1.0 The Body > 1.9 Reproductive System > 1.9.5 Vagina

#1349 PTB *si(ŋ/k) VAGINA

This etymon is also best attested in Himalayish, with some support from the NE Indian Areal Group, and perhaps from Qiangic.

For the moment it seems best to keep this set of forms distinct from #686 PTB *si(ŋ/k) MOUTH / LIP. In spite of the plausible phonosemantic association between these etyma, the reflexes are different in languages like Garo (Bangladesh), Kokborok, Bahing, Bantawa, and Chepang [qq.v.].

Evidence for a final velar consonant comes from Barish (especially Lalung), Hayu, and Kanauri.

Complicating the picture is the fact that in some languages the putative cognate is an open syllable that occurs as the second element of compounds with #668 PTB *pu VAGINA or #662 PTB *b(y)at VAGINA. In such forms, it is possible that the second syllable may actually represent #1019 PTB *sey FRUIT / ROSE / ROUND OBJECT. (Cf. e.g. Bantawa si ‘bear fruit’, Newar maa‑si ‘vagina; breast; milk’, si ‘morpheme in fruit names’, Lahu cha‑šī ‘vagina’.)

rnanalysislgidreflexglossgfnlanguagegrpidgrpnogrpgeneticcitationsrcabbrsrcidrn
554651349,662803ši-paʔvaginaKokborok801.7.1.1Bodo1Tripuri 88PT-Kok0
477431349880sheʔvaginaLalung [Tiwa]801.7.1.1Bodo1Balawan 65MB-Lal630
1450471349581sivaginaGaro (Bangladesh)811.7.1.2Garo1Burling 92 GaBaRB-GB0
1450481349581si'-vaginaGaro (Bangladesh)811.7.1.2Garo1Burling 92 GaBaRB-GB0
1450501349,m581si'-ivaginaGaro (Bangladesh)811.7.1.2Garo1Burling 92 GaBaRB-GB0
1199081349,661732s̱ẖik◦tsvaginaKanauri202.1.1Western Himalayish0Matisoff 87 BPJAM-Ety 1
1278031352,1349436ti◦siclitorisChantyal232.1.4Tamangish1Noonan 92NPB-ChanQ10.4.40
126277662,13491455¹pit◦sivaginanTamang (Risiangku)232.1.4Tamangish1Mazaudon 91 TamQMM-TamRisQ10.4.10
119923662,13491459¹pi-civaginaTamang (Sahu)232.1.4Tamangish1Matisoff 87 BPJAM-Ety0
8838276,13491176pi◦cibreast, milk; (euph.) vaginaNewar (Dolakhali)272.2Newar1Genetti 90 DolaCG-Dolak0
29654313491644siːvaginaYakha312.3.1Eastern Kiranti1Kohn 90TK-Yakha10.4.10
51132668,1349327phu◦civagina (baby talk)Bantawa762.3.2Southern Kiranti1Rai 85 BnDsNKR-Bant0
79552668,1349328phu◦civagina / vulvaBantawa762.3.2Southern Kiranti1Rai 84 BnDcWW-Bant600
79553668,1349,661328phu◦ci dhüvaginaBantawa762.3.2Southern Kiranti1Rai 84 BnDcWW-Bant600
119920662,1349301pi-sivaginaBahing302.3.4Western Kiranti1Matisoff 87 BPJAM-Ety0
119911668,1349644pu-tsingvaginaHayu302.3.4Western Kiranti1Matisoff 87 BPJAM-Ety 2
667701352,1349766ti◦siːclitorisKham282.4Kham-Magar-Chepang1Watters 89 KhQDNW-KhamQ0
17880668,13491325pʰo◦ʂvaginaQiang (Yadu)343.2Qiangic1Dai 89 QianDQ-QiangN146 3

^ 1.
Notice the reduction of the vowel to zero in Kanauri ts.
^ 2.
Note the variation between final velar nasal and zero-final in the Hayu forms. See also the similar Hayu reflexes of #686 PTB *si(ŋ/k) MOUTH / LIP.
^ 3.
Qiang ʂ looks like the fused initial consonant of the second syllable of an original compound, descended from #1349 PTB *si(ŋ/k) VAGINA. Fusion of compounds into monosyllables is a striking characteristic of the Qiangic languages (e.g. Benedict 1983, “Qiang monosyllabization: a third phase in the cycle”, LTBA 7.2:113-4).