Sakizaya
Austronesian
Sakizaya is an Austronesian Formosan language of the East Formosan branch, recognized as Taiwan's 13th official aboriginal nation in 2007 after centuries of being classified within Amis (ami). The Sakizaya are the descendants of survivors of the 1878 Takobowan Massacre, when Qing forces destroyed the historic Takobowan settlement on the Hualien plain; survivors merged with Amis communities, resulting in the Sakizaya identity being linguistically and ethnically subsumed for ~125 years. The 2007 recognition came after sustained community advocacy, with the Sakizaya cultural revitalization through the annual Palamal harvest ceremony. Sakizaya retains distinct phonological features from Amis (vowel system, certain consonants) and unique vocabulary.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Sakizaya
Water
nanum
/nanum/
Fire
lamal
/lamal/
Sun
cidal
/tʃidal/
Moon
ʔulalalalal
/ʔulalal/
Mother
ina
/ina/
Father
ama
/ama/
Eat
hekal
/hekal/
Drink
mihecak
/mihetʃak/
Love
kapah
/kapah/
Heart
gawang
/ɡawaŋ/
Tree
kilang
/kilaŋ/
House
luma
/luma/
Dog
waco
/watʃo/
Cat
posi
/posi/
Hand
kamay
/kamai/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hello
marayas
/maɾajas/
Thank you
lalumahan
/lalumahan/
One
cacay
/tʃatʃai/
Good
kapah
/kapah/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian languages
| Meaning | Sakizaya | Amis | Thao | Puyuma | Tao/Yami | Bunun | Maranao |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nanum /nanum/ | nanom /nanom/ | nanum /nanum/ | enay /enai/ | ranom /ranom/ | danum /danum/ | ig /iɡ/ |
| Fire | lamal /lamal/ | namal /namal/ | azpu /azpu/ | apuy /apui/ | apuy /apuj/ | sapuz /sapuz/ | apoy /apoj/ |
| Sun | cidal /tʃidal/ | cidal /tsiðal/ | fitulha /fituʎa/ | kadaw /kadaw/ | araw /araw/ | vali /vali/ | alongan /aloŋan/ |
| Moon | ʔulalalalal /ʔulalal/ | folad /folað/ | lhmiat /ʎmiat/ | kuwalan /kuwalan/ | vehan /vehan/ | buan /buan/ | bolan /bolan/ |
| Mother | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | tina /tina/ | ina /ina/ |
| Father | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | tama /tama/ | ama /ama/ |
| Eat | hekal /hekal/ | komaen /komaen/ | kuman /kuman/ | kuman /kuman/ | kuman /kuman/ | maun /maun/ | mangan /maŋan/ |
| Drink | mihecak /mihetʃak/ | minom /minom/ | naqayan /naqajan/ | enpa /enpa/ | minum /minum/ | muqun /muqun/ | minom /minom/ |
| Love | kapah /kapah/ | maolah /maolah/ | suka /suka/ | ulaw /ulaw/ | makakdeng /makakdəŋ/ | madaidaz /madaidaz/ | kalimo /kalimo/ |
| Heart | gawang /ɡawaŋ/ | faloko' /falokoʔ/ | putul /putul/ | kalumetan /kalumetan/ | paso /paso/ | is-ang /isaŋ/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ |
| Tree | kilang /kilaŋ/ | kilang /kilaŋ/ | lhalum /ʎalum/ | kawi /kawi/ | kayo /kajo/ | kahu /kahu/ | kayo /kajo/ |
| House | luma /luma/ | loma' /lomaʔ/ | kayan /kajan/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | vahay /vahaj/ | lumaq /lumaq/ | walay /walaj/ |
| Dog | waco /watʃo/ | wacu /watsu/ | atu /atu/ | suwan /suwan/ | ino /ino/ | asu /asu/ | aso /aso/ |
| Cat | posi /posi/ | posi /posi/ | posi /posi/ | kating /katiŋ/ | koving /koviŋ/ | ngingiyaw /ŋiŋijaw/ | pusa /pusa/ |
| Hand | kamay /kamai/ | kamay /kamaj/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | kamay /kamaj/ | ima /ima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | marayas /maɾajas/ | nga'ay ho /ŋaʔaj ho/ | ya /ja/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | akokay /akokaj/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ | kapian /kapijan/ |
| Thank you | lalumahan /lalumahan/ | aray /araj/ | mihu /mihu/ | kasapakan /kasapakan/ | ayoy /ajoj/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ | salamat /salamat/ |
| One | cacay /tʃatʃai/ | cecay /tsetsaj/ | tata /tata/ | sa /sa/ | asa /asa/ | tasa /tasa/ | isa /isa/ |
| Good | kapah /kapah/ | kapah /kapah/ | kapah /kapah/ | mauruway /mauɾuwai/ | mapia /mapia/ | masial /masial/ | mapia /mapija/ |
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