Pinuyumayan
Puyuma
Austronesian
Puyuma (Pinuyumayan) is one of the smallest and most divergent of the Formosan Austronesian languages, the primary branch of Austronesian within the indigenous languages of Taiwan. Puyumic stands separately from other Formosan branches (Atayalic, Tsouic, Paiwanic, Rukaic, etc.), making Puyuma significant for Austronesian historical linguistics — it preserves features lost elsewhere. Spoken by ~3,000 Puyuma people in eight villages of the Beinan area near Taitung in southeast Taiwan. Cultural traditions include the Mangmahut hunting ritual and the Mangayaw plain-dwelling community structure, which is matrilineal — distinctive among Taiwanese aboriginal groups (most are patrilineal).
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Puyuma
Water
enay
/enai/
Fire
apuy
/apui/
Sun
kadaw
/kadaw/
Moon
kuwalan
/kuwalan/
Mother
ina
/ina/
Father
ama
/ama/
Eat
kuman
/kuman/
Drink
enpa
/enpa/
Love
ulaw
/ulaw/
Heart
kalumetan
/kalumetan/
Tree
kawi
/kawi/
House
ruma
/ɾuma/
Dog
suwan
/suwan/
Cat
kating
/katiŋ/
Hand
lima
/lima/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hello
marayas
/maɾajas/
Thank you
kasapakan
/kasapakan/
One
sa
/sa/
Good
mauruway
/mauɾuwai/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian languages
| Meaning | Puyuma | Tao/Yami | Old Tagalog | Paiwan | Tausug | Maranao | Mandar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | enay /enai/ | ranom /ranom/ | ᜆᜓᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /tubiɡ/ | zaljum /zaɭum/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | ig /iɡ/ | uai /uai/ |
| Fire | apuy /apui/ | apuy /apuj/ | ᜀᜉᜓᜌ᜔ /apuj/ | sapuy /sapui/ | kayu /kaju/ | apoy /apoj/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | kadaw /kadaw/ | araw /araw/ | ᜀᜇᜏ᜔ /araw/ | qadaw /qadaw/ | adlaw /adlaw/ | alongan /aloŋan/ | mata allo /mata alːo/ |
| Moon | kuwalan /kuwalan/ | vehan /vehan/ | ᜊᜓᜏᜈ᜔ /buwan/ | qiljas /qiɭas/ | bulan /bulan/ | bolan /bolan/ | bulang /bulaŋ/ |
| Mother | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ᜁᜈ /ina/ | kina /kina/ | inaꞌ /inaʔ/ | ina /ina/ | indo /indo/ |
| Father | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ᜀᜋ /ama/ | kama /kama/ | amaꞌ /amaʔ/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ |
| Eat | kuman /kuman/ | kuman /kuman/ | ᜃᜁᜈ᜔ /kain/ | keman /kəman/ | kaun /kaʔun/ | mangan /maŋan/ | ma'ande /maʔande/ |
| Drink | enpa /enpa/ | minum /minum/ | ᜁᜈᜓᜋ᜔ /inom/ | temekel /təməkəl/ | minum /minum/ | minom /minom/ | minung /minuŋ/ |
| Love | ulaw /ulaw/ | makakdeng /makakdəŋ/ | ᜁᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /ibiɡ/ | nasaqaqa /nasaqaqa/ | lasa /lasa/ | kalimo /kalimo/ | mappinawa /mapːinawa/ |
| Heart | kalumetan /kalumetan/ | paso /paso/ | ᜉᜓᜐᜓ /puso/ | varung /vaɾuŋ/ | pusuꞌ /pusuʔ/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ | ate /ate/ |
| Tree | kawi /kawi/ | kayo /kajo/ | ᜃᜑᜓᜌ᜔ /kahoj/ | kasiw /kasiw/ | kahuy /kahuj/ | kayo /kajo/ | kaju /kaju/ |
| House | ruma /ɾuma/ | vahay /vahaj/ | ᜊᜑᜌ᜔ /bahaj/ | umaq /umaq/ | bāy /baːj/ | walay /walaj/ | boyang /bojaŋ/ |
| Dog | suwan /suwan/ | ino /ino/ | ᜀᜐᜓ /aso/ | vatu /vatu/ | iruꞌ /iruʔ/ | aso /aso/ | asu /asu/ |
| Cat | kating /katiŋ/ | koving /koviŋ/ | ᜉᜓᜐ /pusa/ | ngiaw /ŋiaw/ | kuting /kutiŋ/ | pusa /pusa/ | mio /mio/ |
| Hand | lima /lima/ | kamay /kamaj/ | ᜃᜋᜌ᜔ /kamaj/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | ᜋᜆ /mata/ | maca /matsa/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | marayas /maɾajas/ | akokay /akokaj/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜑᜌ᜔ /mabuhaj/ | masalu /masalu/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | kapian /kapijan/ | salama' ma'ondong /salamaʔ maʔondoŋ/ |
| Thank you | kasapakan /kasapakan/ | ayoy /ajoj/ | ᜐᜎᜋᜆ᜔ /salamat/ | masalu /masalu/ | magsukul /maɡsukul/ | salamat /salamat/ | kuru' sumanga' /kuɾuʔ sumaŋaʔ/ |
| One | sa /sa/ | asa /asa/ | ᜁᜐ /isa/ | ita /ita/ | isa /isa/ | isa /isa/ | mesa /mesa/ |
| Good | mauruway /mauɾuwai/ | mapia /mapia/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜆᜒ /mabuti/ | nguanguaq /ŋuaŋuaq/ | marayaw /marajaw/ | mapia /mapija/ | macoa /matʃoa/ |
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