Tayal
Atayal
Austronesian (Atayalic)
Atayal (Tayal) is the principal Northern Formosan language of mountainous northern Taiwan, spoken by ~85K with ~10K daily L1 users. Recognized as one of Taiwan's 16 indigenous Austronesian languages. Two main dialects: Squliq (more conservative, basis of standard) and C'uli'. Notable for facial-tattoo (ptasan) tradition marking adulthood (banned by Japanese colonial administration 1913). The reduplicative-rich verbal morphology and Austronesian focus-marking system of Atayal are central evidence in Formosan-as-homeland hypotheses.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Atayal
Water
qsya'
/qsijaʔ/
Fire
puniq
/puniq/
Sun
wagi'
/waɡiʔ/
Moon
byacing
/bjatʃiŋ/
Mother
yaya'
/jajaʔ/
Father
yaba'
/jabaʔ/
Eat
maniq
/maniq/
Drink
mqwalax
/mqwalax/
Love
kmalu inlungan
/kmalu inluŋan/
Heart
nyux
/njux/
Tree
qhuniq
/qhuniq/
House
ngasal
/ŋasal/
Dog
huzil
/huzil/
Cat
ngiyaw
/ŋijaw/
Hand
qba'
/qbaʔ/
Eye
roziq
/roziq/
Hello
lokah
/lokah/
Thank you
mhuway
/mhuwaj/
One
qutux
/qutux/
Good
blaq
/blaq/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Atayalic) languages
| Meaning | Atayal | Truku/Seediq | Kaqchikel | Minangkabau | Iban | North Moluccan Malay | Ixil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | qsya' /qsijaʔ/ | qsiya /qsija/ | yaʼ /jaʔ/ | aia /aia/ | ai /ai/ | aer /aer/ | aʼ /aʔ/ |
| Fire | puniq /puniq/ | puniq /puniq/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | tzaʼ /tsaʔ/ |
| Sun | wagi' /waɡiʔ/ | hidaw /hidaw/ | qʼij /qʼix/ | matoari /matoaɾi/ | mata-ari /mataari/ | matahari /matahari/ | qʼii /qʼiː/ |
| Moon | byacing /bjatʃiŋ/ | idas /idas/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | ich /itʃ/ |
| Mother | yaya' /jajaʔ/ | bubu /bubu/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | amak /amaʔ/ | indai /indai/ | mama /mama/ | naʼ /naʔ/ |
| Father | yaba' /jabaʔ/ | tama /tama/ | tataʼ /tataʔ/ | abak /abaʔ/ | apai /apai/ | papa /papa/ | baʼ /baʔ/ |
| Eat | maniq /maniq/ | meekan /meekan/ | waʼin /waʔin/ | makan /makan/ | makai /makai/ | makang /makaŋ/ | tzaʼbʼi /tsaʔɓi/ |
| Drink | mqwalax /mqwalax/ | mimah /mimah/ | kumun /kumun/ | minum /minum/ | ngirup /ŋirup/ | minong /minoŋ/ | ucha /utʃa/ |
| Love | kmalu inlungan /kmalu inluŋan/ | gmalu /ɡmalu/ | ajowabʼäl /axowaɓəl/ | cinto /tʃinto/ | rinduai /rinduai/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | kuxhewchʼa /kuʃewtʃʼa/ |
| Heart | nyux /njux/ | lnglungan /lŋluŋan/ | anima /anima/ | ati /ati/ | ati /ati/ | hati /hati/ | vatzʼ /vatsʼ/ |
| Tree | qhuniq /qhuniq/ | qhuni /qhuni/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | kayu /kaju/ | kayu /kaju/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ | tze /tse/ |
| House | ngasal /ŋasal/ | sapah /sapah/ | jay /xaj/ | rumah /ɾumah/ | rumah /rumah/ | ruma /ruma/ | kabʼal /kaɓal/ |
| Dog | huzil /huzil/ | huling /huliŋ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | anjiang /aɲdʒiaŋ/ | ukui /ukui/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | txʼiʼ /tʃʼiʔ/ |
| Cat | ngiyaw /ŋijaw/ | ngiyaw /ŋijaw/ | mes /mes/ | kuciang /kutʃiaŋ/ | mayau /majau/ | ikung /ikuŋ/ | mees /meːs/ |
| Hand | qba' /qbaʔ/ | baga /baɡa/ | qʼaʼ /qʼaʔ/ | tangan /taŋan/ | jari /dʒari/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ |
| Eye | roziq /roziq/ | dowriq /dowriq/ | bʼaqʼ wach /ɓaqʼ watʃ/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | vusal /vusal/ |
| Hello | lokah /lokah/ | malu /malu/ | utz iwäch /uts iwætʃ/ | salam /salam/ | salam /salam/ | cerang /tʃeraŋ/ | nimaʼla kuxhewchʼa /nimaʔla kuʃewtʃʼa/ |
| Thank you | mhuway /mhuwaj/ | mhuway /mhuwaj/ | matyox /matjoʃ/ | tarimo kasiah /taɾimo kasiah/ | terima kasih /terima kasih/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | tantixh /tantiʃ/ |
| One | qutux /qutux/ | kingal /kiŋal/ | jun /xun/ | ciek /tʃieʔ/ | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ | jun /hun/ |
| Good | blaq /blaq/ | malu /malu/ | utz /uts/ | rancak /ɾantʃaʔ/ | manah /manah/ | bae /bae/ | utzʼ /utsʼ/ |
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