STEDT Etymon #662
1.0 The Body > 1.9 Reproductive System > 1.9.5 Vagina
#662 PTB *b(y)at VAGINA |
This root is quite widely distributed in TB, appearing in the NE Indian Areal Group, Himalayish, Lolo-Burmese (including Jinuo), and Bai. It was reconstructed as PLB *b(y)et in Matisoff 1972b #5 (The Loloish Tonal Split Revisited) and HPTB p. 375, but that has been revised here to *b(y)at to accommodate those reflexes that have ‑a‑ vocalism (e.g. WB, Kokborok, Bunan). Bradley’s (1979) PLB reconstruction without medial glide, *bat, does not account for certain Loloish reflexes with front vowels (e.g. Lahu cha‑pɛ̀ʔ, since the regular Lahu reflex of *‑at is ‑eʔ). Bauer 1991 (LTBA 14.1) treats this etymon as part of a binome *dzu(k)‑byet (see #1356 PTB *dzyuk ⪤ *tsyuk VULVA for the first element), and adduces parallels in Hmong-Mien languages and Chinese. Benedict (1990) hypothesizes a “Proto-Austro-Kadai” binome *tu‑pi (for the first element see #661 PTB *s‑tu VAGINA / VULVA). These freewheeling proposals remain to be evaluated by future generations. There does not seem to be any connection between this etymon and #668 PTB *pu VAGINA, which is confined mostly to Himalayish, and whose reflexes have back vowels.
The Bai forms listed below may well be loans from Chinese.
K. P. Malla suggests that the first syllable of Newar (Dolakhali) pi‑ci ‘vagina’ really means ‘breast’ (see Kathmandu Newar pi‑si ‘breast’ under #276 PTB *(p/b)i ROUNDED PART / NIPPLE / FOREHEAD / SHOULDER above), but can be used euphemistically to mean ‘vagina’. In the other Himalayish forms cited here, however, this morpheme does definitely seem to mean ‘vagina’.
| rn | analysis | lgid | reflex | gloss | gfn | language | grpid | grpno | grp | genetic | citation | srcabbr | srcid | rn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 514811 | 662 | 2012 | b(y)et | vulva / vagina | *Tibeto-Burman | 2 | 0.1 | Tibeto-Burman (previously published reconstructions) | 0 | Matisoff 03 HPTB | JAM-HPTB | 586 | 0 | |
| 402607 | m,662 | 1819 | kɯ³¹biɑt⁵⁵ | love / like | Kaman [Miju] | 6 | 1.1.2 | Deng | 1 | Huang and Dai 92 TBL | TBL | 1126.23 | 0 | |
| 216677 | m,662 | 592 | kɯ³¹biɑt⁵⁵ | love | Kaman [Miju] | 6 | 1.1.2 | Deng | 1 | Sun H 91 ZMYY | ZMYYC | 719.48 | 1 | |
| 613231 | 662 | 2214 | pɑʔ | vulva / vagina | Kaman [Miju] | 6 | 1.1.2 | Deng | 1 | Matisoff 03 HPTB | JAM-HPTB | 375 | 0 | |
| 5384 | 662,1353 | 1695 | ¹pe⁵mu | vagina | Zeme | 64 | 1.3.3 | Zeme Group | 1 | Weidert 87 TBTo | AW-TBT | 474 | 0 | |
| 10671 | 3431,662? | 1040 | seŋ◦bi | clitoris | Meithei | 13 | 1.4 | Meithei | 1 | Singh 91 MeiQ | CYS-Meithei | 10.4.4 | 0 | |
| 55465 | 1349,662 | 803 | ši-paʔ | vagina | Kokborok | 80 | 1.7.1.1 | Bodo | 1 | Tripuri 88 | PT-Kok | 0 | ||
| 164291 | 662 | 566 | pɑʔ⁴ | vulva | Ganan | 40 | 1.7.3.2 | Asakian | 1 | Luce 85 | GHL-PPB | L.150 | 0 | |
| 164292 | 662 | 720 | pɑʔ³ | vulva | Kadu (Kantu) | 40 | 1.7.3.2 | Asakian | 1 | Luce 85 | GHL-PPB | L.150 | 0 | |
| 164289 | p,662 | 1354 | ă◦paᴜ² | vulva | Sak (Bawtala) | 40 | 1.7.3.2 | Asakian | 1 | Luce 85 | GHL-PPB | L.150 | 0 | |
| 164290 | p,662 | 1355 | ă◦pɛt | vulva | Sak (Dodem) | 40 | 1.7.3.2 | Asakian | 1 | Luce 85 | GHL-PPB | L.150 | 0 | |
| 164293 | p,662 | 1354 | ă◦pɑʔ² | vulva | Sak (Bawtala) | 40 | 1.7.3.2 | Asakian | 1 | Luce 85 | GHL-PPB | L.150 | 0 | |
| 128330 | 662,661 | 378 | pha◦šu | vagina | Bunan | 20 | 2.1.1 | Western Himalayish | 0 | Sharma, S.R. 91 Bu | SBN-BunQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 311413 | 662 | 1775 | phɛːts | vulva | Kanauri | 20 | 2.1.1 | Western Himalayish | 0 | Bauer 91 | RSB-STV | 0 | ||
| 131408 | 662,661 | 1005 | pha◦ṣu | vagina | Pattani [Manchati] | 20 | 2.1.1 | Western Himalayish | 0 | Sharma, S.R. 91 Ma | STP-ManQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 18753 | 662,661 | 1262 | pʰə◦ʂu | vagina | Pattani [Manchati] | 20 | 2.1.1 | Western Himalayish | 0 | Sharma, D.D. 82 TH | DS-Patt | 0 | ||
| 13090 | 662,662 | 329 | pi⁵⁵ pi⁵³ | vagina | Tibetan (Batang) | 24 | 2.1.2.1 | Tibetan | 1 | Dai 89 Bata | DQ-Batang | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 126277 | 662,1349 | 1455 | ¹pit◦si | vagina | n | Tamang (Risiangku) | 23 | 2.1.4 | Tamangish | 1 | Mazaudon 91 TamQ | MM-TamRisQ | 10.4.1 | 2 |
| 119923 | 662,1349 | 1459 | ¹pi-ci | vagina | Tamang (Sahu) | 23 | 2.1.4 | Tamangish | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 119920 | 662,1349 | 301 | pi-si | vagina | Bahing | 30 | 2.3.4 | Western Kiranti | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 143774 | 662,1284 | 643 | bi◦mli | genitals | Hayu | 30 | 2.3.4 | Western Kiranti | 1 | Michailovsky 91 Kr | BM-PK7 | 138 | 3 | |
| 116116 | 662,1284 | 644 | bi◦mli | genitals | Hayu | 30 | 2.3.4 | Western Kiranti | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 34050 | 662 | 146 | b(y)et | vulva | (LOW) | *Lolo-Burmese | 42 | 6.1 | Lolo-Burmese | 1 | Matisoff 72 LTSR | JAM-TSR | 5 | 0 |
| 167702 | 662 | 146 | b(y)et | vulva | *Lolo-Burmese | 42 | 6.1 | Lolo-Burmese | 1 | Matisoff 72 LTSR | JAM-TSR | 5 | 0 | |
| 119931 | 1356,662 | 396 | cok-pat | vagina | Burmese (Written) | 44 | 6.1.1 | Burmish | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 11572 | 662 | 152 | batᴸ | vulva | *Loloish | 45 | 6.1.2 | Loloish | 1 | Bradley 79 PLo | DB-PLolo | 123 | 0 | |
| 15885 | 661,662 | 958 | tv̩⁵⁵ bi³¹ | vagina | Lolopho | 45 | 6.1.2 | Loloish | 1 | Dai 89 Lolo | DQ-Lolopho | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 13878 | 662,662,m | 584 | pi²¹ pi⁵³ mɛ³³ | genitalia / pudenda | Gazhuo | 46 | 6.1.2.1 | Northern Loloish | 1 | Dai 89 Gazh | DQ-Gazhuo | 10.1 | 0 | |
| 296505 | 661,662 | 904 | tu⁵⁵bi²¹ | vagina | Lipho | 46 | 6.1.2.1 | Northern Loloish | 1 | Chen 86 Yi | CK-YiQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 9663 | 1356,662 | 1148 | tʂo̱²¹ pi̱²¹ | vagina | Nasu | 46 | 6.1.2.1 | Northern Loloish | 1 | Chen 86 Yi | CK-YiQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 9872 | 662 | 1164 | pi⁵⁵ | vagina | Nesu | 46 | 6.1.2.1 | Northern Loloish | 1 | Chen 86 Yi | CK-YiQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 284395 | 662 | 1193 | pe³³ | vagina | Noesu | 46 | 6.1.2.1 | Northern Loloish | 1 | Chen 86 Yi | CK-YiQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 284389 | 662,m | 1193 | pe³³ɬɪ³³ | copulate | Noesu | 46 | 6.1.2.1 | Northern Loloish | 1 | Chen 86 Yi | CK-YiQ | 10.2 | 0 | |
| 311414 | 662 | 1776 | pi⁵⁵ | vulva | Yi (Southern) | 46 | 6.1.2.1 | Northern Loloish | 1 | Bauer 91 | RSB-STV | 0 | ||
| 47573 | 661,662 | 216 | to⁵⁵ bi̱²¹ | genitalia / pudenda (general) | Ahi | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Luo 90 | LMZ-AhiQ | 10.1 | 0 | |
| 47586 | 661,662,m,m | 216 | to⁵⁵ bi̱²¹ ne̱³³ ba⁵⁵ | vagina | Ahi | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Luo 90 | LMZ-AhiQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 47587 | 661,662,m | 216 | to⁵⁵ bi̱²¹ ni²¹ | vulva / labia | Ahi | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Luo 90 | LMZ-AhiQ | 10.4.2 | 4 | |
| 47574 | 661,662,m | 216 | to⁵⁵ bi̱²¹ tʂʻɛ²² | copulate | v. | Ahi | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Luo 90 | LMZ-AhiQ | 10.2 | 0 |
| 284187 | 661,662 | 210 | to⁵⁵bi̱²¹ | vagina | Ahi | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Chen 86 Yi | CK-YiQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 14220 | 1354,662 | 698 | tso⁵⁵ pɛ⁵⁵ | vagina | Jinuo (Baya/Banai) | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Dai 89 JinA | DQ-JinA | 146 | 0 | |
| 11573 | 662 | 492 | peh˰ | vulva | *Common Lahu | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Bradley 79 PLo | DB-PLolo | 123 | 0 | |
| 119902 | 1354,662 | 832 | cha(-pɛ̀ʔ) | vagina | Lahu (Black) | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 32985 | 1354,662 | 839 | cha(-pɛ̀ʔ) | vulva | Lahu (Black) | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Matisoff 72 LTSR | JAM-TSR | 5 | 0 | |
| 145078 | 662 | 831 | pɛ̀ʔ | horny, randy (to be) | v. | Lahu (Black) | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Matisoff 88 DL | JAM-DL | p. 856 | 0 |
| 119903 | 661,662 | 925 | tu¹-bi⁶ | vagina | Lisu | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 32987 | 661,662 | 930 | tu¹-bi⁶ | vulva | Lisu | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Matisoff 72 LTSR | JAM-TSR | 5 | 0 | |
| 286655 | 661,662 | 943 | tu¹-bi⁶ | vagina | Lisu (Central) | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Fraser 22 | JF-HLL | 0 | ||
| 10809 | 661,662 | 923 | tu¹bi⁶ | vulva | Lisu | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Bradley 79 PLo | DB-PLolo | 123 | 0 | |
| 273903 | 661,662 | 946 | tɔ⁵⁵bi²¹ | pudenda | N | Lisu (Northern) | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Bradley 94 Lisu | DB-Lisu | 0 | |
| 283975 | 662 | 1223 | pæ⁵⁵ | vagina | Sani [Nyi] | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Chen 86 Yi | CK-YiQ | 10.4.1 | 0 | |
| 16828 | 662 | 1365 | pæ⁵⁵ | vagina | Sani [Nyi] | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Ma 89 SanQ | MXL-SaniQ | 303.4 | 0 | |
| 283976 | 662,363 | 1223 | pæ⁵⁵no⁴⁴ | female pubic hair | Sani [Nyi] | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Chen 86 Yi | CK-YiQ | 10.4.5 | 0 | |
| 132098 | 662 | 1379 | pɛ⁵⁵ | vulva, female genitals | Sani [Nyi] | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Wu 84 | YHJC-Sani | 0 | ||
| 131892 | 662,m | 1379 | pɛ⁵⁵qhɪ³³ | copulate | Sani [Nyi] | 47 | 6.1.2.2 | Central Loloish | 1 | Wu 84 | YHJC-Sani | 0 | ||
| 32986 | p,662 | 234 | a-beh L-LS | vulva | Akha | 48 | 6.1.2.3 | Southern Loloish | 1 | Matisoff 72 LTSR | JAM-TSR | 5 | 0 | |
| 119904 | p,662 | 229 | a˯ beh˰ | vulva (impolite child's term) | Akha | 48 | 6.1.2.3 | Southern Loloish | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 51280 | 661,662 | 344 | tɔ◦pɛ́ | vulva | Bisu | 48 | 6.1.2.3 | Southern Loloish | 1 | Beaudouin 88 Bisu | PB-Bisu | 16 | 0 | |
| 435254 | 661,662 | 1120 | to²phe² | vagina | Mpi | 48 | 6.1.2.3 | Southern Loloish | 1 | Srinuan 76 | SD-MPD | 0 | ||
| 119905 | 662,661 | 1286 | pə̀ tò | vulva | Côông [Phunoi] | 48 | 6.1.2.3 | Southern Loloish | 1 | Matisoff 87 BP | JAM-Ety | 0 | ||
| 311415 | 662 | 1777 | pi³⁵ | vulva | Moso (Weixi) | 43 | 6.2 | Naxi | 1 | Bauer 91 | RSB-STV | 0 | ||
| 80889 | 662 | 309 | pi̱⁴⁴ | vulva / labia | Bai (Jianchuan) | 51 | 8 | Bai | 1 | Zhao 90 | ZYS-Bai | 10.4.2 | 0 | |
| 80892 | 662,363 | 309 | pi̱⁴⁴ ma̱²¹ | female pubic hair | Bai (Jianchuan) | 51 | 8 | Bai | 1 | Zhao 90 | ZYS-Bai | 10.4.5 | 0 | |
| 80893 | 662,363,1232 | 309 | pi̱⁴⁴ ma̱²¹ tsɿ³³ | female pubic hair | Bai (Jianchuan) | 51 | 8 | Bai | 1 | Zhao 90 | ZYS-Bai | 10.4.5 | 0 | |
| 80891 | 662,3431,1352 | 309 | pi̱⁴⁴ ɕĩ⁵⁵ tɯ̱²¹ | clitoris | Bai (Jianchuan) | 51 | 8 | Bai | 1 | Zhao 90 | ZYS-Bai | 10.4.4 | 0 | |
| 80888 | 662,3429 | 309 | pi̱⁴⁴ ʔuĩ³³ | vagina | Bai (Jianchuan) | 51 | 8 | Bai | 1 | Zhao 90 | ZYS-Bai | 10.4.1 | 0 |
According to H. Stimson 1966,5 the taboo word 屄 (Mand. bī) does not appear in dictionaries until the 17th century. Benedict 19886 posits OC *b’iĕt, underlying such modern dialect forms as Hakka piet⁸ and Min Kienyang (建陽) pie⁷. This Chinese word may well be the source of the Baic and some of the Loloish forms listed above.
[JAM]
Chinese dialect forms of this word point to both open and closed-syllable ancestral forms, for example Schuessler 2007:161 notes Amoy (= Xiamen) tsiᴬ¹‑paiᴬ². This suggests early Chinese variants *pe and *pet, the latter of which corresponds well to PTB *byat. (For the correspondence between OC *e and PTB *ya, cf. 八 OC *pret (Baxter) ‘eight’, PTB *b‑ryat, Mand. bā. However Schuessler believes that this word is derived from ‘to open’ (PST *pe), with the addition of *‑t marking “nouns of naturally occurring objects”. See Schuessler 2007:161, 414. This hypothesis could also explain the etymology of the PTB etymon under discussion here.
[ZJH]