#5807 PTB *(h)i ⪤ *(h)ay THIS / HERE / PROXIMAL DEICTIC (provisional)

Forms supporting the current etymon are widely attested across TB languages. Early on, Burling 1959:444 reconstructs *i ‘this’ for Proto-Bodo; Bradley 1979:454 *i ~ *hi for Proto-Loloish; evidence from other TB subgroups justifies treating *i ~ * as a root at the PTB level. Schuessler 2007:563 offers a convincing Chinese comparandum: 伊 ‘this’, OC *ʔi, Mand. yī.

Note that we are positing #5807 PTB *(h)i ⪤ *(h)ay THIS / HERE / PROXIMAL DEICTIC as an etymon distinct from #6595 PTani *si THIS and #2195 PTB *m‑day ⪤ *m‑di THAT / THIS / DEICTIC. Additional comparative and historical research may reveal whether these three PTB etyma should continue to be treated as isolates vs. ultimately as allofams of one another. [SPB]