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Yami language

{{Short description|Austronesian language spoken on Orchid Island, Taiwan}}

{{Infobox language

| name = Yami

| nativename = {{lang|tao|ciciring no Tao}}

| states = Taiwan

| region = Orchid Island

| ethnicity = Tao

| speakers = about 4000

| date = 2012

| ref =

| familycolor = Austronesian

| fam2 = Malayo-Polynesian

| fam3 = Philippine

| fam4 = Batanic

| fam5 = Yami–Itbayat

| iso3 = tao

| glotto = yami1254

| glottorefname = Yami

| lingua = [http://linguasphere.info/?page=linguascale&linguacode=31-CAA-a 31-CAA-a]

| pushpin_map = Taiwan#Southeast Asia

| pushpin_map_caption = Orchid Island in Taiwan

| coordinates = {{coord|22|03|N|121|32|E|type:isle|display=title,inline}}

| map2 = Lang Status 60-DE.svg

| mapcaption2 = {{center|{{small|Yami language is classified as Definitely endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger}}}}

| altname = Tao

}}

The Yami language ({{zh|t=雅美語}}), also known as Tao ({{zh|t=達悟語}}), is a Malayo-Polynesian and Philippine language spoken by the Tao people of Orchid Island, 46 kilometers southeast of Taiwan. It is a member of the Ivatan dialect continuum.

Yami is known as {{Lang|tao|ciriciring no Tao}} 'human speech' by its native speakers. Native speakers prefer the 'Tao' name.{{harvnb|Rau|Dong|2006|page=79}}

Classification

File:The Batanic languages.png

Yami is the only native language of Taiwanese indigenous peoples that is not a member of the Formosan grouping of Austronesian; it is one of the Batanic languages also found in Batanes province of northern Philippines, and as such is part of the Malayo-Polynesian branch of Austronesian.

Phonology

Yami has 20 consonants and 4 vowels:{{harvnb|Rau|Dong|2006|pages=79–80}}

=Vowels=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

!

!Front

!Central

!Back

Close

|{{IPA link|i}}

|

|

Mid

|

|{{IPA link|ə}}

|{{IPA link|o}}

Open

|

|{{IPA link|a}}

|

  • {{IPA|/o/}} can be heard as {{IPA|[ʊ]}} after labial stop consonants.

Iraralay Yami, spoken on the north coast, distinguishes between geminative consonants (e.g., {{Lang|tao|opa}} 'thigh' vs. {{Lang|tao|oppa}} 'hen' form one such minimal pair).{{harvnb|Rau|Dong|2006|page=81}}

= Consonants =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Yami consonants

! colspan="2" |

!Labial

!Alveolar

!Palatal

!Retroflex

!Velar

!Uvular

!Glottal

colspan="2" |Nasal

|{{IPA link|m}}

|{{IPA link|n}}

|

|

|{{IPA link|ŋ}}

|

|

rowspan="2" |Plosive/
Affricate

!voiceless

|{{IPA link|p}}

|{{IPA link|t}}

|{{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}

|

|{{IPA link|k}}

|

|{{IPA link|ʔ}}

voiced

|{{IPA link|b}}

|

|{{IPA link|d͡ʒ}}

|{{IPA link|ɖ}}

|{{IPA link|ɡ}}

|

|

colspan="2" |Fricative

|{{IPA link|v}}

|

|

|{{IPA link|ʂ}}

|

|{{IPA link|ʁ}}

|

colspan="2" |Approximant

|

|{{IPA link|l}}

|{{IPA link|j}}

|{{IPA link|ɻ}}

|{{IPA link|w}}

|

|

colspan="2" |Trill

|

|{{IPA link|r}}

|

|

|

|

|

  • {{IPA|/k ʁ/}} can also be heard as sounds {{IPA|[q ɦ]}} when between vowel {{IPA|/a/}} intervocalically.
  • Sounds {{IPA|/n l ʂ/}} can be heard as sounds {{IPA|[ɲ ɮ ʃ]}} before {{IPA|/i/}}.

Grammar

= Pronouns =

The following set of pronouns is found in the Yami language.{{harvnb|Rau|Dong|2006|page=123}}

class="wikitable"

|+Yami pronouns

! rowspan="2" |

! colspan="2" | Nominative

! colspan="2" | Genitive

! rowspan="2" | Locative

free || bound

! free || bound

1st person singular

|{{Lang|tao|yaken}}

|{{Lang|tao|ko}}

|{{Lang|tao|niaken}}

|{{Lang|tao|ko}}

|{{Lang|tao|jiaken}}

2nd person singular

|{{Lang|tao|imo}}

|{{Lang|tao|ka}}

|{{Lang|tao|nimo}}

|{{Lang|tao|mo}}

|{{Lang|tao|jimo}}

3rd person singular

|{{Lang|tao|iya}}

|{{Lang|tao|ya}}

|{{Lang|tao|nia}}

|{{Lang|tao|na}}

|{{Lang|tao|jia}}

1st person plural inclusive

|{{Lang|tao|yaten}}

|{{Lang|tao|ta}}, {{Lang|tao|tamo}}, {{Lang|tao|takamo}}

|{{Lang|tao|niaten}}

|{{Lang|tao|ta}}

|{{Lang|tao|jiaten}}

1st person plural exclusive

|{{Lang|tao|yamen}}

|{{Lang|tao|namen}}

|{{Lang|tao|niamen}}

|{{Lang|tao|namen}}

|{{Lang|tao|jiamen}}

2nd person plural

|{{Lang|tao|inio}}

|{{Lang|tao|kamo}}, {{Lang|tao|kanio}}

|{{Lang|tao|ninio}}

|{{Lang|tao|nio}}

|{{Lang|tao|jinio}}

3rd person plural

|{{Lang|tao|sira}}

|{{Lang|tao|sia}}

|{{Lang|tao|nira}}

|{{Lang|tao|da}}

|{{Lang|tao|jira}}

=Verbs=

The following list are verbal inflections found in Yami.{{harvnb|Rau|Dong|2006|page=135}}

;Dynamic intransitive

  • {{lang|tao|-om-/om-}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|N-}})
  • {{lang|tao|mi-}}
  • {{lang|tao|ma-}}
  • {{lang|tao|maN-}}
  • {{lang|tao|maka-}}
  • {{lang|tao|maci-/masi-/macika-/macipa-}}

;Stative

  • {{lang|tao|ma-}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|a-}})
  • {{lang|tao|ka- ... -an}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|ka- ... -i}})

;Dynamic

  • {{lang|tao|pi-}}
  • {{lang|tao|pa-}}
  • {{lang|tao|paN-}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|maN-}})
  • {{lang|tao|paka-}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|maka-}})
  • {{lang|tao|paci-}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|maci-}})

;Transitive

  • {{lang|tao|-en}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|-a}})
  • {{lang|tao|-an}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|-i}})
  • {{lang|tao|i-}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|-an}})

;Stative functioning as transitive

  • {{lang|tao|ma-}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|a- ... -a}})
  • {{lang|tao|ka- ... -an}} (subjunctive: {{lang|tao|a- ... -a}})

=Affixes=

The following is a list of affixes found in Yami.{{harvnb|Rau|Dong|2006|page=135–136}}

{{div col}}

  • {{Lang|tao|icia-}} 'fellows such and such who share the same features or fate'
  • {{Lang|tao|ikeyka-}} 'even more so'
  • {{Lang|tao|ika-}} 'feel such and such because...'
  • {{Lang|tao|ika-}} 'ordinal number'
  • {{Lang|tao|ipi-}} 'multiple number'
  • {{Lang|tao|ji a-}} 'negation or emphatic'
  • {{Lang|tao|ka-}} 'company, as ... as, abstract noun'
  • {{Lang|tao|ka-}} 'and then, just now, only'
  • {{Lang|tao|ka-}} 'stative verb prefix reappearing in forming transitive verbs'
  • {{Lang|tao|ka-}} (reduplicated root) 'very'
  • {{Lang|tao|ka-}} (reduplicated root) 'animals named after certain features'
  • {{Lang|tao|ka- ... -an}} 'common noun'
  • {{Lang|tao|ma- ... -en}} 'love to do such and such'
  • {{Lang|tao|mapaka-}} 'pretend to be such and such'
  • {{Lang|tao|mapi-}} 'do such and such as an occupation'
  • {{Lang|tao|mi-/mala-}} 'kinship relationships in a group of two or three'
  • {{Lang|tao|mika-/mapika-/ipika-}} 'all, gradually, one by one'
  • {{Lang|tao|mala-}} 'taste or look like...'
  • {{Lang|tao|mipa-}} 'getting more and more...'
  • {{Lang|tao|mipipa-}} 'even more...'
  • {{Lang|tao|mapi-/mapa-/pa- ... -en/ipa-}} 'causative verb affixes'
  • {{Lang|tao|ni-}} 'perfective'
  • {{Lang|tao|ni- ... na}} 'superlative'
  • {{Lang|tao|noka-}} 'past'
  • {{Lang|tao|noma-}} 'future (remote)'
  • {{Lang|tao|sicia}}- 'present'
  • {{Lang|tao|sima-}} 'future (proximal)'
  • {{Lang|tao|tey-}} 'direction'
  • {{Lang|tao|tey-}} 'very, too'
  • {{Lang|tao|tey-}} (reduplicated root) 'amount allocated to each unit

{{div col end}}

Vocabulary

{{More citations needed|date=September 2024|section}}

=Cognates with Philippine languages=

class="wikitable"

!English

!Yami

!Tagalog/Ilokano/Visayan, etc.

Person{{Lang|tao|tao}}{{Lang|tl|tao}} (Tagalog), {{Lang|ceb|tawo}} (Cebuano Vis., Bicol)
Mother{{Lang|tao|ina}}{{Lang|tl|ina}} (Tagalog){{cite web | url=https://www.trussel2.com/ACD/acd-s_i1.htm#26494 | title=ACD - Austronesian Comparative Dictionary - Cognate Sets - I }}
Father{{Lang|tao|ama}}{{Lang|tl|ama}} (Tagalog), {{Lang|ilo|ama}} (Ilokano){{cite web |title=amax father |url=https://www.trussel2.com/ACD/acd-s_a1.htm#134|publisher=ACD |access-date=30 December 2022}}
Head{{Lang|tao|oo}}{{Lang|tl|ulo}} (Tagalog), {{Lang|ceb|ulu}} (Cebuano), {{Lang|ilo|olo}} (Ilokano){{cite web|title=quluh head|url=https://www.trussel2.com/ACD/acd-s_q.htm#27867|publisher=ACD|access-date=30 December 2022}}
Yes{{Lang|tao|nohon}}oho (Pandan Bikol, Bikol Sentral)
Friend{{Lang|tao|kagagan}}kaibigan (Tagalog)
who{{Lang|tao|sino}}{{Lang|hil|sino}}, {{Lang|hil|sin-o}} (Hiligaynon Vis.), {{Lang|war|hin-o}} (Waray Vis.)
they{{Lang|tao|sira}}{{Lang|tl|sila}} (Tagalog), {{Lang|war|sira/hira}} (Waray Vis.)
their{{Lang|tao|nira}}nila (Tagalog)
offspring{{Lang|tao|anak}}{{Lang|ceb|anak}} (Cebuano Vis.), {{Lang|hil|anak}} (Hiligaynon Vis.), {{Lang|ilo|anak}} (Ilokano), {{Lang|tl|anak}} (Tagalog)
I (pronoun){{Lang|tao|ko}}{{Lang|ilo|ko}}, {{Lang|ilo
ko}} (Ilokano)
you{{Lang|tao|ka}}{{Lang|ilo|ka}}, {{Lang|ilo
ka}} (Ilokano)
day{{Lang|tao|araw}}{{Lang|ilo|araw}}, {{Lang|ilo|aldaw}} (Ilokano), {{Lang|ceb|adlaw}} (Cebuano Vis.)
eat{{Lang|tao|kanen}}{{Lang|ilo|kain}}, {{Lang|ilo|kanen}} (Ilokano), kaon (all Visayan)
drink{{Lang|tao|inomen}}{{Lang|ilo|inumin}}, {{Lang|ilo|inomen}} (Ilokano)
speech{{Lang|tao|ciriciring}}chirichirin (Itbayaten Ivatan), {{Lang|hil|siling}} (Hiligaynon Vis., 'say'), {{Lang|war|siring}} (Waray Vis., 'say')
and{{Lang|tao|aka}}saka (Bikol Sentral, Calabanga variant) (historically "saka asin")
ouch{{Lang|tao|Ananay}}{{Lang|ceb|Aray}}, {{Lang|ceb|Agay}} (Cebuano Vis.), {{Lang|ilo|Annay}} (Ilokano)
home{{Lang|tao|vahay}}{{Lang|ilo|bahay}}, {{Lang|ceb|balay}} (Ilokano, Cebuano Vis.)
piglet{{Lang|tao|viik}}{{Lang|tl|biik}} (Tagalog)
goat{{Lang|tao|kadling}}{{Lang|ceb|kambing}}, {{Lang|ceb|kanding}} (Cebuano Vis.), {{Lang|ilo|kalding}} (Ilokano)
stone{{Lang|tao|vato}}{{Lang|tl|bato}} (Tagalog, all Visayan, etc.)
town{{Lang|tao|ili}}{{Lang|ilo|ili}} (Ilokano)
one{{Lang|tao|ása}}{{Lang|tl|isa}} (Tagalog, Hiligaynon Vis.), {{Lang|ilo|maysa}} (Ilokano), {{Lang|ceb|usa}} (Cebuano Vis.)
two{{Lang|tao|dóa}} ({{Lang|tao|raroa}}){{Lang|tl|dalawa}} (Tagalog), {{Lang|ceb|duha}} (Cebuano), {{Lang|ilo|dua}} (Ilokano)
three{{Lang|tao|tílo}}{{Lang|ceb|tatlo}}, {{Lang|ceb|tulo/tuto}} (Cebuano Vis.), {{Lang|ilo|tallo}} (Ilokano)
four{{Lang|tao|ápat}}{{Lang|tl|apat}} (Tagalog, Hiligaynon Vis.), {{Lang|ceb|upat}} (Cebuano Vis.), {{Lang|ilo|uppat}} (Ilokano)
five{{Lang|tao|líma}}{{Lang|ceb|lima}} (Cebuano Vis.), {{Lang|hil|lima}} (Hiligaynon Vis.), {{Lang|ilo|lima}} (Ilokano), {{Lang|tl|lima}} (Tagalog){{cite web|title=lima five|url=https://www.trussel2.com/ACD/acd-s_l.htm#7384|publisher=ACD|access-date=30 December 2022}}
six{{Lang|tao|ánem}}{{Lang|tl|anim}} (Tagalog), {{Lang|ilo|innem}} (Ilokano), {{Lang|ceb|unom}} (Cebuano Vis.), {{Lang|hil|anum}} (Hiligaynon Vis.)
seven{{Lang|tao|píto}}pito (Tagalog/Ilokano/Visayan)
eight{{Lang|tao|wáo}}walo (Tagalog/Ilokano/Visayan)
nine{{Lang|tao|síam}}{{Lang|ilo|siyam}}, {{Lang|ilo|siam}} (Ilokano)
ten{{Lang|tao|póo}}{{Lang|tl|sampu}} (Tagalog), {{Lang|ilo|sangapulo}} (Ilokano), napulo (all Visayan)

=Japanese loanwords=

class="wikitable"

!English

!Yami

!Japanese

Airplane{{Lang|tao|sikoki}}{{Transliteration|ja|hikouki}} (飛行機)
Alcohol{{Lang|tao|saki}}{{Transliteration|ja|sake}} (酒)
Battleship{{Lang|tao|gengkang}}{{Transliteration|ja|gunkan}} (軍艦)
Bible{{Lang|tao|seysio}}{{Transliteration|ja|seisho}} (聖書)
Christ{{Lang|tao|Kizisto}}{{Transliteration|ja|kirisuto}} (キリスト)
Doctor{{Lang|tao|koysang}}{{Transliteration|ja|o-isha-san?}} (お医者さん)
Flashlight{{Lang|tao|dingki}}{{Transliteration|ja|denki}} (電気)
Holy Spirit{{Lang|tao|seyzi}}{{Transliteration|ja|seirei}} (聖霊)
Key{{Lang|tao|kagi}}{{Transliteration|ja|kagi}} (鍵)
Medicine{{Lang|tao|kosozi}}{{Transliteration|ja|kusuri}} (薬)
Monkey{{Lang|tao|sazo}}{{Transliteration|ja|saru}} (猿)
Motorcycle{{Lang|tao|otobay}}{{Transliteration|ja|ōtobai}} (オートバイ; 'auto bike')
Police{{Lang|tao|kisat}}{{Transliteration|ja|keisatsu}} (警察)
School{{Lang|tao|gako}}{{Transliteration|ja|gakkō}} (学校)
School bag{{Lang|tao|kabang}}{{Transliteration|ja|kaban}} (鞄)
Teacher{{Lang|tao|sinsi}}{{Transliteration|ja|sensei}} (先生)
Ticket{{Lang|tao|kipo}}{{Transliteration|ja|kippu}} (切符)
Truck{{Lang|tao|tozako}}{{Transliteration|ja|torakku}} (トラック; 'truck')

=Chinese loanwords=

class="wikitable"

!English

!Yami

!Mandarin Chinese

Wine{{Lang|tao|potaw cio}}{{Transliteration|cmn|pútáojiǔ}} (葡萄酒)

See also

References

{{reflist}}

Sources

{{refbegin}}

  • {{Cite book |last1=Rau |first1=D. Victoria |url=http://www.ling.sinica.edu.tw/Files/LL/UploadFiles/MonoFullText/Yami%20Texts%20with%20Reference%20Grammar%20and%20Dictionary.pdf |last2=Dong |first2=Maa-Neu |date=2006 |publisher=Academia Sinica |location=Taipei |script-title=zh:達悟語：語料、參考語法、及詞彙/ Yami Texts with Reference Grammar and Dictionary |language=Chinese, English}}
  • {{Cite book |last1=Rau |first1=D. Victoria 何德華 |title=Dáwù yǔ cídiǎn / Yami (Tao) Dictionary |last2=Dong |first2=Maa-Neu 董瑪女 |last3=Chang |first3=Ann Hui-Huan 張惠環 |date=2012 |publisher=Guoli taiwan daxue chuban zhongxin |isbn=978-986-03-2519-5 |location=Taibei shi |language=zh,en |script-title=zh:達悟語詞典 / Yami (Tao) Dictionary}}
  • {{Cite book |last1=Rau |first1=Der-Hwa 何德華 |url=https://alilin.apc.gov.tw/files/ebook/14477221925b6abed3d729c/HTML5/pc.html |title=Dáwù yǔ yǔfǎ gàilùn |last2=Dong |first2=Maa-Neu 董瑪女 |date=2018 |publisher=Yuanzhu minzu weiyuanhui |isbn=978-986-05-5695-7 |location=Xinbei shi |language=zh |script-title=zh:達悟語語法概論 |trans-title=Introduction to Tao Grammar |via=alilin.apc.gov.tw}}

{{refend}}

Further reading

{{refbegin}}

  • {{Cite conference |last1=Lai |first1=Li-Fang |last2=Gooden |first2=Shelome |year=2016 |title=Acoustic Cues to Prosodic Boundaries in Yami: A First Look |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305684790 |conference=Proceedings of Speech Prosody 8, May 31 – June 3, Boston, USA |doi=10.21437/SpeechProsody.2016-128 |doi-access=free}}
  • {{Cite conference |last1=Lai |first1=Li-Fang |last2=Gooden |first2=Shelome |year=2015 |title=What Does the Question Sound Like: Exploring Wh- and Yes/No Interrogative Prosody in Yami |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298351735 |conference=ICPhS}}
  • {{Cite conference |last1=Lai |first1=Li-Fang |last2=Gooden |first2=Shelome |date=2018 |title=Tonal Hybridization in Yami-Mandarin Contact |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325981046 |conference=Proceedings of the 6th Tonal Aspects of Languages |publisher=ISCA |doi=10.21437/TAL.2018-7 |doi-access=free}}

{{refend}}

External links

{{Incubator|code= tao}}

  • Yami wordlists at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: [http://language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/language.php?id=254 language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/language.php?id=254], [http://language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/language.php?id=335 language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/language.php?id=335] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113225446/http://language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/language.php?id=335 |date=2015-01-13 }}
  • [http://yamiproject.cs.pu.edu.tw/yami/ Yami Language Documentation Project website] – hosted by Providence University, Taiwan
  • [http://yamiproject.cs.pu.edu.tw/elearn/ Online Yami language course] – hosted by Providence University, Taiwan
  • [http://yamibow.cs.pu.edu.tw Yami Dictionary Project website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226235746/http://yamibow.cs.pu.edu.tw/ |date=2021-02-26 }} – hosted by Providence University, Taiwan
  • [https://e-dictionary.ilrdf.org.tw/tao/search.htm Yuán zhù mínzú yǔyán xiànshàng cídiǎn 原住民族語言線上詞典] {{in lang|zh}} – Yami search page at the "Aboriginal language online dictionary" website of the Indigenous Languages Research and Development Foundation
  • [https://alilin.apc.gov.tw/tw/ebooks?tag=616 Yami teaching and leaning materials published by the Council of Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104190308/https://alilin.apc.gov.tw/tw/ebooks?tag=616 |date=2021-11-04 }}
  • [http://indigenous-justice.president.gov.tw/doc/apology_text/Yami_Tao.pdf Yami translation of President Tsai Ing-wen's 2016 apology to indigenous people] – published on the website of the presidential office

{{Philippine languages}}

{{Languages of Taiwan}}

Category:Languages of Taiwan

Category:Batanic languages

Category:Vulnerable languages