STEDT
Verbs of Motion, of Manipulation, and of Production  ›  Holding
STEDT #2517

*s-n(i/u)(ː)p/m ⪤ *r/s-nyap/m

PINCH / SQUEEZE / PRESS / OPPRESS / SUBMERGE / SINK INTO / WEST / LOW / SOFT
Proto-Tibeto-Burman

Reconstruction analysis

handlenyapinitialnyrhymeap=ńapcoverM · NT

Intermediate reconstructions

Kuki-Chin*niam ⪤ *hniam ‘SHORT / LOWER’PKC #832
Kuki-Chin*neem ‘SOFT / FLEXIBLE’PKC #838
Kuki-Chin*hnim ‘DIP / DYE / SUBMERGE’PKC #889
Kuki-Chin*h(n/ŋ)ip ‘SOFT’PKC #907
Kuki-Chin*hneem ‘COMFORT / CONSOLE’PKC #887
Kuki-Chin*nuam-I, nuamʔ-II ‘COMFORTABLE / PLEASANT’PKC #807
Central Naga (Ao Group)*a-hnjəm ‘LOW’PCN #142
Central Naga (Ao Group)*a-njəp ‘SOFT’PCN #154
Tangkhulic*nem ‘LOW’DRM#656
Lolo-Burmese*ʔnip ‘SQUEEZE / PRESS’

Connections

Allofams
  • 2a #2517 *s-n(i/u)(ː)p/m ⪤ *r/s-nyap/m ‘PINCH / SQUEEZE / PRESS / OPPRESS / SUBMERGE / SINK INTO / WEST / LOW / SOFT’
  • 2b #5525 *s-nyit ‘SQUEEZE’

Notes

This etymon displays two well-attested patterns of variation: between *-i- and *-u-, and between *-i- and *-ya-. Similar allofamic behavior is shown by #363 PTB *s/r-mul ⪤ *s-mil ⪤ *s-myal HAIR / FUR / FEATHER.

The meanings of the reflexes range from PINCH / SQUEEZE to PRESS / OPPRESS to SUBMERGE / SINK INTO / WEST, the common semantic link being downward motion. There is a resemblant root, #2407 PTB *l(i/u)p SINK INTO / DIVE, with similar meanings related to downward motion.

STC sets up two separate roots in this area, *nup ⪤ *nip ‘sink’ and *nyap ‘pinch, squeeze’, although it seems best to combine them into a single etymon.

Note the large number of Kuki-Chin allofams of this semantically highly differentiated root.

Chinese comparandum

入 OC *ńi̯əp , GSR #695a-d; B & S 2011: *nəp {n[ə]p}; Mand. rù.
納 OC *nɑ̥̂p, GSR #695h; B & S 2011: *nˁəp {nˁ[ə]p}; Mand. nà.
內 OC *nwəb, GSR #695e-g; B & S 2011: *nˁəp-s {nˁ[ə]p-s}; Mand. nèi.

躡 OC *ni̯ɑp, GSR #638b; B & S 2011: *nrep; Mand. niè.
攝 OC *śńi̯ɑp, GSR #638e; B & S 2011: *kə.n̥ep; Mand. niè, shè.
鑷 638
呫 618p
拈 618o

S457

Reflexes & cognates190 reflexes · 34 subgroups

0.1Tibeto-Burman (previously published reconstructions)12

*Tibeto-Burmannip ‘crush, compress’Benedict 72 STC: 84n250
*Tibeto-Burmannup ⪤ *nip ‘west’LaPolla 87: 63
*Tibeto-Burmannuːp~ni[ː]p ‘sink’Chou 72: 695a-d
*Tibeto-Burmannyap ‘pinch / squeeze’Benedict 72 STC: 192
*Tibeto-Burmannyɑp ‘pinch / squeeze’Chou 72: 670
*Tibeto-Burmans-nem ⪤ s-nyam ‘low / soft’Matisoff 03 HPTB: 604
*Tibeto-Burmans-ni(ː)p ⪤ r/s-nyap ⪤ s-nu(ː)p ‘pinch / squeeze / press / oppress / sink into / submerge / enter’Matisoff 03 HPTB: 605

1.1.1.2Eastern Tani1

Damu*nøp ‘west’Sun J 93 Tani

1.1.2Deng2

Kaman [Miju]kɯ³¹prefixnɑ̆m⁵⁵ adj‘low / short’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0969.23
Kaman [Miju]kɯ³¹prefixnɑ̆m⁵⁵ ‘low’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 803.48

1.2Kuki-Chin7

*Chinhneem ‘COMFORT / CONSOLE’VanBik 09 PKC: 887
*Chinhnim ‘DIP / DYE / SUBMERGE’VanBik 09 PKC: 889
*Chinhnip ⪤ hŋip ‘SOFT’VanBik 09 PKC: 907
*Chinneem ‘SOFT / FLEXIBLE’VanBik 09 PKC: 838
*Chinniam ⪤ hniam ‘SHORT / LOWER’VanBik 09 PKC: 832
*Chinnuam-I, nuamʔ-II ‘COMFORTABLE / PLEASANT’VanBik 09 PKC: 807
Analìmorpheme-nɛ̀ɛm ‘soft’Weidert 87 TBTo: 740

1.2.1.1Northern Chin16

Sizangnùam hī ‘happy’VanBik 09 PKC: 807
Thadohèʔ néem-I, hèʔ-nèem-II ‘comfort, console’VanBik 09 PKC: 887
Thadoněem-I, nèem-II ‘soft’VanBik 09 PKC: 838
Thadonîem-I, nìem-II ‘lower, be in lower position’VanBik 09 PKC: 832
Thadoním-I, nìm-II ‘dip, submerge’VanBik 09 PKC: 889
Thadonùom-I, nùop-II ‘pleasant, comfortable, pleasurable, easy, at ease’VanBik 09 PKC: 807
Thadoŋìp-INV be v.‘soft, fragile’VanBik 09 PKC: 907
Tiddimneːm² ‘flexible’VanBik 09 PKC: 838
Tiddimniam¹ ‘low’VanBik 09 PKC: 832
Tiddimniam¹ ‘low’Bhaskararao 94 TCV
Tiddimnip³ ‘soft’VanBik 09 PKC: 907
Tiddimnip³ ‘soft’Bhaskararao 94 TCV
Tiddimnuam³ > nop³ ‘comfortable, enjoyable’VanBik 09 PKC: 807

1.2.1.2Southern Plains Chin3

Cho (Mindat)hngip be v.‘soft, smooth’VanBik 09 PKC: 907
Cho (Mindat)m-nem v‘lower, to bring lower’VanBik 09 PKC: 832
Khumiaprefix◦niee ‘low, short’VanBik 09 PKC: 832

1.2.2Central Chin27

Lai (Falam)hnèem-I, hnêm-II ‘comfort, console, solace’VanBik 09 PKC: 887
Lai (Hakha)hněem-I, hnemʔ-II ‘comfort, console, solace’VanBik 09 PKC: 887
Lai (Hakha)hnîm-I, hnǐm-II ‘dip, dye, submerge’VanBik 09 PKC: 889
Lai (Falam)hnǐm-I, hnìm-II ‘dip, dye, submerge’VanBik 09 PKC: 889
Lai (Hakha)hnip-I, hniʔ-II ‘soft (e.g.candy)’VanBik 09 PKC: 907
Lai (Falam)hnìp-I, hnîʔ-II ‘soft’VanBik 09 PKC: 907
Lai (Hakha)nêem-I, něem-II ‘soft, flexible’VanBik 09 PKC: 838
Lai (Falam)něem-I, nèem-II ‘soft, flexible’VanBik 09 PKC: 838
Lai (Hakha)nîam-I, nǐam-II ‘short, lower in position’VanBik 09 PKC: 832
Lai (Falam)níam-I, nìam-II ‘short, lower in position’VanBik 09 PKC: 832
Lai (Hakha)nǔam-I, nuamʔ-II ‘comfortable, pleasant’VanBik 09 PKC: 807
Lai (Falam)nùam-INV ‘comfortable, pleasant’VanBik 09 PKC: 807
Lushai [Mizo]hnèem-I, hnêem-II ‘comfort, console, solace or cheer (as person in sorrow, etc)’VanBik 09 PKC: 887
Lushai [Mizo]hnǐam ‘low, short’VanBik 09 PKC: 832
Lushai [Mizo]hním v‘dip (in water, etc), to immerse, to duck, to plunge, to souse’VanBik 09 PKC: 889
Lushai [Mizo]hnìp ‘soft, easy, yiedling’VanBik 09 PKC: 907
Lushai [Mizo]néem ‘soft, yielding, weak (as beer, current of water, etc), mild (as tobacco, etc)’VanBik 09 PKC: 838
Lushai [Mizo]nùam-I, nâwm-II be v.‘comfortable, pleasant, nice, cosy, agreeable, genial at ease, delightful’VanBik 09 PKC: 807

1.2.3Maraic1

Lakher [Mara]nái ‘short in stature, low’VanBik 09 PKC: 832

1.2.4“Old Kuki”2

Kom Remìnmorpheme-néem ‘soft’Weidert 87 TBTo: 740
Lamkangkʌmorpheme-pʌrmorpheme-nɛ̀ɛm ‘soft’Weidert 87 TBTo: 740

1.3.1Central Naga (Ao Group)20

*Central Nagaaprefix-hnjəm be v.‘LOW’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.142
*Central Nagaaprefix-njəp be v.‘SOFT’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.154
*Aoaprefix-nəm be v.‘LOW’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.259
*Aoaprefix-nəp be v.‘SOFT’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.256
Ao (Chungli)a³prefix-nəm¹ be v.‘low’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.259
Ao (Chungli)a³morphemenəp³ be v.‘soft’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.256
Ao (Chungli)nem◦zük adj‘low’Marrison 67 Naga
Ao (Mongsen: Mangmetong)(NZPprefix-) nəp be v.‘soft’Coupe 07 Ao
Lotha Nagae¹prefix-hnjəm³- be v.‘low’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.142
Lotha Nagae¹prefix-njəp²- be v.‘soft’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.154
Lotha Nagaeprefix◦nhyim◦romorpheme◦asuffix (eprefix◦nyhim◦romorpheme◦asuffix) ‘low’Murry 78: 69
Lotha Nagaeprefix◦nyipb◦asuffix ‘soft’Murry 78: 114
Lotha Nagaeprefix◦nyip◦asuffix ‘soft’Marrison 67 Naga
Lotha Nagaeprefix◦nyip◦rovmorpheme ‘soft’Murry 78: 114
Lotha Nagammhyem◦asuffix adj‘low’Marrison 67 Naga
Lotha Naga¹eprefix³nhyɯm(ʔ) v.i.‘low’Weidert 87 TBTo: 326
Sangtamamüngmorpheme◦nyem adj‘low’Marrison 67 Naga

1.3.4Tangkhulic5

Huishukʰəmorpheme-nem ‘low’Mortensen 12 Tk: Verbs.189
Tangkhul¹khəmorpheme²nəm v.i.‘low’Weidert 87 TBTo: 326
Ukhrulkʰəmorpheme-nɐm be v.‘low’Mortensen 12 Tk

1.7.1Bodo-Garo1

*Bodo-Garo(h)nɑp ‘set (sun) / sink / drown / enter / penetrate’Chou 72: 695a-d

1.7.1.1Bodo3

Dimasahap ‘enter’Marrison 67 Naga

1.7.1.2Garo2

Garo (Bangladesh)nap-amorpheme vi‘enter; set, of’Burling 03 Garo: 9.313-II:idx

1.7.2Northern Naga/Konyakian1

1.7.2.1Tangsa-Nocte1

Nocteaprefix◦num adj‘low’Marrison 67 Naga

1.7.2.2Konyak-Chang1

Phomnyen◦pümorpheme ‘soft’Marrison 67 Naga

1.7.3.1Jingpho4

Jingphonip ‘shade, cast a shadow; be overcast, dim’Benedict 72 STC: 400
Jingphonyap ‘squeeze; extort’Benedict 72 STC: 192
Jingphośiŋmorpheme◦nip ‘shadow’Benedict 72 STC: 400

2.1.3Lepcha1

Lepchanŭp ‘covered with water’Benedict 72 STC: 75n231

2.1.4Tamangish5

Tamang (Sahu)nyen◦casuffix adj.‘soft’Taylor 72 TmVo: 12.B.8

2.3.4Western Kiranti1

Bahingnip ‘compress, express’Benedict 72 STC: 400

3.2Qiangic15

Ersuȵo⁵⁵tɕho⁵⁵morpheme ‘west’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 48.18
Guiqiongnu̵³⁵tɕhyɔ⁵⁵morpheme n‘west’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0706.16
Muyanu³³ɕə⁵³morpheme v‘set (of the sun)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1512.15
Namuyiȵi³³tʂhu³³morpheme ‘west’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 48.19
Namuyiȵi³¹tʂhuo³¹morpheme n‘west’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0706.46
Pumi (Taoba)nø̃⁵⁵ ‘west’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 48.10

3.3rGyalrongic1

6.1Lolo-Burmese2

*Lolo-Burmese(s-)nyap ‘shoes / pinch (e.g. in a vise)’Matisoff 72 LTSR: 147
*Lolo-Burmeseʔnip ‘squeeze / press’Matisoff 72 LTSR: 159(b)

6.1.1Burmish15

Burmese (Rangoon)ȵ̥iʔ⁴ v.‘squeeze (for milk)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1405.27
Burmese (Written)hńap ‘pinch, squeeze; blacksmiths tongs’Benedict 72 STC: 192
Burmese (Written)hnip ‘crush, oppress’Benedict 76 WBur
Burmese (Written)hnip ‘crush, put down, oppress’Benedict 72 STC: 400
Burmese (Written)nimʼ be v.‘low, short’Benedict 76 WBur
Burmese (Written)əprefix-hnip ‘crush, oppress’Benedict 76 WBur
Leqi (Luxi)nɛ̱ː⁵³phji³³morpheme v.‘crush to pieces’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1654.33

6.1.2.2Central Loloish7

Lahu (Lancang)mɛ³⁵morphemenu⁵⁴ n‘scissors’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0581.43
Lahu (Lancang)nu⁵⁴ti¹¹morpheme v.‘pinch (of a shoe)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1406.43
Lahu (Black)mɛ́morpheme-nôʔ ‘scissors’Matisoff 72 LTSR: 147
Lahu (Black)mɛ³⁵morphemeno⁵⁴ ‘scissors’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 460.33
Lahu (Black)nôʔ ~ nûʔ ‘pinch / squeeze’Matisoff 72 LTSR: 147
Lahu (Black)nôʔ ⪤ nûʔ ‘pinch / squeeze’Matisoff 74 TJLB: 339

9.0.1Old Chinese14

Chinese (Old/Mid)ni̯ap / ni̯äp ‘trample’Benedict 72 STC: 84n250
Chinese (Old/Mid)niek ‘sink / drown’Chou 72: 1123d
Chinese (Old/Mid)ni̯ɑp/ni̯ɑ̈p ‘trample’Chou 72: 638b
Chinese (Old/Mid)ńi̯əp / ńźi̯əp ‘enter’Benedict 72 STC: 84n250
Chinese (Old/Mid)ńi̯əp/ńźi̯əp ‘enter / bring in’Chou 72: 695a-d
Chinese (Old/Mid)nwəb/nuɑ̥̂i ‘interior / inside / inner / in / enter’Chou 72: 695e-g
Chinese (Old/Mid)nɑ̥̂p ‘bring in’Chou 72: 695h
Chinese (Old)newk ‘sink / go under’Baxter 92: 1627f
Chinese (Old)nup ‘send / bring in’Baxter 92: 1787
Chinese (Old)nup ‘bring in’Baxter 92: 712
Chinese (Old)nup ‘send in / bring in’Baxter 92: 821
Chinese (Old)nəp {n[ə]p} ‘enter’BaxterSagart 2011: 2356

9.0.2Middle Chinese1

9.0.3Modern Chinese3

Chinese (Mandarin)jihnmorpheme◦ruh ‘enter’Sun J 85 ChGl: 661
Chinese (Mandarin)jihnmorpheme◦ruh (pf) ‘enter (pf)’Sun J 85 ChGl: 662

Cite this entry

STEDT etymon #2517, *s-n(i/u)(ː)p/m ⪤ *r/s-nyap/m ‘PINCH / SQUEEZE / PRESS / OPPRESS / SUBMERGE / SINK INTO / WEST / LOW / SOFT’.
Stable link: https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/2517
Data: STEDT v1.0 (2017). Accessed: [date].
References: cf. STC#192, HPTB pp. 104, 339, 342, 355, 356, 370, 499, 505, 507
BibTeX
@misc{stedt-2517,
  title  = {{*s-n(i/u)(ː)p/m ⪤ *r/s-nyap/m 'PINCH / SQUEEZE / PRESS / OPPRESS / SUBMERGE / SINK INTO / WEST / LOW / SOFT'}},
  author = {STEDT},
  year   = {2017},
  note   = {Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus (STEDT) v1.0, etymon #2517},
  url    = {https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/2517}
}