
—
/—/
Love
—
/—/
Tree
—
/—/
House
*ki
/ki/
Dog
—
/—/
Cat
—
/—/
Eat
*kwaʔa
/kwaʔa/
Drink
—
/—/
One
*sɨmɨ
/sɨmɨ/
Two
*wo
/wo/
Hello
—
/—/
Thank you
—
/—/
Good
—
/—/
Sources
- Langacker (1977) Studies in Uto-Aztecan Grammar
- Stubbs (2011) Uto-Aztecan: A Comparative Vocabulary
Words compared
Compared with related Proto-language (reconstructed) languages
| Meaning | Proto-Uto-Aztecan | Meroitic | Iberian | Nicaraguan Sign Language | Tartessian | Liburnian | Proto-Hmong-Mien |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | *paʔ /paʔ/ | 𐦠𐦶 /ato/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | *ʔuwm /ʔuwm/ |
| Fire | *na- /na-/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Sun | *ta /ta/ | 𐦨𐦯 /ˈmasa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Moon | *mɨca /mɨca/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Star | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Mother | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Father | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| I | *nɨ /nɨ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| You | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Name | *tewa /tewa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Eye | *pusi /pusi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Hand | *maʔ /maʔ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Heart | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| House | *ki /ki/ | — /—/ | iltiŕ /iltir̥/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Dog | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Eat | *kwaʔa /kwaʔa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Drink | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| One | *sɨmɨ /sɨmɨ/ | — /—/ | ban /ban/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Two | *wo /wo/ | — /—/ | bi /bi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | *ʔwei /ʔwei/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
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