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STEDT #1281

*m-twa

HANDSPAN
Proto-Tibeto-Burman · exemplary

Reconstruction analysis

handletwaprefixminitialtwrhymeacoverT · V

Intermediate reconstructions

Karenic*thaᴬ ‘HANDSPAN (about 8-9 inches)’TL#167

Connections

HPTB*m-twa ‘handspan’pp. 64, 167, 171

Notes

This root is extremely well established, with an impressive cognates even in Baic and Karenic. Several forms (Lyuzu, Ersu, and Southern Tujia) have affricated initials, which bear some resemblance to Mandarin Chinese zhǎ 拃, although the latter shows no sign of a labial medial.

Chinese comparandum

度 OC *d’ɑ̂k, GSR #801a ‘a measure; limit, degree; rule, law’; Schuessler 2007:218 *dâk; B & S 2011: *dˁak {[d]ˁak}; Mand. dù.
度 OC *d’ɑ̂g, GSR #801a ‘measure, calculate, consider, plan; a measure of width’; Schuessler 2007:218 *dâkh; B & S 2011: *dˁak-s {[d]ˁak-s}; Mand. duó.
圖 OC *d’o, GSR #64a-c ‘plan, consider; calculate; law, regulation; a plan, map’; Schuessler 2007:218 *dâ; B & S 2011: *dˁa {[d]ˁa}; Mand. tú.

Reflexes & cognates85 reflexes · 12 subgroups

0.1Tibeto-Burman (previously published reconstructions)3

2.1.2Bodic2

Tshona (Wenlang)tʰo⁵⁵ ‘span (hand)’Lu 86 CuoM
Tshona (Mama)thɔ⁵³ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.6

3.2Qiangic8

Ersudzuɑ⁵⁵ ‘cubit’Sun H 91 ErsQ
Ersudzuɑ⁵⁵ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.18
Lyuzu(te³³morpheme) dʐuæ³¹ clf‘span (thumb to middle finger)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0901.18
Muya [Minyak]tɔ³³ʁo³⁵ ‘hand span’Sun H 91 MuyQ: 13.2

3.3.1rGyalrong5

rGyalrong (NW)kə mtʰo kaŋ ‘hand span’morpheme · morpheme · morphemeSun H 91 rNW: 13.2
rGyalrong (NW)kə◦tui ‘hand span’morpheme · morpheme · morphemeSun H 91 rNW: 13.2
rGyalrongtəprefix twa ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.12
rGyalrong (Eastern)təprefix◦tua ‘hand span’Sun H 91 rEQ: 13.2
rGyalrong (Northern)təprefix◦təʁa ‘hand span’Sun H 91 rNQ: 13.2

5Tujia2

Tujia (Southern)dʑuɑ¹³ ‘span’Tian 86
Tujia (Northern)thi⁵⁵ khɑ⁵⁵morpheme ‘span’Tian 86

6.1.1Burmish14

Achang (Longchuan)tho⁵⁵ ‘span’Dai 85 AcJZ
Burmese (Written)aprefix◦thwa ‘span’LaPolla 87: 30
Burmese (Written)ăprefix◦thwa ‘span’Benedict 72 STC: 165
Burmese (Written)thwa ‘measure with a span’Benedict 76 WBur
Burmese (Written)thwa ‘measure with a span’Benedict 72 STC: 165
Burmese (Written)əprefix-thwa n.‘span’Benedict 76 WBur
Lashitho̱³³ ‘hand span’Dai 89 Lash: 13.2
Maru [Langsu]thu³¹ ‘hand span’Dai 89 Lang: 13.2
Atsi [Zaiwa]tho⁵¹ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.42

6.1.2.1Northern Loloish14

Lalotʰy⁵⁵ ‘hand span’Chen 86 Yi: 13.2
Liphothɯ³³ ‘handspan’Chen 86 Yi: 13.2
Nasutʰɤ²¹ ‘hand span’Chen 86 Yi: 13.2
Nesutu̱³³ ‘hand span’Chen 86 Yi: 13.2
Noesuthɤ²¹ ‘handspan’Chen 86 Yi: 13.2
Nusu (Southern)tho³⁵ ‘span’Sun J 86 Nusu
Nusu (Northern)thuɑ³¹ ‘span’Sun J 86 Nusu
Nusu (Central)thuɑ³⁵ ‘span’Sun J 86 Nusu
Nusu (Bijiang)thuɑ³⁵ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.45
Yi (Dafang)thɯ²¹ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.22
Yi (Mile)thɯ³³ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.25
Yi (Nanhua)tho²¹ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.24
Yi (Nanjian)thy⁵⁵ ‘span’Chen 85 YiJZ
Yi (Nanjian)thy⁵⁵ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.23

6.1.2.2Central Loloish12

Ahithɯ²² ‘handspan’Chen 86 Yi: 13.2
Ahitu̱²² ‘hand span’Luo 90: 13.2
Jinuotho⁵⁵ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.34
Jinuo (Youle)ɑ³³prefix tʰo⁴⁴ ‘span’Gai 86
Kucongthv33 ‘handspan (unit of measure)’Dai 09 Kucong
Lahu (Black)thv̩³³ ‘span’Chang 86
Lahu (Yellow)tho³³ ‘span’Chang 86
Lisu (Nujiang)thu̱⁴⁴ ‘span (hand)’Xu 86 Lisu
Lisuthu⁴⁴ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.27
Sani [Nyi]thu³³ ‘handspan’Chen 86 Yi: 13.2

6.1.2.3Southern Loloish5

Hani (Dazhai)thu⁵⁵ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.31
Hani (Dazhai)tʰu⁵⁵ ‘span’Li Yongsui 86 Hani
Hani (Shuikui)thv̩⁵⁵ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.32
Hani (Shuikui)tʰv̩⁵⁵ ‘span’Li Yongsui 86 Hani

7Karenic11

*Karenthàh v.t.‘span (1st-3rd fingers)’Jones 61: 162
*Karenthaᴬ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
*Karen [Burling]tha⁴ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
Kayahthe³³ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
Kayantha⁵³ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
Pa-O (Northern)tha³¹¨ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
Pa-O (Southern)tha³¹¨ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
Pwo (Northern)tha³⁵ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
Pwo (Southern)tha⁵³ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
Sgaw (Northern)tha³³ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167
Sgaw (Southern)tha⁵⁵ ‘linear measure about 8-9 inches (a span)’Luangthongkum 13: 167

8Bai7

Bai (Bijiang)tho̱⁴² ‘span’Xu 84 Bai
Bai (Bijiang)tho⁴² ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.37
Bai (Dali)(ɑ³¹prefix)thou³³ ‘handspan’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 960.35
Bai (Dali)thuo³¹ ‘span’Xu 84 Bai
Bai (Jianchuan)a³¹prefix tʰo³¹ ‘hand span’Zhao 90: 13.2
Bai (Jianchuan)tho³¹ ‘span’Xu 84 Bai

Cite this entry

STEDT etymon #1281, *m-twa ‘HANDSPAN’.
Stable link: https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/1281
Data: STEDT v1.0 (2017). Accessed: [date].
References: cf. STC#165, HPTB pp.64, 167, 171
BibTeX
@misc{stedt-1281,
  title  = {{*m-twa 'HANDSPAN'}},
  author = {STEDT},
  year   = {2017},
  note   = {Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus (STEDT) v1.0, etymon #1281},
  url    = {https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/1281}
}