kau-

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay kau-, from kau, shortened form of engkau, from Proto-Malayic *kau(ʔ), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(i-)kahu, from Proto-Austronesian *(i-)kaSu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kau̯/

Prefix

kau-

1. you

Malay

Etymology

From kau, shortened form of engkau, from Proto-Malayic *kau(ʔ), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(i-)kahu, from Proto-Austronesian *(i-)kaSu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kau̯/

Prefix

kau- (Jawi spelling کاو-)

1. Alternative form of kau when used in the passive voice.

   Siapa yang kautanya?

   Who did you ask?

Usage notes

• Usage not allowed when the audience is anyone who is elder or in higher status.

See also

Further reading

• “kau-” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Tocharian B

Etymology

From Proto-Tocharian *kāu- (whence also Tocharian A ko-), from Proto-Indo-European *kewh₂- (“to hit, strike”). Cognate with kaut-, English hew, Latin cudo, Lithuanian kaujėti, etc.

Verb

kau-

1. to kill, strike down, destroy
2. chop up

Derived terms

• kaute (past participle)
  • ekaute (“unkilled”)
• kāwälñe (“killing”) (noun)

Further reading

• Adams, Douglas Q. (2013) “kau-”, in A Dictionary of Tocharian B: Revised and Greatly Enlarged (Leiden Studies in Indo-European; 10), Amsterdam, New York: Rodopi, →ISBN, page 222

Tokelauan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kau. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻau and Samoan ʻau.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Prefix

kau-

1. Forms compounds denoting a group of people.
2. Forms compounds denoting a handle of something.

Derived terms

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎, Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 145