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Mongolian etymology :

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Proto-Mongolian: *-mu, -mi
Altaic etymology: Altaic etymology
Meaning: final interrogative particle
Russian meaning: конечная вопросительная частица
Middle Mongolian: -mu, -mi (SH)
monget-prnum,monget-meaning,monget-rusmean,monget-mmo,

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Altaic etymology :

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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.
altet-prnum,altet-meaning,altet-rusmean,altet-turc,altet-mong,altet-kor,altet-jap,altet-reference,

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Turkic etymology :

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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.
turcet-prnum,turcet-meaning,turcet-rusmean,turcet-atu,turcet-krh,turcet-trk,turcet-tat,turcet-chg,turcet-uzb,turcet-uig,turcet-azb,turcet-trm,turcet-hak,turcet-shr,turcet-alt,turcet-khal,turcet-chv,turcet-tuv,turcet-krg,turcet-kaz,turcet-nogx,turcet-bas,turcet-blkx,turcet-gagx,turcet-krmx,turcet-klpx,turcet-sal,turcet-qum,turcet-reference,

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Korean etymology :

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Proto-Korean: *mɨ̀
Altaic etymology: Altaic etymology
Meaning: what
Russian meaning: что
Modern Korean: muǝt
Middle Korean: mɨ̀-
Comments: Nam 225, KED 663.
koret-prnum,koret-meaning,koret-rusmean,koret-phn,koret-ako,koret-reference,

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Japanese etymology :

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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.
japet-prnum,japet-meaning,japet-rusmean,japet-ajp,japet-mjp,japet-tok,japet-kyo,japet-kag,japet-comments,

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Nostratic etymology :

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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'.
nostret-meaning,nostret-prnum,nostret-ier,nostret-alt,nostret-ura,nostret-kart,nostret-drav,nostret-reference,

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Indo-European etymology :

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Proto-IE: *m[e]-
Meaning: pron. interr.
Hittite: mahhan 'wie', man 'wie, als' (Friedrich 132, 135)
Tokharian: mäkte 'how', mäksu 'which, who' (Adams 451)
Russ. meaning: вопрос. мест.
piet-meaning,piet-hitt,piet-tokh,piet-rusmean,

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Uralic etymology :

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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):
Selkup: mi̮ (Ta.) 'Sache, Ware' (füllwort, Pluralpartikel)
Kamass: moʔ, mo 'weshalb, warum'
Sammalahti's version: *mi & *mi6
Addenda: Koib. мола 'для чего'
uralet-proto,uralet-prnum,uralet-meaning,uralet-germmean,uralet-fin,uralet-est,uralet-saa,uralet-mrd,uralet-mar,uralet-udm,uralet-kom,uralet-khn,uralet-man,uralet-ugr,uralet-nen,uralet-enc,uralet-nga,uralet-slk,uralet-kam,uralet-samm2,uralet-add,

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Kartvelian etymology :

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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).
kartet-prnum,kartet-rusmean,kartet-meaning,kartet-gru,kartet-grmean,kartet-egrmean,kartet-meg,kartet-sva,kartet-laz,kartet-notes,

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Long-range etymologies :

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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)
globet-meaning,globet-nostr,globet-afas,globet-scc,globet-austr,globet-amer,globet-afr,globet-reference,

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Sino-Caucasian etymology :

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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.
sccet-meaning,sccet-prnum,sccet-cauc,sccet-stib,sccet-yen,sccet-buru,sccet-notes,

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North Caucasian etymology :

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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].

caucet-prnum,caucet-meaning,caucet-nakh,caucet-aand,caucet-darg,caucet-lezg,caucet-comment,

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Nakh etymology :

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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.
nakhet-prnum,nakhet-meaning,nakhet-che,nakhet-ing,nakhet-bcb,nakhet-comment,

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Avar-Andian etymology :

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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.
aandet-prnum,aandet-meaning,aandet-and,aandet-chm,aandet-tnd,aandet-krt,aandet-btl,aandet-bgv,aandet-comment,

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Dargwa etymology :

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Proto-Dargwa: *mu-rt
North Caucasian etymology: North Caucasian etymology
Meaning: when
Akusha: murt
Chiragh: murt
darget-prnum,darget-meaning,darget-drg,darget-chr,

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Lezghian etymology :

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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).
lezget-prnum,lezget-meaning,lezget-lzg,lezget-agu,lezget-rut,lezget-cak,lezget-krz,lezget-arc,lezget-comment,

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Sino-Tibetan etymology :

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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.
stibet-prnum,stibet-meaning,stibet-kir,stibet-comments,

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Kiranti etymology :

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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'
kiret-prnum,kiret-meaning,kiret-sun,kiret-kal,kiret-yam,

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Yamphu dictionary :

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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
yamet-prnum,yamet-stem,yamet-pspeech,yamet-meaning,yamet-comments,yamet-nepali,

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Yenisseian etymology :

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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-ĺa5,6 'how', bi-ĺɛ́ś / biĺáś '(towards) where', (Кастр.) bilejäm 'which', biĺíl / bińíĺ 'whence'
Yug: biśa:ŋ3 'where', bɛ-tta5, bi-re5,6 / 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).
yenet-prnum,yenet-meaning,yenet-ket,yenet-sym,yenet-kot,yenet-pum,yenet-notes,

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Burushaski etymology :

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Common Burushaski: *me-
Sino-Caucasian Etymology: Sino-Caucasian Etymology
Meaning: who
Yasin: men, ámen
Hunza: ámin, men
Nagar: ámin, men
buruet-prnum,buruet-meaning,buruet-yas,buruet-hun,buruet-ngr,

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Austric etymology :

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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?
austr-meaning,austr-prnum,austr-aa,austr-aame,austr-mun,austr-an,austr-anme,

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Austro-Asiatic etymology :

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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
aaet-meaning,aaet-prnum,aaet-kat,aaet-bah,aaet-kmr,aaet-pear,aaet-vim,aaet-pawa,aaet-kmu,aaet-asli,aaet-bib,

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Katuic etymology :

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Proto-Katuic: *mǝh
Meaning: what?
Presyllable: ʔǝ-
Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology
Proto-East Katuic: *mǝh / *mɛh
References: TK17.22
katet-meaning,katet-prpr,katet-prnum,katet-ekat,katet-bibref,

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East Katuic etymology :

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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?
ekatet-meaning,ekatet-epre,ekatet-prnum,ekatet-pak,ekatet-pakme,ekatet-tao,ekatet-taome,ekatet-lka,ekatet-lkame,ekatet-nge,ekatet-ngeme,ekatet-kr,ekatet-ct,ekatet-kntt,ekatet-hka,ekatet-katme,

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Bahnar etymology :

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Proto-Bahnaric: *mɛh
Meaning: there
Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology
Proto-North Bahnaric: *m[e]h.T
Harak: ʔǝmɔh
banet-meaning,banet-prnum,banet-nob,banet-har,

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North Bahnaric etymology :

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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
nobet-meaning,nobet-prnum,nobet-ren,nobet-renme,nobet-jeh,nobet-jehme,nobet-sed,nobet-sedme,nobet-hre,nobet-hreme,nobet-modr,nobet-didr,nobet-refer,

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Khmer etymology :

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Khmer: maoh
Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology
Old Khmer: mah, maha
Old Khmer Meaning: what
References: P366
kmret-prnum,kmret-okh,kmret-okmean,kmret-ref,

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Pearic etymology :

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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?
pearet-meaning,pearet-prpr,pearet-prnum,pearet-chng,pearet-chngme,pearet-song,pearet-songme,pearet-smr,pearet-smrme,

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Viet-Muong etymology :

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Proto-Viet-Muong:
Meaning: who
Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology
vimet-meaning,vimet-prnum,

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Palaung-Wa etymology :

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Proto-Palaung-Wa: *mV:h
Meaning: what?
Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology
pawaet-meaning,pawaet-prnum,

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Aslian etymology :

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Proto-Aslian: *Cǝmǝh
Austro-Asiatic etymology: Austro-Asiatic etymology
Meaning: what
Semelai: dǝmɔh
Semoq Beri: ʔamǝh
Semai: ma:h
asliet-prnum,asliet-meaning,asliet-sml,asliet-ber,asliet-smi,

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