[Tibeto-burman-linguistics] Numbers 1-10 in a mystery language of Burma/Myanmar

[Andy Hsiu]

Hi Patrick,
These numerals are clearly of Austroasiatic (Palaungic) origin.

I'll need to compare some other languages to get a better idea of its
probable classification.

Best,
Andy

On Tue, Jan 19, 2021 at 12:56 AM Patrick McCormick
<mccormick.yangon at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Colleagues,
>
> I wanted to ask whether anyone familiar with the languages in and around Burma can see anything in the list of numbers 1-10 below.
>
>
>
> The background story is that I’ve found references to a Burmese dialect called variously Yabaing, Yabein, Labein, or Zabein. Administrative records of the Burmese courts (sittàn) made in 1782 make repeated references to these people, always in conjunction with the name “Karen.”Around 100 years later, the 1872 and then 1901 British Censuses of Lower Burma refer to variants of this name, reporting it to be an extinct variety of Burmese spoken around Pegu. (Georg Noack has told me that Zayein is the name of a small Karen language spoken today in Phekon Township in Southern Shan State).
>
>
>
> In 1878, British colonial officer and amateur Indologist Charles James Forbes-Smith recorded the numbers 1-10 as he was told them in Shwegyin District, now in Bago Region.
>
>
>
> 1 tsoomeik
>
> 2 tsoo-toung
>
> 3 baloungtha
>
> 4 lah-bee
>
> 5 hgay houk  [sic]
>
> 6 louk-kay
>
> 7 thai khan
>
> 8 loung moo
>
> 9 ngain koung
>
> 10 loungteik
>
>
>
> These are not Burmese-like, nor as I understand, are they Karen like.
>
>
>
> Any thoughts?
>
>
>
> The fact that the name varies so much makes me suspect that it had been in circulation for some time without a connection to actual speakers.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
> Patrick McCormick
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tibeto-burman-linguistics mailing list
> Tibeto-burman-linguistics at listserv.linguistlist.org
> http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/tibeto-burman-linguistics