STEDT
Kinship Terms, Ethnonyms, Social Roles  ›  Groups  ›  Generic person terms
STEDT #1002

*r-mi(y)-n

PERSON / MAN
Proto-Peripheral Chin

Reconstruction analysis

handlemi-ninitialmrhymei-nsuffixncoverM · VN

Intermediate reconstructions

Tani*miː ‘MAN (homo)’JS-HCST: 113
Kuki-Chin*mii ‘PERSON / MAN / PEOPLE’PKC #779
Central Naga (Ao Group)*a-[h]məjʔ ‘PERSON, HUMAN’PCN #102
Tangkhulic*mi ‘MAN / HUMAN’DRM#671
Northern Naga/Konyakian*C̥-məy ‘MAN (generic)’
Tamangish*ᴬmi ‘MAN’

Connections

HPTB (PTB)*r-mi(y)-n ‘man / person’pp. 81, 88, 118, 201, 449

Notes

The *-n suffix (a morpheme signifying collectivity, according to Benedict, STC n. 428, pp. 157-8) is attested in Written Burmese and Chinese.

This morpheme frequently occurs as first element in compounds signifying body part terms (e.g., in Mzieme, Zeme, Magar).

It also occurs as final element in names of Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups (e.g., Prinmi, Thangmi, Khumi, Xumi), and as first element in such names as well (e.g., Mizo, Mikir, Mishing, Miji). In this respect, it is similar to #5632 PTB *su ⪤ *s-lu WHO / INDEF PRONOUN / REMOTE 3RD PERS..

Chinese comparandum

民 OC *mi̯ən ~ mi̯ĕn, GSR #457a ‘people’; Schuessler 2007:386 *min; B & S 2011: *miŋ {mi[ŋ]}; Mand. mín

Reflexes & cognates337 reflexes · 37 subgroups

0.1Tibeto-Burman (previously published reconstructions)2

*Tibeto-Burmanr-mi(y) ‘man (homo)’Chou 72: 457a-b
*Tibeto-Burmanr-mi(y)-n ‘man / person’Matisoff 03 HPTB: 602

1.1.1Tani1

*Tanimiː ‘man (homo)’Sun J 93 HCST: 250

1.1.1.1Western Tani9

Apatanimju < /mi-ju/ ‘man (homo)’Sun J 93 HCST
Bengniñiː ‘man (homo)’Sun J 93 HCST
Bengniñiː ‘person’Sun J 93 Tani
Bengniñiː mɯŋmorpheme-rumorpheme-bumorpheme ‘enemy’Sun J 93 Tani
Bokarmiː ‘man (homo)’Sun J 93 HCST
Bokarmiː ‘others’Sun J 93 Tani
Bokarmiː n‘human being’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0167.24
Bokarmiː pron‘other person(s)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0941.24

1.1.2Deng1

Idumi◦simorpheme ‘life’Pulu 78

1.2Kuki-Chin1

*Chinmii ‘PERSON / MAN / PEOPLE’VanBik 09 PKC: 779

1.2.1.1Northern Chin3

Thadomîi ‘person, man’VanBik 09 PKC: 779
Tiddimmi¹ hing² ‘people’VanBik 09 PKC: 779

1.2.1.2Southern Plains Chin3

Ashomi-üˊ n‘race, tribe’VanBik 09 PKC: 779
Cho (Mindat)pamorpheme-mi ‘man’VanBik 09 PKC: 779
Khumikhúmorpheme◦mii ‘person, human’VanBik 09 PKC: 779

1.2.2Central Chin4

Lai (Hakha)mìi ‘person, man, mankind, people’VanBik 09 PKC: 779
Lai (Falam)mîi ‘person, man’VanBik 09 PKC: 779
Lushai [Mizo]mî n‘person, a man, people’VanBik 09 PKC: 779

1.3“Naga” Areal Group5

Maringhmi ‘man’Brown 37 Indo
Maringhmi ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Maringthaprefix◦mi ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Maringthaprefix◦mi ‘person’Marrison 67 Naga

1.3.1Central Naga (Ao Group)10

*Central Nagaaprefix-[h]məjʔ ‘PERSON, HUMAN’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.102
*Ao(aprefix-)məjʔ ‘PERSON’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.226
Ao (Chungli)ni²suŋ²morpheme n.‘person’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.226
Ao (Chungli)nü ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Ao (Mongsen: Longchang)aprefix◦mi ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Ao (Mongsen: Mangmetong)[a]prefix-miʔ n.‘person’Coupe 07 Ao
Sangtamaprefix◦mü◦imorpheme tsumorpheme◦rüsuffix ‘human’Kumar 73 Sang
Yimchungrümih◦tsümorpheme◦rüsuffix ‘human’Kumar 73 Yim: 81

1.3.2Angami-Pochuri Group27

Angami Naga²theprefix¹mie ‘man’Weidert 87 TBTo: 809
Chokrimi◦pünmorpheme ‘man (male)’Marrison 67 Naga
Chokrizhokromorpheme◦mi ‘servant’Marrison 67 Naga
Khezhaemorpheme◦mi ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Khezhakemorpheme◦themorpheme◦mi ‘servant’Marrison 67 Naga
Melurini ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Ntenyiaprefix◦nye ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Ntenyiaprefix◦nye ‘person’Marrison 67 Naga
Ntenyiaprefix◦nye◦nzamorpheme n‘woman’Marrison 67 Naga
Ntenyiaprefix◦nye◦thumorpheme ‘people’Marrison 67 Naga
Ntenyiketsamorpheme◦nye ‘thief’Marrison 67 Naga
Ntenyime◦shumorpheme ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Rengmateprefix◦mi ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Rengmateprefix◦mi ‘person’Marrison 67 Naga
Rengmateprefix◦mi◦dangmorpheme ‘people’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]akisüghemorpheme◦mi ‘neighbor’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]akimorpheme◦mi ‘husband’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]aprefix◦kemorpheme◦mi ‘slave’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]aprefix◦khemorpheme◦mi ‘servant’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]kolamorpheme◦mi ‘foreigner’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]kologhamorpheme◦mi ‘leper’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]mughemorpheme◦mi ‘orphan’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]tiprefix◦mi ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]tiprefix◦mi ‘people’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]tiprefix◦mi ‘person’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]¹aprefix¹timorpheme²limorpheme-¹mi ‘grandchild’Weidert 87 TBTo: 112

1.3.3Zeme Group103

Khoiraomi ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦bakerang ‘finger’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦bangua ‘wrist’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦banzungpui ‘thumb’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦bung◦pui ‘belly’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦gei ‘skin’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦gu ‘belly’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦kang ‘friend’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦ke◦dang ‘chin’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦kua n‘voice’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦lunmorpheme ‘chest’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦na ‘person’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦ne ‘thigh’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦pa ‘arm’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦pa ‘hand’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦pai ‘grandmother’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦pau ‘grandfather’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦pei ‘head’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦peumorpheme ‘father’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦pikerang ‘toe’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦pimesui ‘heel’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦pui ‘mother’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦reime ‘enemy’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦saurapui ‘elbow’Marrison 67 Naga
Zememi◦tungmorpheme ‘breast’Marrison 67 Naga
Zeme³mi¹hemorpheme¹zakmorpheme ‘armpit’Weidert 87 TBTo: 996
Zeme³mi¹kuakmorpheme⁵saumorpheme ‘elbow’Weidert 87 TBTo: 407
Zeme³mi¹nprefix⁴puamorpheme ‘lungs’Weidert 87 TBTo: 990a
Mziememi◦na ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Mziememi◦na ‘person’Marrison 67 Naga
Mziememi◦nadung ‘people’Marrison 67 Naga
Mziememi◦paumorpheme ‘body’Marrison 67 Naga
Mziememi◦pei ‘man (male)’Marrison 67 Naga
Mziememi◦peura ‘skull’Marrison 67 Naga
Mziememi◦tei ‘flesh’Marrison 67 Naga
Mziememi◦tei ‘meat’Marrison 67 Naga

1.7.2Northern Naga/Konyakian1

*Northern NagaC̥-məy ‘man(generic)’French 83: 521

1.7.2.2Konyak-Chang2

Wanchomi ‘man (mankind)’Marrison 67 Naga
Wanchomi ‘person’Marrison 67 Naga

2.1.1Western Himalayish5

Pattani [Manchati]gəŋmorpheme◦mi ‘man’Sharma, D.D. 82 TH
Pattani [Manchati]metsmorpheme◦mì ‘female’Sharma, S.R. 91 Ma: 10.4
Pattani [Manchati]metʃmorpheme◦mi◦kəʈumorpheme ‘girl’Sharma, D.D. 82 TH

2.2Newar1

Newarmi◦jɔ̃morpheme ‘male’Shakya 89: 10.3

2.3Kiranti1

*Kirantimin ‘man, mankind’Opgenort 11 Tilung

2.3.3Central Kiranti4

Dumimiːn ‘man, mankind’Driem 93 Dumi
Dumimiːn-sammorpheme◦tsumorpheme ‘mankind, human being.’Driem 93 Dumi
Dumisammorpheme◦tsumorpheme-miːn◦tsumorpheme ‘mankind, humankind.’Driem 93 Dumi
Sampangmi◦namorpheme ‘man’Weidert 87 TBTo: 809

2.4Kham-Magar-Chepang18

Magarmi-ryam#814 PTB *m/g-(r)wa-ŋ/k/t ‘HORN / ANGLE / CORNER’MesorootsPTani *rəŋ ‘HORN’Allofams1a #814 PTB *m/g-(r)wa-ŋ/k/t ‘HORN / ANGLE / CORNER’1b #2009 PTB *nu-(ŋ/k) ⪤ *nwa-(ŋ/k) ‘HORN’ ‘horn (animal)’Note final -m in Magar -ryam.Michailovsky 91 Kr: 94

3.2Qiangic51

Guiqiongmũ³⁵ ‘person’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 289.17
Muya [Minyak]mɐ³⁵ni³⁵morpheme ‘person’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 289.15
Pumi (Lanping)mi⁵⁵ʐə⁵⁵morpheme pron‘other person(s)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0941.09
Pumi (Qinghua)mə⁵⁵morpheme do⁵⁵morpheme mi¹³ ‘mute person’Lu 83 Pumi
Pumi (Qinghua)sqɑ̃u⁵⁵morpheme mi¹³ ‘insane person’Lu 83 Pumi
Pumi (Qinghua)sqɑ̃u⁵⁵morphememi¹³ ‘mad person’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 303.11
Pumi (Qinghua)stɑ⁵⁵morpheme ku⁵⁵morpheme mi¹³ ‘blind person’Lu 83 Pumi
Pumi (Qinghua)stɑ⁵⁵morphemeku⁵⁵morphememi¹³ ‘blind person’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 300.11
Qiang (Longxi)(mù) qə́morpheme tshɨ́morpheme ‘mischievous (mù='person')’Evans 99 Qiang: 2387
Qiang (Longxi)mù bə́morpheme ‘old person’Evans 99 Qiang: 212
Qiang (Longxi)mù-suàmorpheme ‘latter generation [person-m]’Evans 99 Qiang: 314
Qiang (Longxi)mə̀-kàmorpheme ‘ancestor [person-root]’Evans 99 Qiang: 272
Qiang (Mawo)nə◦dɑpmorpheme ‘old person’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 292.8
Qiang (Mianchi)(mɛ̀) phímorpheme ‘blame someone’Evans 99 Qiang: 1944
Qiang (Mianchi)(mɛ̀) ʁuâmorpheme ‘call (person)’Evans 99 Qiang: 1960
Qiang (Mianchi)(mɛ̀) ʐáŋloanword thà ‘make way for someone {b}’Evans 99 Qiang: 2273
Qiang (Mianchi)(mɛ̀) ʐìprobable loanword thá ‘infect, be contagious {b?}’Evans 99 Qiang: 1746
Qiang (Mianchi)mɛ̀ phémorpheme ‘dispatch someone’Evans 99 Qiang: 2211
Qiang (Mianchi)mɛ́ tɕɛ̀morpheme ‘poor person’Evans 99 Qiang: 233
Qiang (Mianchi)mɛ̀-bʐàmorpheme-tsómorpheme ‘assemble, rally [person-big-m]’Evans 99 Qiang: 2017
Qiang (Mianchi)mɛ̀-kuòprobable loanword tɕhímorpheme-zɨ̀ ‘anger (someone) [person-b?-CAUS]’Evans 99 Qiang: 2244
Qiang (Mianchi)mɛ̀-qhoúmorpheme-zə̀morpheme ȵàmorpheme ‘envy, despise [person-despise-]’Evans 99 Qiang: 2022
Qiang (Mianchi)mɛ̀-toúloanword-thàsuffix ‘convince [person-b-s]’Evans 99 Qiang: 2531
Qiang (Mianchi)mɛ̀-tsòmorpheme ‘assemble, rally [person-m]’Evans 99 Qiang: 2017
Qiang (Mianchi)mɛ̀-ʁuámorpheme ‘skill [person-help]’Evans 99 Qiang: 1016
Qiang (Taoping)mə³³bʐɑ²⁴¹morpheme ‘old person’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 292.9
Xumizɔ̃³⁵morphemeəʴ⁵⁵morphememi⁵⁵ ‘man (male person)’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 290.20

9.0.1Old Chinese4

Chinese (Old/Mid)mi̯ĕn~mi̯ən/mi̯ĕn ‘people’Chou 72: 457a-b
Chinese (Old)miŋ {mi[ŋ]} ‘people’BaxterSagart 2011: 1932
Chinese (Old)mˤriŋ {mˤr[i]ŋ} ‘population, people’BaxterSagart 2011: 1885

9.0.2Middle Chinese2

Chinese (Middle)meang ‘population, people’BaxterSagart 2011: 1885

9.0.3Modern Chinese1

Cite this entry

STEDT etymon #1002, *r-mi(y)-n ‘PERSON / MAN’.
Stable link: https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/1002
Data: STEDT v1.0 (2017). Accessed: [date].
References: STC p.107; cognate to GSR 457ab
BibTeX
@misc{stedt-1002,
  title  = {{*r-mi(y)-n 'PERSON / MAN'}},
  author = {STEDT},
  year   = {2017},
  note   = {Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus (STEDT) v1.0, etymon #1002},
  url    = {https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/1002}
}