Reconstruction:Proto-Sino-Tibetan/lak ~ C-jak

Etymology

 * Proto-Sino-Tibetan: *lək (Coblin, 1986)
 * Proto-Tibeto-Burman: *lak ~ C-jak (Matisoff, STEDT); *lak (Benedict, 1972; Coblin, 1986; Michailovsky, 1991); *g-lɑk (Chou, 1972); *g-lak ~ lak (Weidert, 1987)

This root is widely attested in Sino-Tibetan languages, and exhibits considerable morphophonemic and lexemical variation. The basic form of the root seems to be *lak, and in some languages the initial has changed into a yod *jak, which may further fricatise into z- or ʑ-. To the yodated form can various prefixes be added.

With *d- this prefixation gives *d-jak, another common allofam, which can undergo affricatisation to yield dʑ- or prefix preemption to yield *dak. Note that *dak may as well result from delateralisation of *l-, presumably through an intermediate stage *ʎ- < *lj-. Some languages show forms which seem to have arisen from *ld-, either through reprefixation *lə- on *d- prefixed allofams or metathesis of the *d- prefixed allofam *ld- < *d-l-.

With *g- prefixation gives *g-jak, with secondary meanings such as "cubit, armpit".

With *p- prefixation gives *p-jak, represented mainly by Written Tibetan ཕྱག (phyag, "hand (honorific)").

Note that this root bears some interesting resemblance to, and.

The following allofams are listed in STEDT:
 * 1 #377 *lak ⪤ C-jak ("arm, hand, wing")
 * 1a #695 *lak ("hand, limb")
 * 1b #696 *jak ("arm, hand, armpit, tickle")
 * 1c #699 *d-jak ("hand, arm, leaf")
 * 1d #700 *dak ("arm, hand")
 * 1e #702 *g-jak ("arm, hand, cubit")
 * 1f #705 *p-jak ("arm")
 * 1g #350 *la ("leg, foot")
 * 1h #375 *ja ("leg, foot")
 * 1i #888 *d-ja OR g-ja ("foot")

The Chinese word for "hand" is unrelated.

Noun

 * 1) hand
 * 2) arm, limb
 * 3) wing
 * 4) cubit, armpit

Descendants

 * Old Chinese:
 * Middle Chinese: ;, , ; ,
 * Modern Mandarin
 * Beijing:
 * Himalayish
 * Tibeto-Kanauri
 * Bodic
 * Tibetan
 * Written, ,
 * Tangut-Qiang
 * Northern Tangut
 * rGyalrongic
 * Sal
 * Bodo-Garo
 * Lolo-Burmese-Naxi
 * Lolo-Burmese
 * Burmish
 * Written
 * Maruic
 * Loloish
 * Northern Loloish
 * Yi (Liangshan):
 * Naic
 * rGyalrongic
 * Sal
 * Bodo-Garo
 * Lolo-Burmese-Naxi
 * Lolo-Burmese
 * Burmish
 * Written
 * Maruic
 * Loloish
 * Northern Loloish
 * Yi (Liangshan):
 * Naic
 * Northern Loloish
 * Yi (Liangshan):
 * Naic