STEDT Etymon #1349
1.0 The Body > 1.9 Reproductive System > 1.9.5 Vagina
#1349 PTB *si(ŋ/k) VAGINA |
This etymon is also best attested in Himalayish, with some support from the NE Indian Areal Group, and perhaps from Qiangic.
For the moment it seems best to keep this set of forms distinct from #686 PTB *si(ŋ/k) MOUTH / LIP. In spite of the plausible phonosemantic association between these etyma, the reflexes are different in languages like Garo (Bangladesh), Kokborok, Bahing, Bantawa, and Chepang [qq.v.].
Evidence for a final velar consonant comes from Barish (especially Lalung), Hayu, and Kanauri.
Complicating the picture is the fact that in some languages the putative cognate is an open syllable that occurs as the second element of compounds with #668 PTB *pu VAGINA or #662 PTB *b(y)at VAGINA. In such forms, it is possible that the second syllable may actually represent #1019 PTB *sey FRUIT / ROSE / ROUND OBJECT. (Cf. e.g. Bantawa si ‘bear fruit’, Newar maa-si ‘vagina; breast; milk’, si ‘morpheme in fruit names’, Lahu cha-šī ‘vagina’.)
| rn | analysis | lgid | reflex | gloss | gfn | language | grpid | grpno | grp | genetic | citation | srcabbr | srcid | rn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55465 | 1349,662 | 803 | ši-paʔ | vagina | Kokborok | 80 | 1.7.1.1 | Bodo | 1 | Tripuri 88 | PT-Kok | 0 | ||
| 47743 | 1349 | 880 | sheʔ | vagina | Lalung [Tiwa] | 80 | 1.7.1.1 | Bodo | 1 | Balawan 65 | MB-Lal | 63 | 0 | |
| 145047 | 1349 | 581 | si | vagina | Garo (Bangladesh) | 81 | 1.7.1.2 | Garo | 1 | Burling 92 GaBa | RB-GB | 0 | ||
| 145048 | 1349 | 581 | si'- | vagina | Garo (Bangladesh) | 81 | 1.7.1.2 | Garo | 1 | Burling 92 GaBa | RB-GB | 0 | ||
| 145050 | 1349,m | 581 | si'-i | vagina | Garo (Bangladesh) | 81 | 1.7.1.2 | Garo | 1 | Burling 92 GaBa | RB-GB | 0 | ||
| 119908 | 1349,661 | 732 | s̱ẖik◦ts | vagina | Kanauri | 20 | 2.1.1 | Western Himalayish | 0 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 1 | ||
| 127803 | 1352,1349 | 436 | ti◦si | clitoris | Chantyal | 23 | 2.1.4 | Tamangish | 1 | Noonan 92 | NPB-ChanQ | 10.4.4 | 0 | |
| 126277 | 662,1349 | 1455 | ¹pit◦si | vagina | n | Tamang (Risiangku) | 23 | 2.1.4 | Tamangish | 1 | Mazaudon 91 TamQ | MM-TamRisQ | 10.4.1 | 2 |
| 119923 | 662,1349 | 1459 | ¹pi-ci | vagina | Tamang (Sahu) | 23 | 2.1.4 | Tamangish | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 8838 | 276,1349 | 1176 | pi◦ci | breast, milk; (euph.) vagina | Newar (Dolakhali) | 27 | 2.2 | Newar | 1 | Genetti 90 Dola | CG-Dolak | 0 | ||
| 296543 | 1349 | 1644 | siː | vagina | Yakha | 31 | 2.3.1 | Eastern Kiranti | 1 | Kohn 90 | TK-Yakha | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 51132 | 668,1349 | 327 | phu◦ci | vagina (baby talk) | Bantawa | 76 | 2.3.2 | Southern Kiranti | 1 | Rai 85 BnDs | NKR-Bant | 0 | ||
| 79552 | 668,1349 | 328 | phu◦ci | vagina / vulva | Bantawa | 76 | 2.3.2 | Southern Kiranti | 1 | Rai 84 BnDc | WW-Bant | 60 | 0 | |
| 79553 | 668,1349,661 | 328 | phu◦ci dhü | vagina | Bantawa | 76 | 2.3.2 | Southern Kiranti | 1 | Rai 84 BnDc | WW-Bant | 60 | 0 | |
| 119920 | 662,1349 | 301 | pi-si | vagina | Bahing | 30 | 2.3.4 | Western Kiranti | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 119911 | 668,1349 | 644 | pu-tsing | vagina | Hayu | 30 | 2.3.4 | Western Kiranti | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 3 | ||
| 66770 | 1352,1349 | 766 | ti◦siː | clitoris | Kham | 28 | 2.4 | Kham-Magar-Chepang | 1 | Watters 89 KhQ | DNW-KhamQ | 0 | ||
| 17880 | 668,1349 | 1325 | pʰo◦ʂ | vagina | Qiang (Yadu) | 34 | 3.2 | Qiangic | 1 | Dai 89 Qian | DQ-QiangN | 146 | 4 |
Notice the reduction of the vowel to zero in Kanauri ts.
Tamang ¹pit is of key importance in establishing the -t final for Himalayish.
Note the variation between final velar nasal and zero-final in the Hayu forms. See also the similar Hayu reflexes of #686 PTB *si(ŋ/k) MOUTH / LIP.
Qiang ʂ looks like the fused initial consonant of the second syllable of an original compound, descended from #1349 PTB *si(ŋ/k) VAGINA. Fusion of compounds into monosyllables is a striking characteristic of the Qiangic languages (e.g. Benedict 1983, “Qiang monosyllabization: a third phase in the cycle”, LTBA 7.2:113-4).