I'm afraid I skipped over all the grammars, concentrating only on the lexicon.
For reference, the full names of the languages and their creators:
I respelled the words as I was copying them, partly to downplay dissimilarities due to different spelling conventions, but mostly so I could use my Maraille font throughout. Maraille doesn't have àèìòù, which is why these become āēīōū in Mao. It also doesn't have æ, so I wrote ae instead. This may have been a mistake, since it makes it look too much like ao.
I also put aside the net of borrowings that you all worked so hard on. :) A few came in anyway and caused some trouble.
The next stage was to analyze initial consonants, then medials, then vowels, looking for correspondence sets.
Next, I looked through the correspondence sets, seeing if they could be related, and assigning proto-phonemes.
Then, I went through the initials/medials/vowels again, comparing the cognate sets to the reconstructed forms; this is where things started to feel like they were coming together.
Below you can see my spreadsheets, with the reconstructed forms. With each correspondence set I put the reconstruction and sound changes, and I've added some notes on my reasoning.
ENGLISH THOK MUTS MAO ZELE PROTO CHANGES CHINESE ear itta ?ita īzā ida lead (vb) îtte iinda īndä night utta ûta uda 1s a aē ey smell îhe īošy imši and u y` ü blow une unu unu breath, wind uhiphi ūšipí roazh ? ušipi huxi carry upe āopy` uwp? chest mpu āopú never uhôhap ūúšae uhušay smooth ûhamyu isāmīo üsamyu strong unî āonyš uwni thin ume ūma umä throat wî āowyš wiš ... ... 0
some gimsuh giusūš neafuri gimsuh Thok g → k bone ku gu gú gu Thok g → kh / _i gu root kunam guuna gunao gūnam genben lie down, rest komô gwuh gaomūš gomuš Zele g → y / _i love khîṫe ktsan gitšaē yizã gitzan Zele g → h otherwise? fly kome gaomā home gomä k g g h, y, n bite kâ kajoh kalāoš káyaw Thok k → kh / _i mountain ke kae key hill kejdi kaezí keydi steal kejpuns kaépyš keypuš new kahake khaxa? kašága kašageh hand, year ksah kazāš kazaš horn ku kú ku winter kû ku?û kulú kuyu crops kôhi kuhsi kus kussi spirit kwi kuu ky` kwe gui herd kuni kuunii kylí kūnyī nut, seed kuxî kxam kumC brother kakam kxan kakam month, moon kyumi kyywi kiomi kyumi mouth ka kāoš kaw kou fall kaheṫe kašaētīo kašeyt- suck kapâ kamá kabá four kata kazā kada five katâhi azāš kada-ši six katâhihwi zāšys kada-šišwe seven katâṫe kataé kada-tey eight katâṫyu (īka) kada-dyu nine katâṫîhi āgazāš kada-di-ši ten katâṫîhihwi gašys kada-di-šišwe eleven katâṫîṫe zātaé kada-di-tey cold kuṫyô kutšūlū kuzeyu kutzuh temple kuha kūpas kupa priest kuhu kū kuhu woman khîphî kiispy kispio kīspü light khikîtû kigiozi kigüdü k k k k follow xêṫe kanta kant- Thok k → x / _FCC gensui ? man xêma kemma kaomao 'husband' kemmaw heavy xemîtû kaemiozī keymītü x k k
I'm not sure what's going on with Thok's x— it seems to occur only in checked syllables with front vowels, but there's not really enough instances to be sure.
Say, how did Chinese get there? I noticed a few glaring borrowings, notably mao and kou. So I looked up every word to see if there were more. I'm sure I missed more.
wheat mâta mata máza matazh máda no changes! - fur ma me mao maw mao hear, listen mîṫe mets matsīo mesea metsew flax maṫi metsi matsi metsi small mimatû mi mī mi tail mipa mifa mipā mipa rain mim mii mio mīm family miintsu mytsú measuhi mīntsu sheep mima miiwa mima mimazhi mīma water mîkhi mimki miogí meakihi mimki eye mu mu mú mu - clothes mwipa mûfa mupā mepazh mwepa argue mwitâ mûsa? mutá mwetah think mwîṫû mûtsi? mutsí mwetsü mushroom muhu muuhu mú mūšu mother mama mwa ma mama grass minam mwina mināo minam minam sit mome mwun maomy` momun face myumyu mywyh miomīoš myumyus mian m m m m person nam na nao nam nam autumn nahupu nesufu nasumú nesubu do ne 'be' ni ni nï spring nihipa niisifa nizipá nīzipa green nime nin nināo nã ninen want nittû nit nizīo nidu- summer nofa naomaē nobäy sew nwihe nûs nusīo nwese cow nona nynoh non? give nysa? niotá nyuta turn nattô nazāo nadaw noodle nayu nalū nayu tie nû nuwī nuwi pull nyô nizīo nidum ? n n n n
drink i lio yi Thok y → 0 pine jasuwy lásuwy yasuwi Muts y → j, û before u black uttû juuti? ludī yūdih Mao y → l rice nyaki njax lāgī yagi kick û lū yu deer uka ûxa lukā 'reindeer' yuka lu feather uma lumāo yumaw yumao fear ohe joh yoše 0 nj, j, 0 l if ?wu? ūmú wumuh Thok w → 0 earth, dirt uhî uuho?o wušāowá wūšowo flow uunsa wysāo wūnsaw Muts w → u / _u star uni wejnih waniš benir weniš bad an wen wanu van wen Zele w → b (/ v) wolf wîhî wiatsu wíatsū boabun wihatsü freeze wûwi? wumí wumih dig ahô ys wīs wüs garden îčî wyty wintü (yin)dao dog îhî wyš wuš 0, w w, 0 w b, v
'Rice' doesn't fit in much and I suspect it's a borrowing.
*w was easier, since it's retained in two languages, and in three medially.
'Wolf' is just a mess wherever it shows up.
hair pa pá pa Thok p → f / _ï beautiful ipa pa?a palā paya Thok p → ph / _ī,u, ü sand pah pāš par paš Ind. pasir few pimô piiwu pimu pīmuh house nêpaha psa pasaē pasay say ôtâ (?) psa? pazá pota podah long psoh pusāoš pusaws breast, chest pômî puhmun pušmyš pušmin fish pumu pwu pumy` pumu many pomî pwun paomy pomü but pahu py?o? wū climb pâhâ pasaēš pasay pa call pyutâ piotá pyutá brother púaswī arm fêpam piipaw pípao pïmpam back fêpu pípū pibuzh pïmpu nose phîṫi piitsi pitší pītzi sow phîṫâ ptsun putsyš putsun bozhong skin phînî puunnis pynis pūnnis p p p p
shine čîmâ hap āma šama Thok š → 0 laugh hihe haxih āšišā šašïše (xiao) happy ku hex āku šeku Muts š → h (yukuai, xingfu) flower onam hjona ālaonāo šayonam Jp. hana? horse uha hyha āoša šuwša Mao š → 0 + length on a cliff hemna aoná šemna live ixe hexa aēkā reke šeykä fox wiṫî hu?ytsim šwetsim (huli) kill wihâ hûsam ysaoš šwesa shasi young uhu huuhu šūhu die wime hwun ymy remoa šwemo xiaomo often ihehyô aešae rer šeysu red (pe) hafa? āmā rapa šabeh sun, day, east (pa) hefa āma rabazhi šeba ri west (phî) hefa?ii rababuhi šebahī fire hefatsa amatsá rabasahi šebatse hot (paṫû) hefatsi? āmatsi rabasi šebatsih re warm (kape) hexafa? āgamā ragapa šegabeh heart im īo šim xin two ihwi īšys šišwe 0 h : r good ?i ši Not enough to base s.t. on eat si? ši chi beetle sosiwi šūšípi foshibi 'locust Can't be cognates, medials don't fit. Borrowing right se á se Thok s → 0 snake xata seh āš seš cloud pu sepu āpú sepu Mao s → : other sesa āza shazhi sazä all sesowo āzāwáo sezowo south khim sexi āgio segim Zele s → f / _u left (dir) sii í sī otherwise → sh lion îthi siitsi sītsi north ikhim siixi īgio shigimi sīgim see îtû simti? iotí sheati simtih bear child sintsih ytšiš sintzi wash ûhe sis ís süs- wrist wam so?on āowaē sowan louse sufimsin ūpīos supims- sleep, dream upû sufuf ūmū fufub subub hate uhâ suha? ūšá sušah mouse uhu sus 'rat' fush sus tongue ôta suut útao sūtaw bug yuhi sysi iozīo syuzü play sysi? īosí syusih fog, mist sysimma iomā syusimma well, mine ṫwihi tssi saēšis 'mine' seyši 0 s 0 sh
*s is easier, especially given the medial set h/s/s/š. Medially there's evidence for *z, but if there was initial *z it's merged with *s.
By the way, north/south are obviously derivatives of left/right.
'Beetle' is tantalizingly close to reconstructible (perhaps *sosipi), but Mao doesn't fit. So somebody's borrowing.
Similarly, I can't make anything of 'good' and 'eat'; not enough data.
far to ta tā taw Zele t → ts vomit tâṫô tatsuh tatšūš tatzuš fight taxeh takaēš takeyš Thok t → t / _e, ä head ta te tao taw (except 'head') tou so that te? tá teh Thok ts → č / _un lentil tophî tfinh topinš daughter tii ti tī sky twam tiihen tílae tīyen tian drop tja taelāo tayaw pea to?uu taowú towu go tohe tos taozāo tsoshã tozam slow tome towa? taoma tomeh come tsun tiosy` tyusun knee twîtham tts tytsāo twetsam child ṫêṫi ttsi tatsi tetsi leg tu tu ty` tuy tui seed tyam tû?e tylāo tweyam belly twî tû?iih tylīš tweyī duzi stop twixe tûk tygīo tseyea tswegim enemy tuts tutā tut- spit tôṫô tutsuh tútšūš tutzuš tutan take tume twin tumy` tumi near tyu ty tī tyü fast tyume tywa? tioma tyumeh 2s tu tú tu girl tyukam tiokāo tyukam three ṫe te taé tey twelve tôkata taéga tey-kada compare ṫehâ tesa? taesá teysah sing ṫêṫamâ ttsawa? tatšāmá sumazhi totzámah egg ṫênwam taenūwaē teynuwan dan ? son te ta te white čîmê tunmam tymao tunmäm snow čîmî tuunmam tymáo tūnmam t t t ts who suu zu sū ? Thok d → tt (exc. 'know' ṫ) swim ttahapû tsafi? zapí dasafih know ṫêṫâ ttsa? zaotšā toza dowtzah Muts d → t before lost vowel zhidao ? silver fêṫuma zumao dumaw hit ttatô zatūš tatu datuh da Mao d → z father ttatta data zašā dada Zele d → t sea duu zú tuzh dū river ttwiku dûûxu zugú dwegu tt d, ts, s z t
I'm not very confident in that *d. The medials are no help: the distinction from *t is lost except for Mao, which has z. I reconstructed *z at first; but *d seems to fit the phonological facts better— the reflexes are almost all dental stops, and *d → t seems a little more plausible than *z → t. And when it seems clear that there was a *g, then I'd rather expect *b, *d as well.
neck ṫîpu ( hy?uun ) tsikamá Thok ts → ṫ copper tsnohi tsunūi tsunohi hide tsamm tsaomī tsammi wing ṫêpam tsišpāo tsišpam chibang squeeze ṫahe tsah tsašāo tsašew Zele ts → t zhaqu ash (paṫâ)ṫačî tsaty tsazy tsadi smoke ṫattyu tsazío tsadī elbow ṫêṫu tsotsu tsaotsú tsowtsu zhou hunt ṫokû tsox tsaokīo tsokü zhuigan tree ṫonam tsna tsaonāo tsonam branch ṫopi tsfi tsaopí tsopi sister ṫêṫam tsan tsatsae toza tsotsay jiejie guts ṫêmi tsemmi tsaomi tsemmi forest tse tsao tsaw then tse tsaē tsey fat tjems tsipaē tseyp- finger tsii tsi tsī (shou)zhi sharp ṫe tsy tsï frog tsimho tsiošwā tsimšV foot ṫu tsu tsú tsu jiao pig tsuutsu tsú tsū zhu stone ṫuma tsuuwa tsuma tsūma pick ṫipô tsfuh tsipuš ugly ṫînu tsuunv tsynu tsūšu blood ṫûṫi tsiitsi tsutsï farm tsuntin tsyzyš tsuntu beech ṫwî tsy?uun tswehun ? ṫ ts ts t cut tsuhkin tšušky` tzuškin See medials: def. phonemic or ṫahu tsa tša tza- throw ṫohî tssams tšaosāos tzosams bird ṫîphî tsiifi tšímī tzībī metal ṫumaxa tšimaetú tzümayt- split ṫômô tsuhma tšušmāo tzušmaw ṫ ts tš
The medials make it clear that some sort of constrast with *ts is going on: Mao has ts vs. tš and Zele has s vs. z. Consider *tz to be just a recognition of the contrast without much attempt to define it. It could equally well be *tš or *dz or *dž.
ENGLISH THOK MUTS MAO ZELE PROTO CHINESE CHANGES new kahake khaxa? kašága kašageh Thok g → k light khikîtû kigiozi kigüdü Thok g → kh / _i (exc. 'rice') rice nyaki njax lāgī lagi Thok g → x / _e ?? warm kape hexafa? āgamā ragapa šegabeh south khim sexi āgio segim Muts g → x north ikhim siixi īgio shigimi sīgim stop twixe tûk tygīo tseyea tswegim Zele g → y / _i (exc. 'north') river ttwiku dûûxu zugú zwegu k x g g, y live ixe hexa aēkā reke šeykä Thok k → x /_ä fight taxeh takaēš takeyš hunt ṫokû tsox tsaokīo tsokü zhuigan Muts k → x girl tyukam tiokāo tyukam deer uka ûxa lukā 'reindeer' yuka lu brother kakam kxan kakam happy ku hex āku šeku twelve tôkata taéga tey-kada k x k k
We saw Zele g → y with the initials as well, though I'm quite hazy on the exact condition.
priest kuhu kū kuhu Muts h → ? after y but pahu py?o? wū p?hu young uhu huuhu šūhu Mao h → 0 eat si? ši ših chi copper tsnohi tsunūi tsunohi so that te? tá teh wolf wîhî wiatsu wíatsū boabun wihatsü h ? 0 bite kâ kajoh kalāoš káyaw () yao? Thok y → 0 exc. seed, noodle winter kû ku?û kulú kuyu Muts y → ? noodle nayu nalū nayu but sometimes → j beautiful ipa pa?a palā paya Mao y → l drop tja taelāo tayaw sky twam tiihen tílae tīyen tian (similar to initials) seed tyam tû?e tylāo tweyam belly twî tû?iih tylīš tweyī duzi flower onam hjona ālaonāo šayonam beech ṫwî tsy?uun tsweyun ? 0 ?, y l all sesowo āzāwáo sezowo Thok w → 0 adjacent to u pine jasuwy lásuwy yasuwi tie nû nuwī nuwi egg ṫênwam taenūwaē teynuwan dan ? throat wî āowyš wiš w w w earth, dirt uhî uuho?o wušāowá wūšowo Muts owV → o?V wrist wam so?on āowaē sowan wanzi pea to?uu taowú towu w ? w argue mwitâ mûsa? mutá mwetah Thok h# → ^ say ôtâ (?) psa? pazá pota podah exc. eh# → e hate uhâ suha? ūšá sušah compare ṫehâ tesa? taesá teysah Muts h# → ? know ṫêṫâ ttsa? zaotšā toza dowtzah zhidao ? sing ṫêṫamâ ttsawa? tatšāmá sumazhi totzámah Mao h# → | red pe hafa? āmā rapa šabeh exc. ej# → ā or a warm kape hexafa? āgamā ragapa šegabeh new kahake khaxa? kašága kašageh Zele h# → 0 slow tome towa? taoma tomeh fast tyume tywa? tioma tyumeh hot paṫû hefatsi? āmatsi rabasi šebatsih Could also be -y or -w!! black uttû juuti? ludī yūdih think mwîṫû mûtsi? mutsí mwetsih see îtû simti? iotí sheati simtih play sysi? īosí syusih swim ttahapû tsafi? zapí dasafih freeze wûwi? wumí wumih if ?wu? ūmú wumuh ^ ?# | 0
*y was discussed above. At least *y makes 'sky' *tīyen, closer to tian than *tīlen would be.
*w is fairly straightforward. If we had more data, we might get a more likely-sounding condition on Muts w → ?.
The last set could be various things. As we'll see, Thok's circumflexed vowels often indicate something elided, but doesn't say what it was. Muts's ? could be anything. Mao usually has a compensatory high tone, though again this doesn't tell us what was lost. I picked *h because it more or less matches the first set, but it could also be *w or *y or God knows what. But I did reconstruct diphthongs elsewhere, and they normally didn't generate a ? in Muts.
sheep mima miiwa mima mimazhi mīma Muts m → w many pomî pwun paomy pomü few pimô piiwu pimu pīmuh fish pumu pwu pumy` pumu die wime hwun ymy remoa šwemo xiaomo sing ṫêṫamâ ttsawa? tatšāmá totzámah stone ṫuma tsuuwa tsuma sumazhi tsūma take tume twin tumy` tumi freeze wûwi? wumí wumih if ?wu? ūmú wumuh metal ṫumaxa tšimaetú tzümayt- thin ume ūma umä smooth ûhamyu isāmīo üsamyu feather uma lumāo yumaw yumao silver fêṫuma zumao dumaw fly kome gaomā home gomä lie down, rest komô gwuh gaomūš gomuš sit mome mwun maomy` momun month, moon kyumi kyywi kiomi kyumi slow tome towa? taoma tomeh fast tyume tywa? tioma tyumeh face myumyu mywyh miomīoš myumyus mian m w m m root kunam guuna gunao gūnam genben Muts -m → 0 (exc. 'arm') rain mim mii mio mīm grass minam mwina mināo minam minam Mao -m → -o person nam na nao (agentive) nam nam arm fêpam piipaw pípao pïmpam flower onam hjona ālaonāo šayonam north ikhim siixi īgio shigimi sīgim egg' is odd egg ṫênwam taenūwaē teynuwan dan ? tree ṫonam tsna tsaonāo tsonam girl tyukam tiokāo tyukam heavy xemîtû kaemiozī keymītü brother kakam kxan kakam wing ṫêpam tsišpāo tsišpam chibang m# 0# o# m# nut, seed kuxî kxam kumC water mîkhi mimki miogí meakihi mimki Thok mC → ^C man xêma kemma kaomao 'husband' kemmaw face myumyu miomīoš myumyu Mao mC → oC fog, mist sysimma iomā syusimma hide tsamm tsaomī tsammi guts ṫêmi tsemmi tsaomi tsemmi cliff hemna aoná šemna Zele imC → eaC throw ṫohî tssams tšaosāos tzosams (C → f in neafuri) louse sufimsin ūpīos supims- some gimsuh giusūš neafuri gimsuh frog tsimho tsiošwā tsimšV smell îhe īošy imši see îtû simti? iotí sheati simtih ^C mC oC aC shine čîmâ hap āma
Final *m is more of a puzzle. Mao has a bunch of ao, which I've ended up tracing to three separate sources: *aw, *o, *m. Why not all the same? Largely because we actually see the final m in Thok, Zele, and (before a consonant) Muts; where we don't, I reconstructed *aw or *o.
The protolanguage doesn't seem to have tolerated many medial clusters, but there was plenty of evidence for *mC, *nC, *sC. It soon became clear that Muts had kept the medial nasal clusters, Thok replaced them with a circumflex on the previous vowel, Mao turned them into o, and Zele into a. Maybe I was primed to see consonant → o changes since I'd used them in Fáralo!
I left 'shine' in just to show that I didn't know what to do with it. None of the consonants really fit an existing pattern; very likely this isn't a cognate set at all.
root kunam guuna gunao gūnam genben no change grass minam mwina mināo minam cow nona nynoh non? muniu flower onam hjona ālaonāo šayonam egg ṫênwam taenūwaē teynuwan dan ? tree ṫonam tsna tsaonāo tsawnam copper tsnohi tsunūi tsunohi ugly ṫînu tsuunv tsynu tsūšu blow une unu unu strong unî āonyš uwni bad an wen wanu van wen star uni wejnih waniš benir weniš herd kuni kuunii kylí kūnyī n n n n love khîṫe ktsan gitšaē yizã gitzan Thok n# → ^ (but → 0 for e) come tsun tiosy` tyusun Mao n# → -V, but lost after u green nime nin nināo nã ninen Zele n# → ~ sow phîṫâ ptsun putsyš putsun bozhong wrist wam so?on āowaē sowan wanzi sky twam tiihen tílae tīyen tian cut tsuhkin tšušky` tzuškin breast, chest pômî puhmun pušmyš pušmin 0 n V ~ lead (vb) îtte iinda īnde (yin)dao Thok nC → ^C (but e doesn't → ê) follow xêṫe kanta kant- gensui ? garden îčî wyty wintü farm tsuntin tsyzyš tsuntu snow čîmî tuunmam tymáo tūnmam Mao nC → C and vowel → y white čîmê tunmam tymao tunmäm skin phînî puunnis pynis pūnnis pi Zele inC → eaC bear child sintsih ytšiš sintzi but → s here; cf. neafuri above family miintsu mytsú measuhi mīntsu lentil tophî tfinh topinš flow uunsa wysāo wūnsaw ^C nC C aC
I'm not sure what's happening with Thok wam and twam— perhaps these changed randomly to -m. If we had more examples a pattern might emerge.
steal kejpuns kaépyš keypuš Thok p → ph / _i temple kuha kūpas kupa spirit house cloud pu sepu āpú sepu Muts p → f carry upe āopy` uwp? but not where previous Mao vowel chest mpu āopú has a tone! arm fêpam piipaw pípao pïmpam back fêpu pípū pibuzh pïmpu tail mipa mifa mipā mipa weiba clothes mwipa mûfa mupā mepazh mwepa spring nihipa niisifa nizipá nīzipa louse sufimsin ūpīos supims- lentil tophî tfinh topinš branch ṫopi tsfi tsaopí tsopi pick ṫipô tsfuh tsipuš swim ttahapû tsafi? zapí dasafih fat tjems tsipaē tseyp- p f p p, b beetle sosiwi šūšípi foshibi 'locust Thok b → p suck kapâ kamá kabá Thos b → ph / _ī autumn nahupu nesufu nasumú nesubu summer nofa naomaē nobäy Muts b → f red pe hafa? āmā rapa šabeh Mao b → m sun, day, east pa hefa āma rabazhi šeba ri ? west phî hefa?ii rababuhi šebahī fire hefatsa amatsá rabasahi šebatse Zele s.t. → p instead hot paṫû hefatsi? āmatsi rabasi šebatsih warm kape hexafa? āgamā ragapa šegabeh re bird ṫîphî tsiifi tšímī tzībī sleep, dream upû sufuf ūmū fufub subub p f m b, f
The second set was a puzzle. Where'd that m come from in Mao? For awhile I considered *mp; but the pattern is unlike anything that happens with other *mC. *b seems warranted by Zele, and also fits in with having a *g, above. And *b → m for Mao seems plausible.
Nonetheless Zele doesn't really have p/b in the pattern I'd expect. Rapa for 'red' is hard to explain.
'Beetle', as noted before, just doesn't fit in; not all the words can be cognates.
pine jasuwy lásuwy yasuwi Thok s → h autumn nahupu nesufu nasumú nesubu s.t. with ^ before ...or after! sew nwihe nûs nusīo nwese climb pâhâ pasaēš pasayC pa Zele s → sh house nêpaha psa pasaē pasay long psoh pusāoš pusaws kill wihâ hûsam ysaoš šwesa shasi mouse uhu sus 'rat' fush sus play sysi? īosí syusih compare ṫehâ tesa? taesá teysah wash ûhe sis ís süs- xi ? smooth ûhamyu isāmīo üsamyu dig ahô ys wīs wüs come tsun tiosy` tyusun throw ṫohî tssams tšaosāos tzosams one uhô sí usü ^h s s sh crops kôhi kuhsi kus kussi woman khîphî kiispy kispio kīspü Thok sC → ^C ^p sp sp, šp all sesowo āzāwáo sezowo Thok z → h hand, year ksah kazāš kazaš Muts z → s spring nihipa niisifa nizipá nīzipa Zels z → zh (exc. 'go') other sesa āza shazhi sazä go tohe tos taozāo tsoshã tozam bug yuhi sysi iozīo syuzü pull nyô nizīo nidum ? swim ttahapû tsafi? zapí dasafih h s z š, ž
It seems like clusters *sC were allowed too, though for some reason there aren't many of them.
In the second set, both Mao and Zele suggest that the difference from *s is one of voicing. It could have been something else, but if no there's no evidence what it could be.
five katâhi azāš kada-ši six katâhihwi zāšys kada-šišwe ten katâṫîhihwi gašys kada-zi-ši often ihehyô aešae rer šeysu two ihwi īšys šišwe fall kaheṫe kašaētīo kašeyt- sand pah pāš par paš laugh hihe haxih āšišā šašïše horse uha hyha āoša šuwša snake xata (?) seh āš seš she ? Thok š → h hate uhâ suha? ūšá sušah fight taxeh takaēš takeyš Muts š → h never uhôhap ūúšae uhušay š → x / a_, ä_ breath, wind uhiphi ūšipí roazh ? ušipi star uni wejnih waniš benir weniš Zele š → r dog îhî wyš wuš earth, dirt uhî uuho?o wušāowá wūšowo new kahake khaxa? kašága kašageh laugh hihe haxih āšišā šašïše squeeze ṫahe tsah tsašāo tsašew mushroom muhu muuhu mú mūšu mogu fear ohe joh yoše vomit tâṫô tatsuh tatšūš tatzuš h h š r well, mine ṫwihi tssi saēšis 'mine' seyši jingshui ? h s š cut tsuhkin tšušky` tzuškin breast, chest pômî puhmun pušmyš pušmin split ṫômô tsuhma tšušmāo tzušmaw wing ṫêpam tsišpāo tsišpam chibang ^C hC šC
'Well, mine' is probably a red herring— none of the consonants, initials or medials, really fit.
give nysa? niotá nyuta seven katâṫe kataé katey call pyutâ piotá pyutá tongue ôta suut útao sūtaw shetou metal ṫumaxa tšimaetú tzümayt- enemy tuts tutā tut- eleven katâṫîṫe zātaé dátey hit ttatô zatūš tatu datuh da t t t t five katâhi azāš (k)adáš Muts d → s when Mao has á after... four kata kazā kada else d → t hill kejdi kaezí keydi Mao d → z light khikîtû kigiozi kigüdü Zele d → t wheat mâta mata máza matazh máda say ôtâ (?) psa? pazá pota podah Thok d → t exc. → ṫ before _i eight katâṫyu īka kada-dyu nine katâṫîhi āgazāš kada-di-ši ash (paṫâ)ṫačî tsaty tsazy tsadi t t z t turn nattô nazāo nadaw smoke ṫattyu tsazío tsadī want nittû nit nizīo nidu- night utta ûta uda father ttatta data zašā dada Thok d → tt black uttû juuti? ludī yūdih except sometimes it's t or č! ear itta ?ita īzā ida tt t z
It looks like *d → t or tt randomly in Thok. On the other hand, four instances of the first set are really one word, *kada 'four', 'ash' is yet another reflex, *c, and 'say' is weird anyway because of its lost initial. That leaves just 3 clear instances of *d → t: kata, khikîtû, mâta. I still can't see a pattern, but it makes *d → tt predominate.
flax maṫi metsi matsi metsi Thok ts → ṫ hear, listen mîṫe mets matsīo mesea metsew exc. 'lion' think mwîṫû mûtsi? mutsí mwetsih sow phîṫâ ptsun putsyš pütsün bozhong Zele ts → s (exc. toza) hot paṫû hefatsi? āmatsi rabasi šebatsih (boabun is very weird) fire hefatsa amatsá rabasahi šebatse fox wiṫî hu?ytsim šwetsim y lion îti siitsi sītsi shizi child ṫêṫi ttsi tatsi tetsi zi elbow ṫêṫu tsotsu tsaotsú tsowtsu zhou sister ṫêṫam tsan tsatsae toza tsotsay jiejie blood ṫûṫi tsiitsi tsutsï knee twîṫam tts tytsāo twetsam wolf wîhî wiatsu wíatsū boabun wihatsü family miintsu mytsú measuhi müntsu ṫ ts ts s love khîṫe ktsan gitšaē yizã gitzan Thok tz → ṫ cold kuṫyô kutšūlū kuzeyu kutzuh Muts tz → ts nose phîṫi piitsi pitší pītzi Mao tz → tš sing ṫêṫamâ ttsawa? tatšāmá totzáma Zele tz → z vomit tâṫô tatsuh tatšūš tatzuš spit tôṫô tutsuh tútšūš tutzuš tutan Could be dz or tš as well. know ṫêṫâ ttsa? zaotšā toza dowtzah zhidao ? bear child sintsih ytšiš sintzi ṫ ts tš z
Looking at them again, I realized that I was paying too much attention to Mao. The other three fit in pretty well with a five-vowel system. And once that was sorted out, some of the other correspondence sets melted together.
The tables below are for the first vowel in the word only; restricting the analysis to these made the data much more tractable. I started a spreadsheet for the later vowels; but looking it over, it didn't seem that a full analysis would add much that I didn't already know.
ENGLISH THOK MUTS MAO ZELE PROTO CHANGES CHINESE father ttatta data zašā dada swim ttahapû tsafi? zapí dasafih hit ttatô zatūš tatu datuh da suck kapâ kamá kabá four kata kazā kada five katâhi azāš kada-ši six katâhihwi zāšys kada-šišwe seven katâṫe kataé kada-tey eight katâṫyu īka kada-dyu nine katâṫîhi āgazāš kada-di-ši ten katâṫîhihwi gašys kada-di-šišwe eleven katâṫîṫe zātaé kada-di-tey brother kakam kxan kakam new kahake khaxa? kašága kašageh fall kaheṫe kašaētīo kašeyt- bite kâ kajoh kalāoš káyaw hand, year ksah kazāš kazaš mother mama mwa ma mama turn nattô nazāo nadaw noodle nayu nalū nayu house nêpaha psa pasaē pasay climb pâhâ pasaēš pasay pa sand pah pāš par paš Ind. pasir beautiful ipa pa?a palā paya other sesa āza shazhi sazä red (pe) hafa? āmā rapa šabeh shine čîmâ hap āma šama laugh (hihe) haxih āšišā šašïše (xiao) flower (onam) hjona ālaonāo šayonam Jp. hana? fight taxeh takaēš takeyš child ṫêṫi ttsi tatsi tetsi vomit tâṫô tatsuh tatšūš tatzuš drop tja taelāo tayaw ash (paṫâ)ṫačî tsaty tsazy tsadi smoke ṫattyu tsazío tsadī squeeze ṫahe tsah tsašāo tsašew zhaqu or ṫahu tsa tša tza- rice nyaki njax lāgī yagi wheat mâta mata máza matazh máda - hair pa pá pa pine jasuwy lásuwy yasuwi a a a a chest mpu āopú a + consonant hide tsamm tsaomī tsammi Thok: an → ê person nam na nao nam nam follow xêṫe kanta kant- gensui ? aC aC ao am
We see most of the numbers here. The grammarians of Muts and Zele seem to be my least favorite type: those that leave out the numerals. And Mao's numbers are very worn down, to the point that it wasn't clear what consonants and vowels were left, compared with the Thok forms. Examining them separately, I saw that 4-12 were built on a simple pattern all from *kada 'four'. 5-7 are just conjoints of 4 and 1-3; 8-11 add another element -dyu/di in between; and 12 is just 'three-four', *tey-kada.
I can't say I've figured out where all of Mao's tones come from. I note in the sound changes column when I've found a pattern— for instance, when initial *s is lost, the next vowel gets a high tone.
By the way, scanning these sets, don't be misled by the missing vowels in Muts. In the vowels spreadsheet I changed the background color of these so they stand out. I'm not sure when Muts loses the vowel
far to ta tā taw Muts/Mao aw → a o a a o Thok aw → o mouth ka kāoš kaw Thok aw → a or o kou fur ma me mao maw T/M/M aw → a/e/ao mao forest tse tsao tsaw Could be *ew, but I'm too head ta te tao taw seduced by that 'mao' tou a e ao
The next set can also be distinguished from *o, whose Thok and Muts reflexes are both *o. The original must be more frontal; *ew is possible too. The Mandarin words all shout out that it's a diphthong.
flax maṫi metsi matsi metsi Thok e → a autumn nahupu nesufu nasumú nesubu exc. if there's an ^ sun, day, east (pa) hefa āma rabazhi šeba then it remains ê west (phî) hefa?ii rababuhi šebahī fire hefatsa amatsá rabasahi šebatse Mao e → a hot (paṫû) hefatsi? āmatsi rabasi šebatsih warm (kape) hexafa? āgamā ragapa šegabeh Zele e → a exc. in benir right se á se but 'star' is odd in Thok and cloud (pu) sepu āpú sepu Muts as well! snake xata seh āš seš all sesowo āzāwáo sezowo south (khim) sexi āgio segim Thok 'hear' has weird î happy (ku) hex āku šeku (yukuai, xingfu) son te ta te so that te? tá teh bad an wen wanu van wen hear, listen mîṫe mets matsīo mesea metsew a e a a cliff hemna aoná šemna e + consonant here man xêma kemma kaomao 'husband' kemmew
guts ṫêmi tsemmi tsaomi tsemmi star uni wejnih waniš benir weniš ê eC ao
'son' and 'so that' are a minimal pair for something, though it's not clear what. :)
mountain ke kae key Thok, Zele ey → e hill kejdi kaezí keydi Thok has some oddities heavy xemîtû kaemiozī keymītü steal kejpuns kaépyš keypuš Muts ey → e exc. before a stop well, mine ṫwihi tssi saēšis 'mine' seyši live ixe hexa aēkā reke šeykä Mao ey → ae often ihehyô aešae rer šeysu three ṫe te taé tey fat' may not be cognate twelve tôkata taéga tey-kada 3'-'4' egg ṫênwam taenūwaē teynuwan dan ? compare ṫehâ tesa? taesá teysah Thok has a difference too so then tse tsaē tsey it does seem diff. from e fat tjems tsipaē tseyp- ey' is just a convenient guess 1s a aē ey e e ae e
love khîṫe ktsan gitšaē yizã gitzan ear itta ?ita īzā ida heart im īo šim xin two ihwi īšys šišwe pick ṫipô tsfuh tsipuš light khikîtû kigiozi kigüdü grass minam mwina mināo minam minam tail mipa mifa mipā mipa want nittû nit nizīo nidu- green nime nin nināo (nã) ninen pull (nyô) nizīo nidum ? throat wî āowyš wiš drink i lio yi neck ṫîpu ( hy?uun ) tsikamá small mimatû mi mī mi wolf wîhî wiatsu wíatsū boabun wihatsü i i i i smell îhe īošy imši i + consonant see îtû simti? iotí sheati simtih some gimsuh giusūš neafuri gimsuh rain mim mii mio mīm water mîkhi mimki miogí meakihi mimki frog tsimho tsiošwā tsimšV wing ṫêpam tsišpāo tsišpam chibang family miintsu mytsú measuhi mīntsu bear child sintsih ytšiš sintzi garden îčî wyty wintü (yin)dao woman khîphî kiispy kispio kīspü lead (vb) îtte iinda īndä î iC io, y ea
nose phîṫi piitsi pitší pītzi lion îthi siitsi sītsi bird ṫîphî tsiifi tšímī tzībī arm fêpam piipaw pípao pïmpam back fêpu pípū pibuzh pïmpu sheep mima miiwa mima mimazhi mīma spring nihipa niisifa nizipá nīzipa few pimô piiwu pimu pīmuh daughter tii ti tī left (dir) sii í sī north ikhim siixi īgio shigimi sīgim finger tsii tsi tsī (shou)zhi sky twam tiihen tílae tīyen tian sharp ṫe tsy tsï do ne 'be' ni ni nï i î ê ... ii i i
fly kome gaomā home gomä lie down, rest komô gwuh gaomūš gomuš Muts o → 0 / not sure when sit mome mwun maomy` momun summer nofa naomaē nobäy Mao o → ao many pomî pwun paomy pomü slow tome towa? taoma tomeh Muts 'cow' is weird pea to?uu taowú towu prob. suffixed or s.t. go tohe tos taozāo tsoshã tozam hunt ṫokû tsox tsaokīo tsokü If Thok gets a^ zhuigan tree ṫonam tsna tsaonāo tsonam then o → ê branch ṫopi tsfi tsaopí tsopi (only 'elbow'; dunno fear ohe joh yoše what's lost, maybe w!) lentil tophî tfinh topinš wrist wam so?on āowaē sowan wan cow nona nynoh non? sister ṫêṫam tsan tsatsae toza tsotsay jiejie o o, 0 ao o elbow ṫêṫu tsotsu tsaotsú tsowtsu ow = o in all but Thok zhou throw ṫohî tssams tšaosāos tzosams know ṫêṫâ ttsa? zaotšā toza dowtzah zhidao ? sing ṫêṫamâ ttsawa? tatšāmá sumazhi totzámah say ôtâ (?) psa? pazá pota podah ê o, 0 ao, a o
As the sound changes column notes, when any of these words have a circumflex in Thok the vowel is ê rather than ô. But the circumflex usually indicates missing material, and what was lost here? Hard to say, but *ow at least gives something to lose, and relates *tsowtsu to Mandarin zhou.
who suu zu sū ? Thok: if ^ due to elision root kunam guuna gunao gūnam then u → î genben young uhu huuhu šūhu pig tsuutsu tsú tsū Can't see any cond. factors zhu earth, dirt uhî uuho?o wušāowá wūšowo so I assume ū is original sea duu zú tuzh dū Goes to u in all but Muts. tongue ôta suut útao sūtaw shetou black uttû juuti? ludī yūdih Mao u → y after unvoiced stone ṫuma tsuuwa tsuma tsūma (but also after 2 of 3 w!) mushroom muhu muuhu mú mūšu mogu ugly ṫînu tsuunv tsynu tsūšu herd kuni kuunii kylí kūnyī dog îhî wyš wuš sow phîṫâ ptsun putsyš putsun bozhong skin phînî puunnis pynis pūnnis ū + cons. flow uunsa wysāo wūnsaw snow čîmî tuunmam tymáo tūnmam u uu u u
The Mao u/y alternation worried me a lot. It suggests umlaut, but that doesn't account for wysāo or tymáo. Here and in some other sets it looks like the conditioning factor is the voicelessness of the preceding consonant (except for tsuma).
winter kû ku?û kulú kuyu Generally u remains. tie nû nuwī nuwi If Thok gets a^ blood ṫûṫi tsiitsi tsutsï then u → ô bone ku gu gú gu gu horn ku kú ku priest kuhu kū kuhu Oddities: temple kuha kūpas kupa Thok û in 3 words crops kôhi kuhsi kus kussi Thok čîmê cold kuṫyô kutšūlū kuzeyu kutzuh Muts û in 3 words kick û lū yu Mao tones deer uka ûxa lukā 'reindeer' yuka Mao y in 3 words lu feather uma lumāo yumaw yumao eye mu mu mú mu - fish pumu pwu pumy` pumu long psoh pusāoš pusaws breast, chest pômî puhmun pušmyš pušmin cut tsuhkin tšušky` tzuškin split ṫômô tsuhma tšušmāo tzušmaw foot ṫu tsu tsú tsu jiao copper tsnohi tsunūi tsunohi enemy tuts tutā tut- 2s tu tú tu spit tôṫô tutsuh tútšūš tutzuš tutan thin ume ūma umä if ?wu? ūmú wumuh sleep, dream upû sufuf ūmū fufub subub blow une unu unu louse sufimsin ūpīos supims- hate uhâ suha? ūšá sušah breath, wind uhiphi ūšipí roazh ? ušipi never uhôhap ūúšae uhušay freeze wûwi? wumí wumih silver (fê)ṫuma zumao dumaw nut, seed kuxî kxam kumC mouse uhu sus 'rat' fush sus night utta ûta uda take tume twin tumy` tumi u u u u farm tsuntin tsyzyš tsuntu u + cons. white čîmê tunmam tymao tunmäm î uC yC
leg tu tu ty` tuy tui and u y` ü metal ṫumaxa tšimaetú tzümayt- wash ûhe sis ís süs- smooth ûhamyu isāmīo üsamyu dig ahô ys wīs wüs u i y i y strong unî āonyš uwni carry upe āopy` uwp? horse uha hyha āoša šuwša u y ao
The next few words are a grab bag of inexplicables: something that goes to *u in Thok and *i or *y in the others. *ü is just a possibility.
The remaining words are another odd puzzle; I don't think there's enough data to really see what's going on.
argue mwitâ mûsa? mutá mwetah Thok tyam lost it entirely think mwîṫû mûtsi? mutsí mwetsih sew nwihe nûs nusīo nwese Muts we → û river ttwiku dûûxu zugú zwegu but u in hu?ytsim, kuu clothes mwipa mûfa mupā mepazh mwepa and → 0 in 2 words fox wiṫî hu?ytsim šwetsim (huli) beech ṫwî tsy?uun tswehun ? Mao we → u belly twî tû?iih tylīš tweyī but → y after unvoiced duzi stop twixe tûk tygīo tseyea tswegim die wime hwun ymy remoa šwemo Zele we → e xiaomo kill wihâ hûsam ysaoš šwesa shasi spirit kwi kuu ky` kwe gui knee twîtham tts tytsāo twetsam seed tyam tû?e tylāo tweyam wi û u e
Of course, how is it we have *wi but very little *we, *wa, *wo? Maybe we do, but the patterns just weren't as striking.
month, moon kyumi kyywi kiomi kyumi Muts yu → y face myumyu mywyh miomīoš myumyus 'month' is oddly yy mian give nysa? niotá nyuta call pyutâ piotá pyutá Mao yu → io play sysi? īosí syusih finally, → ī girl tyukam tiokāo tyukam fast tyume tywa? tioma tyumeh near tyu ty tī tyü fog, mist sysimma iomā syusimma bug yuhi sysi iozīo syuzü come tsun tiosy` tyusun yu y io
Again, it's a little odd not to see clear parallels *ya, *ye, etc.