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STEDT #1017

*lam

ROAD
Proto-Tibeto-Burman · exemplary

Reconstruction analysis

handlelaminitiallrhymeamcoverL · N

Intermediate reconstructions

Tani*lam ‘ROAD’JS-HCST: 170
Kuki-Chin*lam ‘WAY / PATH / ROAD’PKC #1067
Kuki-Chin*lam ‘DIRECTION / SIDE / TOWARDS’PKC #1010
Central Naga (Ao Group)*laːm ‘PATH, ROAD, WAY’PCN #126
Bodo-Garo*lam ‘ROAD’
Tamangish*ᴮgjam ‘ROAD’
Kiranti*ʔlam ‘ROAD / PATH’

Connections

HPTB*lam ‘road’pp. 47, 48, 250
See alsoDIRECTION

Notes

This etymon bears some resemblance to #499 PTB *lwam THROAT, since one could maintain that the throat is the road into the body. This seems somewhat fanciful, however.

The Tamangic forms imply an allofam with a velar prefix.

Chinese comparandum

冘 OC *d’i̯əm, GSR #656a ‘walk (v.)’; Schuessler 2007:572 *ləm; Mand. yín.

Comment: This comparandum is suggested by Schuessler (ibid.), who also relates 冘 yín to #5007 PKC *laam DANCE.

Reflexes & cognates301 reflexes · 37 subgroups

0.1Tibeto-Burman (previously published reconstructions)3

1.1.1Tani1

1.1.1.1Western Tani43

Apatanilém-bomorpheme ‘road’Sun J 93 Tani
Apatanilem-bomorpheme ‘road’Sun J 93 Tani
Apatanilen-damorpheme ‘road’Sun J 93 HCST
Apatanilen-damorpheme ‘road’Sun J 93 Tani
Apatanilen-damorpheme ‘road’Sun J 93 Tani
Bengnilam-jɯk ‘path’Sun J 93 Tani
Bengnilam-tɯː ‘road’Sun J 93 HCST
Bengnilam-tɯː ‘road’Sun J 93 Tani
Bokarlam ‘trace’Sun J 93 Tani
Bokarlam n‘mark / trace / track’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0695.24
Bokarlam tə in gəː gəː v.‘lead (the way) / guide’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1251.24
Bokarlam-bak ‘branch road’Sun J 93 Tani
Bokarlam-tə ‘road’Sun J 93 HCST
Bokarlam-tə ‘road, path, way’Sun J 93 Tani
Bokarlam-tə a-pəː ‘mountain trail’Sun J 93 Tani
Bokarloː#6432 PTani *lo ‘DAY’ akomorpheme lam təmorpheme clf‘day's (journey)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0870.24
Bokarləmorpheme-lam ‘footprint’Sun J 93 Tani
Bokar Lhobalam tə ‘road / way’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 474.51
Bokar Lhobamomorpheme tʂamorpheme lam tə ‘highway’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 476.51
Galo-lam vs:nzr.‘waypoint’GLDC 09 Galo
Galocəmorpheme◦lam n.‘side’GLDC 09 Galo
Galokamorpheme◦lam n.‘side’GLDC 09 Galo
Galokamorpheme◦lam n.‘side’GLDC 09 Galo
Nishingbémorpheme-lam ‘down side’Das Gupta 69 Daf
Nishinglam◦dum ‘crossroad’Das Gupta 69 Daf
Nishinglam◦pya ‘road’Das Gupta 69 Daf
Nishingtémorpheme-lam ‘up side’Das Gupta 69 Daf
Tagineruŋmorpheme lam◦da ‘muddy road’Das Gupta 83 Tag
Taginlam◦da ‘road’Das Gupta 83 Tag
Taginpakuŋmorpheme palamorpheme lam◦da ‘zigzag road’Das Gupta 83 Tag
Taginɤmorpheme lam◦damorpheme-ŋamorpheme momorpheme-tummorpheme-tomorpheme ‘he obstructed the road’Das Gupta 83 Tag

1.1.1.2Eastern Tani2

Padam-Mishing [Abor-Miri]lam-təmorpheme; lam-bə ‘road’Sun J 93 HCST
Damulam-do ‘way, road (branch road)’Sun J 93 Tani

1.1.2Deng7

Darang [Taraon]a:prefix◦lem ‘road’Anonymous xx Tar
Darang [Taraon]ɑ³¹prefixlim⁵⁵ n‘road’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0038.22
Darang [Taraon]ɑ³¹prefixlim⁵⁵ ‘road / way’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 474.49
Kaman [Miju]bloŋ³⁵morpheme; lam⁵⁵ ‘road / way’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 474.48
Iduɑ³¹prefixlioŋ³⁵ ‘road / way’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 474.50
Yiduɑ³¹prefixlioŋ³⁵ n‘road’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0038.25

1.2Kuki-Chin2

*Chinlam ‘DIRECTION / SIDE / TOWARDS’VanBik 09 PKC: 1010
*Chinlam ‘WAY / PATH / ROAD’VanBik 09 PKC: 1067

1.2.1.1Northern Chin14

Kuki-Chinkhutmorpheme◦lam ‘fingerprint’Haokip 98: 7.1.6
Sizanglam hil#5082 PKC *hrilʔ ‘EXPLAIN / TEACH’ pāmorpheme ‘guide ("one who explains the way")’VanBik 09 PKC: 1082
Thadolâm ‘towards’VanBik 09 PKC: 1010
Thadolâm ‘road, way, path’VanBik 09 PKC: 1067
Tiddimlam¹ ka¹morpheme ‘forked road’Bhaskararao 96 CDB: 881
Tiddimlam¹ pi¹morpheme ‘road’VanBik 09 PKC: 1067
Tiddimlam¹ pi¹morpheme ‘road’Bhaskararao 96 CDB: 882
Tiddimˊlam n‘way / road’Henderson 65 TidC
Tiddimˊlamˊpiːmorpheme n+nvs‘road / highway’Henderson 65 TidC

1.2.1.2Southern Plains Chin10

Asholawn n‘road, a path’VanBik 09 PKC: 1067
Cho (Mindat)lam n‘road, path’VanBik 09 PKC: 1067
Daailám ‘road, path’So-Hartmann 88 Chin: 188
Daaiʔsɔŋ lám ‘left side’VanBik 09 PKC: 1010
Khumilaang ‘road, way, method, means’VanBik 09 PKC: 1067
Khumilãm ‘road, path’So-Hartmann 88 Chin: 188
Mkaanglám ‘road, path’So-Hartmann 88 Chin: 188
Ngmüünlám ‘road, path’So-Hartmann 88 Chin: 188
Nyhmoyelám ‘road, path’So-Hartmann 88 Chin: 188

1.2.3Maraic2

Lakher [Mara]lá n‘road, a path’VanBik 09 PKC: 1067

1.2.4“Old Kuki”2

Sorbunglam-bʉ̀ʉmorpheme ‘road; path’Mortensen 11 Sorbung: Implements.024
Sorbunglam-pɯmorpheme ‘road’Brown 37 Indo

1.3“Naga” Areal Group2

Maringlam ‘road’Brown 37 Indo

1.3.1Central Naga (Ao Group)27

*Central Nagalaːm ‘PATH, ROAD, WAY’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.126
Ao (Chungli)lən¹ n.‘path, road’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.126
Ao (Chungli)tabamorpheme◦len ‘left-hand’Marrison 67 Naga
Lotha Nagao¹prefix-lan³ n.‘road’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.126
Lotha Nagaēprefix◦lán̯◦àsuffix ‘right’Acharya 75
Lotha Nagalán◦ròsuffix ‘path’Acharya 75
Lotha Nagalan◦tsümorpheme oprefix◦lan ‘road’Murry 78: 105
Lotha Nagaōprefix◦lán̯ ‘road’Acharya 75
Lotha Nagaoprefix◦lan ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Lotha Nagapotimorpheme◦lan ‘road’Murry 78: 105
Lotha Naga¹oprefix³lan(ʔ) ‘way / road’Weidert 87 TBTo: 313
Sangtamfülimorpheme◦lang ‘left-hand’Marrison 67 Naga
Sangtamlang ‘road’Kumar 73 Sang
Sangtamlang◦timorpheme ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Sangtammemorpheme◦lang ‘dream’Kumar 73 Sang
Sangtammimorpheme◦lang n‘dream’Marrison 67 Naga
Sangtamtsamorpheme◦lang ‘right-hand’Marrison 67 Naga
Yacham-Tengsaungmorpheme◦lan ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Yimchungrühuzümorpheme◦lim ‘left-hand’Marrison 67 Naga
Yimchungrülim◦romorpheme ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Yimchungrümimorpheme◦lim n‘dream’Marrison 67 Naga
Yimchungrütsümorpheme◦lim ‘right-hand’Marrison 67 Naga
Yimchungrü¹lim¹romorpheme ‘way / road’Weidert 87 TBTo: 313

1.3.2Angami-Pochuri Group2

Sema [Sumi]potimorpheme◦la ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Sema [Sumi]¹aprefix¹la ‘way / road’Weidert 87 TBTo: 313

1.3.3Zeme Group8

Khoiraolam◦puimorpheme ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Maramlam ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Puironlam◦pui ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Puironlengmorpheme◦lam ‘north’Marrison 67 Naga
Puirontangmorpheme◦lam ‘south’Marrison 67 Naga
Rongmei / Nruanghmeilam-pwimorpheme ‘road’Brown 37 Indo
Zeme¹hemorpheme⁴lam ‘way / road’Weidert 87 TBTo: 313
Mziemelam◦puimorpheme ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga

1.4Meithei1

Meitheilam◦bi ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga

1.7.1Bodo-Garo1

1.7.1.1Bodo8

Bodolam◦á ‘footpath / road’Bhat 68 Boro
Bodolam◦aʔ ‘way / path’Weidert 87 TBTo: 85
Bodolam◦koŋmorpheme ‘path of wild animals’Bhat 68 Boro
Bodomodaymorpheme lam◦á ‘milky way’Bhat 68 Boro
Dimasalam◦a ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Kokboroklam ‘road’Tripuri 88
Mechelam◦aʔ ‘way / path’Weidert 87 TBTo: 85

1.7.1.2Garo2

Garolam-a ‘way / path’Weidert 87 TBTo: 85

1.7.2.1Tangsa-Nocte3

Noctelam ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga

1.7.2.2Konyak-Chang4

Changlam ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga
Phomlam⁵⁵ ‘road / path’Burling 98 Phom
Phomlem ‘road’Marrison 67 Naga

1.7.3.1Jingpho14

Jingphokhă³¹morphemeʒaŋ³¹morphemeleŋ³¹morphemelam³³ ‘railroad’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 475.47
Jingphokhă¹morphemeʒaŋ³¹morphemeleŋ³¹morphemelam³³ ‘railroad’Liu 84
Jingpholām ‘road / way’Matisoff 74 TJLB: 244
Jingpholam³³ ‘road / way’Liu 84
Jingpholam³³ ‘road / way’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 474.47
Jingphomo³³to³³English loanwordlam³³ ‘highway’Liu 84
Jingphomo³³to³³English loanwordlam³³ ‘highway’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 476.47

2.1.2.1Tibetan47

Tibetan (Amdo:Bla-brang)hdʑamorpheme lam ‘highway’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 476.4
Tibetan (Amdo:Bla-brang)htɕakmorpheme lam ‘railroad’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 475.4
Tibetan (Amdo:Zeku)rɟjamorpheme lam ‘highway’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 476.5
Tibetan (Amdo:Zeku)tɕakmorpheme lam ‘railroad’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 475.5
Tibetan (Khams:Dege)tɕɑʔ⁵³morphemelɑŋ⁵⁵ ‘railroad’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 475.3
Tibetan (Lhasa)tɕak⁵³morphemelam¹⁵ ‘railroad’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 475.2
Tibetan (Written)(lam sna) khrid v.‘lead (the way) / guide’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1251.01
Tibetan (Written)(lam sna) ɦkhrid v.‘lead the way’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1756.01
Tibetan (Written)bs̀aŋmorpheme-lám ‘anus’Matisoff 87 BP
Tibetan (Written)gȵidmorpheme lam ‘dream’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 519.1
Tibetan (Written)gʑuŋmorpheme lam ‘highway’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 476.1
Tibetan (Written)ltɕagsmorpheme lam ‘railroad’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 475.1
Tibetan (Written)rgyamorpheme.lam ‘highway’Sun J 85 TbGl: 361
Tibetan (Written)ȵinmorpheme lam (gtɕig) clf‘day's (journey)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0870.01

2.1.4Tamangish20

*TGTMᴮgjam ‘road’Mazaudon 78 Tam: 59
*TGTMᴮgjam ‘path, road’Mazaudon 94 These: 167
Manang (Prakaa)⁴kʰjẽ ‘way / road’Mazaudon 94 These: 167
Manang (Prakaa)⁴kʰyẽ ‘way / road’Hoshi 84: 0132
Tamang (Sahu)plehkpamorpheme 'kyahm ‘road’Taylor 72 TmVo: 6.1
Tamang (Sahu)plehpāmorpheme 'kyāhm n‘road’Hale 73 CSD: 06a.01
Tamang (Sahu)⁴kjam ‘path / road’Mazaudon 94 These: 167
Thakali'kyahm n‘road’Hale 73 CSD: 06a.01

2.3Kiranti1

*Kirantiʔlam ‘road, path’Opgenort 11 Tilung

2.3.1Eastern Kiranti7

Athpare (Rai)lam◦bomorpheme ‘path’Ebert 97 Athpare
Athpare (Rai)lam◦ti(y)morpheme-emorpheme ‘walk’Ebert 97 Athpare
Athpare (Rai)lam◦timorpheme- ‘walk’Ebert 97 Athpare
Athpare (Rai)lam◦timorpheme◦mamorpheme ‘walk’Ebert 97 Athpare
Limbulam◦do ‘crossroads <road>’Michailovsky 89 Lm
Limbulam◦dzɔŋ ‘halfway, on the road’Michailovsky 89 Lm

2.3.3Central Kiranti7

Dumilam ‘via.’Driem 93 Dumi
Dumilam ‘road, way, path’Driem 93 Dumi
Dumilam◦du ‘road, way, path’Driem 93 Dumi
Dumilam◦thiːmorpheme◦nɨmorpheme ‘<go,leave> hit the road, be on one's way’Driem 93 Dumi
Dumilam◦tɨmorpheme ‘up to, up towards’Driem 93 Dumi
Dumilam◦tɨmorpheme toːtoːmorpheme ‘uphill’Driem 93 Dumi

2.3.4Western Kiranti7

Thulung-lam ‘from’Allen 75
Thulungkhuciumorpheme◦lam ‘shortcut road’Allen 75
Thulungkokomorpheme◦lam ‘sometimes <time>’Allen 75
Thulungkomorpheme◦lam ‘once <one time>’Allen 75
Thulunglam ‘road, path, way’Allen 75
Thulunglam ‘time, occasion’Allen 75
Thulunglam◦di- v.‘walk’Allen 75

4Nungic8

Anonglam ‘side, direction’Benedict 72 STC: 87
Anongtha#1722 PTB *l-t(y)ak ‘UPPER SURFACE / TOP / ABOVE / CLIMB / LIFT / ASCEND / PALATE’Allofams9 #1722 PTB *l-t(y)ak ‘UPPER SURFACE / TOP / ABOVE / CLIMB / LIFT / ASCEND / PALATE’9a #391 PTB *s-tak ‘HEAD’-khamorpheme / tha#1722 PTB *l-t(y)ak ‘UPPER SURFACE / TOP / ABOVE / CLIMB / LIFT / ASCEND / PALATE’Allofams9 #1722 PTB *l-t(y)ak ‘UPPER SURFACE / TOP / ABOVE / CLIMB / LIFT / ASCEND / PALATE’9a #391 PTB *s-tak ‘HEAD’-lam ‘up, above’Benedict 72 STC: 123n338
Rawangthi³¹morpheme bɔ³³morpheme lɑm³¹ ‘north’LaPolla 03: 772
Rawangthənu³³morpheme go³³morpheme lɑm³¹ ‘north’LaPolla 03: 773
Rawangthənu³³morpheme ni³³morpheme lɑm³¹ ‘south’LaPolla 03: 770

5Tujia1

Tujiamie²¹morpheme mie²¹morpheme lo⁵⁵ ‘blood vessel / vein / artery’Chen 86 TuMQ: 8.7.1

6.1.1Burmish9

Burmese (Spoken Rangoon)tθɑ̃²²morphemelɑ̃⁵⁵ ‘railroad’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 475.40
Burmese (Written)hnacmorpheme-lûm thêmorpheme kəprefix◦thwakmorpheme ‘blood vessel / vein / artery’Matisoff 87 BP
Burmese (Written)lɑm³ phɑj²morpheme v.‘make way for / give way’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1586.26
Burmese (Written)thɑṁ²morphemelɑm³ ‘railroad’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 475.39

6.1.2.2Central Loloish13

Lahu (Lancang)nɑ³³morphemelo³³ prep‘in (the sky)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0726.43
Lahu (Lancang)qho⁵³morpheme lo³³ prep‘on (the table)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0724.43
Lahu (Lancang)qho⁵³morphemelo³³ prep‘on (the wall)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0728.43
Lahu (Lancang)qho⁵³morphemelo³³ prep‘on top (of the roof)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0729.43
Lahu (Lancang)xɔ³⁵morphemelo³³ prep‘under (the table)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0725.43
Lahu (Lancang)xɔ³⁵morphemelo³³ prep‘under (the sky)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0727.43
Lahu (Lancang)xɔ³⁵morphemelo³³ prep‘at the bottom of (a hill)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0730.43
Lahu (Lancang)ɔ³¹prefixnɑ³³morphemephɔ⁵³morphemelo³³ prep‘over / above’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0731.43
Lahu (Lancang)ɔ³¹prefixnɑ³³morphemephɔ⁵³morphemelo³³ adv‘upwards’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0733.43
Lahu (Lancang)ɔ³¹prefixxɔ³⁵morphemephɔ⁵³morphemelo³³ prep‘below / under’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0732.43
Lahu (Lancang)ɔ³¹prefixxɔ³⁵morphemephɔ⁵³morphemelo³³ adv‘downwards’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0734.43
Lahu (Black)lo ‘locative particle’This word has been grammaticalized to a locative particle, and no longer retains its full nominal meaning. It reflects PLB Tone *3, while cognates like WB lâm reflect Tone *2.Matisoff 88 DL: 1377-1378

Cite this entry

STEDT etymon #1017, *lam ‘ROAD’.
Stable link: https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/1017
Data: STEDT v1.0 (2017). Accessed: [date].
References: STC#087
BibTeX
@misc{stedt-1017,
  title  = {{*lam 'ROAD'}},
  author = {STEDT},
  year   = {2017},
  note   = {Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus (STEDT) v1.0, etymon #1017},
  url    = {https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/1017}
}