Reconstruction:Proto-Austroasiatic/rwaːjʔ

Etymology

 * Proto-Austroasiatic: *rwaːjʔ (Sidwell, 2024, #AA163)
 * Proto-Mon-Khmer: *rwaaj (Shorto, 2006)

Noun

 * 1) tiger, large felid

It is unknown whether the sense of “soul”, “spirit” was present at the Proto-Mon-Khmer stage or was a later development. Either way, this root reflects the animistic lifestyle of the early Mon-Khmer-speaking peoples.

Descendants

 * Aslian: *rəwaay (Phillips, 2012)
 * Bahnaric:
 * (Sidwell, 2005)
 * So: rawi̤aj
 * Khmeric:
 * (Sidwell, 2013)
 * Khmu: rwaːj
 * Mlabri: rwaːj
 * (Sidwell, 2015)
 * Palaung:
 * Shwe:
 * Sam-Loong:
 * Plang:
 * Man Noi: kà.vàj
 * Lamet: rəwaːj
 * Riang: rᵊwaj²
 * (Headley, 1985)
 * Chong: rəwaj ~ rəwɤ̤ːj
 * (Ferlus, 2007)
 * Arem: vaːjʔ
 * Chut:
 * Rục: vaːj³
 * Sách: vaːj³
 * Kri: rʋaːjʔ
 * Maleng: rəvɐːj⁴
 * Tho
 * Cuoi Cham: vaːj³
 * Viet-Muong:
 * Kri: rʋaːjʔ
 * Maleng: rəvɐːj⁴
 * Tho
 * Cuoi Cham: vaːj³
 * Viet-Muong: