Reconstruction:Proto-Austroasiatic/mraːkʔ

This Proto-Austroasiatic 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-Austroasiatic

Etymology

• Proto-Austroasiatic: *mraːkʔ (Sidwell, 2024, #AA244)
• Proto-Mon-Khmer: *mraik (Shorto, 2006, #416)

Maybe a Wanderwort. Likely cognate to Santali ᱢᱟᱨᱟᱜ (marak’). Compare Proto-Dravidian *mayVr (“peacock”), whence Tamil மயில் (mayil) and Malayalam മയിൽ (mayil). Malay merak and Acehnese meurak (< Proto-Chamic *əmraːk) are likely borrowed from a Bahnaric language.

Proto-Karen *braɁᴰ (“peacock”), whence S'gaw Karen ထိၣ်ပှာ် (hṭoh̀ phgạ), may also be loaned from this root.

Noun

*mraːkʔ

1. peacock

Descendants

• Proto-Bahnaric: *braːk (Sidwell, 2011)
  • Central Bahnaric
    • Bahnar: ămră

      → Malay: merak

      → Old Javanese: mrak

  • South Bahnaric
    • Sre [Koho]: bra
    • Chrau: vraq

    → Proto-Chamic: *əmraːk
    → Acehnese: meurak

• Proto-Katuic: *braak ~ *raak (Sidwell, 2005)
  • Eastern Bru: riac
  • Pacoh: rac
• Monic
  • Old Mon: mrek, mreṅ
    • Modern Mon: မြာ် (pəràik)
• Nicobaric
  • Car Nicobarese: fum-rech (fɯmɾec)