ntiv

White Hmong

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ⁿdi˧˦/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Hmong *ntaᴮ (“finger”). Related to Proto-Mien *ʔdokᴰ (“id”), though the details are unclear due to different tone reflexes.^[1]

Noun

ntiv (classifier: tus)

digit (of the limb extremities)

Derived terms

ntiv taw (“toe”)
ntiv tes (“finger”)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntik (“to flip with finger”).^[2]

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “Ratliff implicitly considers this unrelated to Etymology 1. Is it truly unrelated? They have the same initial + very closely connected meanings in the proto-forms.”

Verb

ntiv

to snap or flick with the finger

References

Heimbach, Ernest E. (1979) White Hmong — English Dictionary‎^[1], SEAP Publications, →ISBN.

^ Ratliff, Martha (2010) Hmong-Mien language history (Studies in Language Change; 8), Camberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics, →ISBN, page 30; 279.
^ Ratliff, Martha (2010) Hmong-Mien language history (Studies in Language Change; 8), Camberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics, →ISBN, page 279.

[1] Ratliff, Martha (2010) Hmong-Mien language history (Studies in Language Change; 8), Camberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics, →ISBN, page 30; 279.

[2] Ratliff, Martha (2010) Hmong-Mien language history (Studies in Language Change; 8), Camberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics, →ISBN, page 279.

[1]

[2]