Nostratic etymology :

Eurasiatic: *mV

Meaning: what, interrogative pronoun

Borean: Borean

Indo-European: *me-

Altaic: *mV́

Uralic: *mV

Kartvelian: *ma-

Dravidian: (Kajkadi midā 'what', Burgendi mī)

References: ND 1355 *mi 'what'.

Indo-European etymology :

Altaic etymology :

Proto-Altaic: *mV́

Nostratic: Nostratic

Meaning: an interrogative root

Russian meaning: вопросительная основа

Turkic: *-mi

Mongolian: *-mu, -mi

Korean: *mɨ̀

Japanese: *mǝ́-si

Comments: SKE 147, АПиПЯЯ 297. Cf. perhaps also Evk. mu 'or' (in interrogative sentences) (Титов 1926, 94). Further Nostratic parallels of this grammaticalized interrogative stem see in ОСНЯ 2, 66-8.

Turkic etymology :

Proto-Turkic: *-mi

Altaic etymology: Altaic etymology

Meaning: interrogative particle

Russian meaning: вопросительная частица

Old Turkic: -mu

Karakhanid: -mu

Turkish: -mi

Tatar: -mi

Middle Turkic: -mu

Uzbek: -mi

Uighur: -mu

Azerbaidzhan: -mi

Turkmen: -mi

Khakassian: -ma/-me

Shor: -ma/me

Oyrat: -ba/be

Halaj: -mi

Chuvash: -im

Tuva: -be

Kirghiz: -bɨ

Kazakh: -ma/me

Noghai: -ma/me

Bashkir: -mɨ

Balkar: -mu/mɨ

Gagauz: -mi

Karaim: -mo

Karakalpak: -ma/me

Salar: -mi

Kumyk: -mi

Comments: Морфология 2.

Mongolian etymology :

Proto-Mongolian: *-mu, -mi

Altaic etymology: Altaic etymology

Meaning: final interrogative particle

Russian meaning: конечная вопросительная частица

Middle Mongolian: -mu, -mi (SH)

Korean etymology :

Proto-Korean: *mɨ̀

Altaic etymology: Altaic etymology

Meaning: what

Russian meaning: что

Modern Korean: muǝt

Middle Korean: mɨ̀-

Comments: Nam 225, KED 663.

Japanese etymology :

Proto-Japanese: *mǝ́-si

Altaic etymology: Altaic etymology

Meaning: an interrogative / dubitative particle

Russian meaning: частица вопроса / сомнения

Old Japanese: mosi

Middle Japanese: mósi

Tokyo: móshi

Kyoto: móshì

Kagoshima: móshi

Comments: JLTT 485.

Uralic etymology :

Number: 588

Proto: *mV

> Nostratic: > Nostratic

English meaning: what; thing

German meaning: was; Sache

Finnish: mikä (gen. minkä) 'welcher, was für ein'

Estonian: mis (mi-, dial. mi, me, meä) 'was, welcher; wie; wo'

Saam (Lapp): mī (mâ-) (N) 'what, which', mi (mâ-) '(that) which, who, what'; mij (L) 'was, welcher, irgendein', mi (T Kld. Not. A) (gen. mønn, T man) 'welcher, was'

Mordovian: meźe, meje (E), meźä 'was, etwas'

Mari (Cheremis): ma (KB), mo (U B) 'welcher, was'

Udmurt (Votyak): ma 'was', mar 'welcher, was, etwas' (S G)

Komi (Zyrian): mi̮j (S P), muj (Le.), møj, maj (PO) 'was'

Khanty (Ostyak): mö̆ɣi (V), mĕj (DN), mŭj (Kaz.) 'was', mö̆ɣö̆ĺi (V) 'was', mĕli (V) 'welcher', mĕtä (V DN) 'welcher', mȧ̆ti (O) 'wer (von mehreren, zweien)'

Mansi (Vogul): män (P), mana (So.) 'welcher', mänǝr (P), manǝr (So.) 'welcher?', mitǟ^.r (TJ), mätǝr (KU P), matǝr (So.) 'etwas'

Hungarian: mi 'was, (altung.) etwas', mëly(ik) 'welcher', mert 'weil', mily(en) 'was für ein', mind(en) 'alle(s), jeder', mint 'wie', ? mű (acc. művet) 'Werk, Arbeit' [attributed also to *meke - SAS]

Nenets (Yurak): mī̮ (O Nj.) 'etwas zu essen, etwas Eßbares, Ware' ?

Enets (Yen): mîʔ 'was'

Nganasan (Tawgi): mā

Selkup: mi̮ (Ta.) 'Sache, Ware' (füllwort, Pluralpartikel)

Kamass: moʔ, mo 'weshalb, warum'

Sammalahti's version: *mi & *mi6

Addenda: Koib. мола 'для чего'

Kartvelian etymology :

Proto-Kartvelian: *ma-

Nostratic: Nostratic

Russian meaning: что

English meaning: what

Georgian: ro-me-l-

Georgian meaning (Rus.): который

Georgian meaning (Engl.): which

Megrel: mu-

Svan: mä-j, ma-j

Laz: mu-

Notes and references: ЭСКЯ 124, EWK 226-227. В ОСНЯ 2, 66-67 сравнивается с ПИЕ *mo- (анат., тох., кельт.), урал. *mi- 'что', алт. *mV- id. (ср. аналогично Бомхард 1996, 197). Отметим и СК параллели: ПВК *mV 'вопросительная основа' (NCED 843).

Long-range etymologies :

Borean (approx.) : MV

Meaning : interrogative pronoun

Eurasiatic : *mV

Afroasiatic : *mV 'what' (Sem., Berb., Cush., Chad.)

Sino-Caucasian : *mV

Austric : PAA *mǝh 'what', PAN *ma-nu 'which, what'

Amerind (misc.) : *min ~ *men ~ *man 'interrogative' (R 396) [+ A]

African (misc.) : Macro-Khoisan *ma "interrogative stem".

Reference : ND 1355; GE 10 (+ Khois., NS, IP, Austral., Nahali)

Sino-Caucasian etymology :

Proto-Sino-Caucasian: *mV

Meaning: interrogative stem

Borean etymology: Borean etymology

North Caucasian: *mV

Sino-Tibetan: [*mV]

Yenisseian: *wi- / *we-

Burushaski: *me-

Comments and references : KS 204, NSC 64 *mI, LDC 39.

North Caucasian etymology :

Proto-North Caucasian: *mV

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: an interrogative stem

Proto-Nakh: *mV

Proto-Avaro-Andian: *ʔi-mV

Proto-Dargwa: *mu-rt

Proto-Lezghian: *mo-sa

Notes: Reconstructed for the PEC level. The same stem possibly can be discovered in Lak. cu-ma 'who, which' (a compound with cu 'who'). Note a striking parallelism between PL *mo-sa 'when' and PN *ma-ca(n) id.

    [Since initial *mu- must be regularly dropped in Lak., it would be possible to derive Lak. ta 'when' < *mu(r)-ta = PD *mu-rt].

Nakh etymology :

Proto-Nakh: *mV

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: interrogative stem

Chechen: mila

Ingush: mala

Batsbi: mẽ

Comments: Widely used in PN, cf. Chech. mi-la who, mü-lχa which, mi-ča where, ma-ca when etc.; Ing. ma-la who, mi-ča where, ma-ca when etc.; Bacb. mẽ who, me-lχu which, mič(a) where, macã when etc.

Avar-Andian etymology :

Protoform: *ʔi-mV

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: who (interrog. pronoun)

Andian language: emi-

Chamalal: im

Tindi: ima-la

Karata: heme

Botlikh: ẽ(w)

Bagvalal: em

Comments: The stem *ʔi-mV- is actually a compound of the interrogative stem *ʔi- (q.v.) which is also used independently, and the bound stem *-mV-, used only in the 1st and 2d classes.

Dargwa etymology :

Proto-Dargwa: *mu-rt

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: when

Akusha: murt

Chiragh: murt

Lezghian etymology :

Proto-Lezghian: *mo-sa

North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology

Meaning: when

Lezghian: mus

Agul: mus (Tp.)

Rutul: mɨs

Tsakhur: musa(na)

Kryz: mɨs

Archi: basa

Comment: Not quite clear is the denasalisation in Arch. (for this form there are no grounds to suspect an archetype like *wo-nsa).

Sino-Tibetan etymology :

Proto-Sino-Tibetan: [*mV]

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: interrogative pronoun

Kiranti: *má-

Comments: The root is also attested in Karen *mV 'what', Serdukpen mu id., Bodo *maʔ id., Ao Naga *mV id., Sichuan *mV id.

Kiranti etymology :

Proto-Kiranti: *má-

Sino-Tibetan etymology: Sino-Tibetan etymology

Meaning: what

Sunwar: 'mar what, 'marde why

Kaling: 'mɔŋ what, 'mɔne why

Yamphu: i-maŋ 'what'

Yamphu dictionary :

Entry: imaŋ

Kiranti etymology: Kiranti etymology

Stem: <ima ; iman->

Grammar: interrog.

Meaning: 1a) what b) whatever, anything 2a) some, a small, undefined quantity b) what-not, anything

Comments: 1a) imaŋ.de lä:ʔ.m.ä? (what.ISF do.INF.FCT) What shall we do?/What to do? b) imaŋ.so mäy.yaŋ.ʔuʔ.itt.u.ŋ.m.ä. (what.too NEG.carry.bring_down.PF.о3.EXAG.12NS.FCT) We hadn't brought down anything. 2a) halonda imaŋ häg.a.mi. (hallū?o what cut.PT.3PL) They cut some ploughing belts. surti ima uks.iŋ.ma. (surtī what drink.EXPS.12NS) We smoked some tobacco. b) imaŋ na:si lis.än.na. (what nāsi become.FCT.PSB) Anything might have been destroyed.

Nepali: ke

Yenisseian etymology :

Proto-Yenisseian: *wi- / *we-

Sino-Caucasian etymology: Sino-Caucasian etymology

Meaning: interrogative pronoun

Ket: biśɛ́ŋ / biśáŋ ( < biśa:ŋ³) 'where', bi-śśe 'who' (masc.), bɛ-śa 'who' (fem.), bi-ĺa^5,6 'how', bi-ĺɛ́ś / biĺáś '(towards) where', (Кастр.) bilejäm 'which', biĺíl / bińíĺ 'whence'

Yug: biśa:ŋ³ 'where', bɛ-tta⁵, bi-re^5,6 / birɛ́j 'how', bi-rɛ́s / birɛ:hs⁴ '(towards) where', birɨ:r³ 'whence'; (Кастр.) biraŋsa 'which'

Kottish: bi-li 'where', bilthuŋ '(towards) where', bilčaŋ 'whence', bi-ĺäŋ 'which', balomāś, *bilomaś, g. bilomāća, pl. balomāćan "which, what for"; bilituiśe "which"; bilipei, *bilipēi "how much"

Pumpokol: bižǵ (Срсл.) "how" [?]

Comments: ССЕ 294. Werner 1, 124, 125 (without reconstruction; Kott. pīl 'far' of course has nothing to do with this root, see *bīr₁).

Burushaski etymology :

Common Burushaski: *me-

Sino-Caucasian Etymology: Sino-Caucasian Etymology

Meaning: who

Yasin: men, ámen

Hunza: ámin, men

Nagar: ámin, men

Austric etymology :

Proto-Austric: *mV

Meaning: what, which

Borean etymology: Borean etymology

Proto-Austroasiatic: *mǝh (also *mV 'who, what'

Austroasiatic meaning: what

Munda parallels: Bon ma; Kurku amae 'who', Mundari ci-mae 'why'

Proto-Austronesian: *manu

Austronesian meaning: interrogative marker: which?

Austro-Asiatic etymology :

Proto-Austro-Asiatic: *mǝh

Meaning: what

Austric etymology: Austric etymology

Proto-Katuic: EK *mǝh

Proto-Bahnaric: NB *m[e]h.T < *mɛh E?

Khmer: maoh < OK mah, maha V?

Proto-Pearic: *mih.N / *miʔ.N

Proto-Vietic: ARE amɨ̀h

Proto-Palaungic: *mV:h

Proto-Khmu: *mǝh

Proto-Aslian: *Cǝmǝh

References: S-296

Katuic etymology :

Proto-Katuic: *mǝh

Meaning: what?

Presyllable: ʔǝ-

Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology

Proto-East Katuic: *mǝh / *mɛh

References: TK17.22

East Katuic etymology :

Proto-East Katuic: *mǝh / *mɛh

Meaning: what?

Presyllable: ʔǝ- / #

Katuic etymology: Katuic etymology

Pakoh: ʔǝmǝh.L

Pakoh meaning: what?

Taojh: amǝh.L

Taojh meaning: what? (VL)

Lao Katu: mǝ̂:h

Lao Katu meaning: which?, what?

Ngeq: ʔamɛh

Ngeq meaning: what; tamɛh to ask

Kri: ʔâ: mɛh; tamɛh to ask

Chatong: ʔamɔh

Kantu dialects: ʔamɔh

Katu dialects (2): mǝ:h V?

Katu meaning: what?

Bahnar etymology :

Proto-Bahnaric: *mɛh

Meaning: there

Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology

Proto-North Bahnaric: *m[e]h.T

Harak: ʔǝmɔh

North Bahnaric etymology :

Proto-North-Bahnaric: *m[e]h.T

Meaning: there

Bahnaric etymology: Bahnaric etymology

Rengao form: meh.T

Rengao meaning: there

Jeh form: mih.T ʔa:j.T V?

Jeh meaning: where

Sedang form: mɛ.L

Sedang meaning: there

Hre form: mɛh.T

Hre meaning: there

Mo'dra: me.C

Didra: me.C

References: PNB-362, GS-265

Khmer etymology :

Khmer: maoh

Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology

Old Khmer: mah, maha

Old Khmer Meaning: what

References: P366

Pearic etymology :

Proto-Pearic: *mih.N / *miʔ.N

Meaning: who?

Presyllable: hǝ-

Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology

Chong: ʔaj.A mih.A

Chong meaning: who?

Song: ʔimih.A

Song meaning: who?

Samre: mi:.C

Samre meaning: who?

Viet-Muong etymology :

Proto-Viet-Muong:

Meaning: who

Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology

Palaung-Wa etymology :

Proto-Palaung-Wa: *mV:h

Meaning: what?

Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology

Aslian etymology :

Proto-Aslian: *Cǝmǝh

Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology

Meaning: what

Semelai: dǝmɔh

Semoq Beri: ʔamǝh

Semai: ma:h

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