Pyu
Sino-Tibetan (Pyu) · historical / hidden variety
Pyu was spoken by the Pyu City-States of central Burma (Sri Ksetra, Beikthano, Halin) from the 4th to 12th centuries. It is a Sino-Tibetan language whose precise affiliation within the family is debated. The Pyu script (a Brahmic abugida) is partially deciphered; vocabulary is largely confined to Buddhist inscriptions on stupas. Many entries here are tentative or unattested.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Pyu
Water
ʔuy
/uj/
Fire
vyaŋ
/wjaŋ/
Sun
ño
/ɲo/
Moon
hla
/hla/
Mother
na
/na/
Father
paʔ
/paʔ/
Eat
cyaʔ
/tɕaʔ/
Drink
—
/—/
Love
—
/—/
Heart
—
/—/
Tree
siŋ
/siŋ/
House
vaiŋ
/waiŋ/
Dog
kwiy
/kwij/
Cat
—
/—/
Hand
lak
/lak/
Eye
mik
/mik/
Hello
—
/—/
Thank you
—
/—/
One
te
/te/
Good
—
/—/
Words compared
Compared with related Sino-Tibetan (Pyu) languages
| Meaning | Pyu | Lardil | Yuchi | Kusunda | Yangkaal | Oscan | Umbrian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ʔuy /uj/ | kantha /kanθa/ | cha /tʃa/ | tang /tɑŋ/ | ngogo /ŋoɡo/ | — /—/ | utur /ˈu.tur/ |
| Fire | vyaŋ /wjaŋ/ | jalul /d͡ʒalul/ | tsoda /tsoda/ | yu /ju/ | ngida /ŋida/ | — /—/ | pir /pir/ |
| Sun | ño /ɲo/ | thurara /θuɾaɾa/ | dethla /dɛhla/ | nəm /nəm/ | wargu /waɾɡu/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Moon | hla /hla/ | kirdikir /kiɖikir/ | zethla /zɛhla/ | pom /pom/ | waldar /waldaɾ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Mother | na /na/ | ngama /ŋama/ | ahnʌh /ahnʌh/ | — /—/ | ngama /ŋama/ | maatúf /maːtof/ | matrer /ˈma.trer/ |
| Father | paʔ /paʔ/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ama /ama/ | kanda /kanda/ | patír /patiːr/ | patre /ˈpa.tre/ |
| Eat | cyaʔ /tɕaʔ/ | jitha /d͡ʒiθa/ | gʌ /ɡʌ/ | təim /təim/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Drink | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Heart | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | siŋ /siŋ/ | tungal /tuŋal/ | — /—/ | cigi /t͡siɡi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| House | vaiŋ /waiŋ/ | — /—/ | tsotʔa /tsotʔa/ | gepa /ɡepa/ | — /—/ | trííbúm /triːbom/ | — /—/ |
| Dog | kwiy /kwij/ | ngawu /ŋawu/ | shtsé /ʃtsɛ/ | agəi /aɡəi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Hand | lak /lak/ | marra /maɾa/ | — /—/ | gisi /ɡisi/ | — /—/ | manim /manim/ | manuv-e /ma.ˈnu.we/ |
| Eye | mik /mik/ | mela /mela/ | shela /ʃela/ | gam /ɡam/ | miibul /miːbul/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| One | te /te/ | kunngirr /kuŋŋir/ | hahgo /hahɡo/ | nu /nu/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | unu /ˈu.nu/ |
| Good | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
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