9.0 Shape, Size, Color, Measure, Number, Time, Space > 9.10 Locations > 9.10.3 Governable units (towns, parts of towns)

#5746 PTB *nam HOUSE / VILLAGE

The distribution of this form makes it look like a probable loan. This etymology is due to Liberty Lidz.

#5746 PTB *nam HOUSE / VILLAGE, was originally created and glossed by Lidz (2014) as VILLAGE. However, we believe the earliest meaning was more likely HOUSE.

In some of the languages in evidence here, “village” is expressed a compound noun based on “house”, e.g. Bengni, Nishing nam ‘house’ vs. nam‑pam ‘village’. In other languages, e.g. Baram, Rongpo, the notion “village” nam appears to have replaced a presumed, earlier meaning “house”. In these languages, the meaning “house” is expressed via reflexes of a different etymon, typically #1612 PTB *k‑y(i/u)m HOUSE, cf. Rongpo kim ‘house’.

Lidz (ibid.) also suggests that ”...the distribution of this form [referring to *nam] makes it look like a probable loan.” New evidence does support *nam ‘house’ as possibly an areal word here. Cf. in Mon-Khmer, the Bahnaric languages Bahnar [Pleiku]’ *hnaam ‘house, home, building’, Laven *hnəəm ‘house’, Sedang *hnɛ̰əm ‘house’, Brao (Laveh) *hnaːm ‘house’.

rnanalysislgidreflexglossgfnlanguagegrpidgrpnogrpgeneticcitationsrcabbrsrcidrn
252113m,5746790i◦namvillageKhoirao641.3.3Zeme Group1Marrison 67 NagaGEM-CNL0
252115m,5746906a◦namvillageLiangmei641.3.3Zeme Group1Marrison 67 NagaGEM-CNL0
252118m,57461018ra◦namvillageMaram641.3.3Zeme Group1Marrison 67 NagaGEM-CNL0
25212957461301namvillagePuiron641.3.3Zeme Group1Marrison 67 NagaGEM-CNL0
52398657462036namvillageRongmei / Nruanghmei641.3.3Zeme Group1Brown 37 IndoBRO18370
25212357461347nümvillageRongmei / Nruanghmei641.3.3Zeme Group1Marrison 67 NagaGEM-CNL0
252121m,57461137rü◦namvillageMzieme641.3.3Zeme Group1Marrison 67 NagaGEM-CNL0
54712457462113namvillagen.Rongpo202.1.1Western Himalayish0Sharma 2003SRS-TBLUP9080
2678195746721nāmvillagenKaike222.1.2Bodic1Hale 73 CSDAH-CSDPN06a.020
650025746,m604nãːq◦savillageGurung (Ghachok)232.1.4Tamangish1Glover 72 GuVoSIL-Gur6.A.20
2678145746,m596nā̩:q◦sāvillagenGurung232.1.4Tamangish1Hale 73 CSDAH-CSDPN06a.020
2678155746,m1457'nām◦sāvillagenTamang (Sahu)232.1.4Tamangish1Hale 73 CSDAH-CSDPN06a.020
1233555746,m1464'nam◦savillageTamang (Sahu)232.1.4Tamangish1Taylor 72 TmVoSIL-Sahu6.20