#3322 PTB *tu(k/ŋ) BACK (of body)

Cf. also #225 PTB *m‑daŋ BUTTOCKS / HIPS / TAIL / LOWER BACK / LOINS, where the semantic center of gravity is lower in the body (i.e. lower back, buttocks, tail); however, the Sherpa, Lepcha, and Yakha forms are included here because of their stopped finals.

We recognize three quite similar etyma in this semantic area: the present root #3322 PTB *tu(k/ŋ), #225 PTB *m‑daŋ BUTTOCKS / HIPS / TAIL / LOWER BACK / LOINS, and #5639 PTB *du TAIL / BUTTOCKS / BACK. In the case of phonologically eroded languages (e.g. Loloish, Qiangic, Baic), it is sometimes difficult to decide among them. Several Loloish languages have distinct reflexes for at least two of them, e.g. Lahu tɔ̀ ‘lower back / loins / lumbar region’ < #225 PTB *m‑daŋ vs. ɔ̀‑mɛ̄‑tu ‘tail’ < #5639 PTB *du; Written Burmese taŋ‑pâ ‘buttock’ < #225 PTB *m‑daŋ vs. khâ‑tuiŋ ‘lower back / loins / lumbar region’ < #3322 PTB *tu(k/ŋ). Two Southern Loloish binomes are particularly problematic (Akha dɔ̀‑dàŋ ‘buttocks’ and Sangkong toŋ³¹ taŋ⁵⁵ ‘buttocks’), where the first syllables are from #225 PTB *m‑daŋ, while the second syllables are of uncertain origin despite their superficial resemblance to #225 PTB *m‑daŋ.