trầu quơ

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

trầu quâu (Nẫu dialects with more complete /əːj/ - /oj/ merger)

Etymology

See 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/.

/ʈəːj^A2 əːj^A1/ > /ʈoj^A2 əːj^A1/ (incomplete /əːj/ - /oj/ merger) > /ʈəw^A2 əːj^A1/ (/oj > əw/ shift) > /ʈəw^A2 əːˠ^A1/ (/əːj > əːˠ/ shift of the rest of /əːj/) > /ʈəw^A2 wəːˠ^A1/ (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.

Pronunciation

(Hoài Nhơn) IPA^(key): /ʈəw˧˩ wəːˠ˧˧/, [ʈəw˧˩ wəːɰ˧˧]

Interjection

trầu quơ

Bình Định form of trời ơi (“God, dear God”)