trầu quơ
Vietnamese
editAlternative forms
edit- trầu quâu (Nẫu dialects with more complete /əːj/ - /oj/ merger)
Etymology
editSee trời ơi. This phrase shows several sound changes in the Nẫu dialects: the incomplete /əːj/ - /oj/ merger, the subsequent /oj > əw/ shift, and finally the /əːj > əːˠ/ shift of the rest of items with /əːj/. The /w/ in quơ seems to be sporadic linking /w/.
- /ʈəːjA2 əːjA1/ > /ʈojA2 əːjA1/ (incomplete /əːj/ - /oj/ merger) > /ʈəwA2 əːjA1/ (/oj > əw/ shift) > /ʈəwA2 əːˠA1/ (/əːj > əːˠ/ shift of the rest of /əːj/) > /ʈəwA2 wəːˠA1/ (sporadic linking /w/).
This form seems to be more common in Bình Định, while trầu quâu is more common in Phú Yên, where /əːj/ - /oj/ merger was more completed. Although it seems that there is no Nẫu dialect where the merger was fully completed.