Reconstruction:Proto-Mongolic/usun

This Proto-Mongolic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Mongolic

Reconstruction

The initial q- of East Yugur is possibly a hypercorrection of initial h- which is itself secondary. Disappearance of -n in Bonan and Dongxiang is irregular.

Etymology

*-sun possibly represents a suffix denoting "liquids". Compare *cïsun (“blood”), *üsün (“milk”), *casun (“snow”), *nïsun (“snot”), and *tosun (“oil”). Also connected with *yasun (“bone”) by Juha Janhunen suggesting a close connection between between "bone" and "bone marrow" in early nomadic societies.

Noun

*usun

1. water

Descendants

• Middle Mongol:
  • Mongolian: ᠤᠰᠤᠨ (usun)
  • Arabic: اوصون (uṣun) (Muqaddimat)
  • Armenian: ուսուն (usun) (Kirakos Gandzaketsi)
  • Chinese: 五速 (usu) (Beilu Yiyu)
  • Phags-pa: ꡟ
    ꡛꡟꡋ (u-sun)
• Mongolian:
  • Classical: ᠤᠰᠤ (usu)
  • Khalkha Mongolian: ус (us)
  • Ordos: /ʊsʊ/
• Oirat:
  • Kalmyk: усн (usn)
  • Written: ᡇᠰᡇᠨ (usun)
• Buryat: уһан (uhan)
• Khamnigan Mongol: usu(n), usa(n), uhu(n)
• Daur: os
• East Yugur: qusun
• Monguor:
  • Mongghul: szu
  • Mangghuer: suzu
• Bonan: se
• Kangjia: sü
• Dongxiang: usu
• Mogholi: usun
  • Zirni: اُسون (usun)

Further reading

• Nugteren, Hans (2011) Mongolic phonology and the Qinghai-Gansu languages (dissertation)‎, Utrecht: LOT, page 535
• Doerfer, Gerhard (1963) Türkische und mongolische Elemente im Neupersischen [Turkic and Mongolian Elements in New Persian] (Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur: Veröffentlichungen der Orientalischen Kommission; 16)‎ (in German), volume 1, Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, page 167

References