See also: Vai, vaî, văi, vải, and va'i

Translingual edit

Symbol edit

vai

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Vai.

English edit

Alternative forms edit

Noun edit

vai

  1. (grammar) Initialism of verb animate intransitive: an intransitive verb that agrees with an animate subject.

Coordinate terms edit

Anagrams edit

Anuta edit

 
vai

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
  • Anuta: a Polynesian outlier in the Solomon Islands (1973)
  • Oral Traditions of Anuta: A Polynesian Outlier in the Solomon Islands (1998)

Dalmatian edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Latin hodie. Compare Friulian vuê.

Adverb edit

vai

  1. today

East Futuna edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Emae edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Fijian edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Central Pacific *vai, from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paʀih (compare Indonesian pari, Malay pari), from Proto-Austronesian *paʀiS.

Noun edit

vai

  1. ray (marine fish with a flat body, large wing-like fins, and a whip-like tail)

Finnish edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Finnic *vai. Probably ultimately from the same root as vajaa, possibly by analogy with tai.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈʋɑi̯/, [ˈʋɑ̝i̯]
  • Rhymes: -ɑi
  • Syllabification(key): vai

Conjunction edit

vai

  1. (coordinating, in question clauses) or (exclusive or; either what comes before or what comes after)
    Onko se suuri vai pieni?
    Is it big or small?

Usage notes edit

  • While it is often said that tai is to be used in affirmative clauses and vai is to be used in question clauses, a more precise difference is that tai is an inclusive or, while vai is an exclusive or. For instance, while Söitkö sinä leivän tai hedelmät? and Söitkö sinä leivän vai hedelmät? are both correct, the former asks in a yes or no question, whether you ate either bread or fruit or not, while the latter asks which you ate, the bread or the fruit.

See also edit

Adverb edit

vai (colloquial)

  1. (interrogative adverb) is that so?
    Tulee vai?
    Oh, [he/she/it] is coming?

Further reading edit

Anagrams edit

Futuna-Aniwa edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Galician edit

Etymology edit

From Latin vādit (See vādō, vādere.) Usurped expected ed or í, from īt, third person singular of eō, īre

Verb edit

vai

  1. inflection of ir:
    1. third-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative
    É a rapaza a que vai ao monte con ovellas e cabras
    It is the girl who goes to the mountain with sheep and goats
  2. inflection of ir:
    1. third-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading edit

  • ir” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006–2022.

Guaraní edit

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

vai

  1. ugly, unsightly
  2. bad, evil, unpleasant

Inflection edit

Ingrian edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Finnic *vai. Cognate with Finnish vai and Estonian või.

Pronunciation edit

Conjunction edit

vai

  1. or
    • 1936, D. I. Efimov, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (ensimäine osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 12:
      Onko se niin vai ei oo?
      Is that so or isn't it?
    • 1936, L. G. Terehova, V. G. Erdeli, translated by Mihailov and P. I. Maksimov, Geografia: oppikirja iƶoroin alkușkoulun kolmatta klaassaa vart (ensimäine osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-Pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 6:
      Kummaas poolees oppilapsist ovat ikkunat - oikiaas vai kuras?
      On which side of the students are the windows - on the right or on the left?

Synonyms edit

Related terms edit

  • vaa (only; but)

References edit

  • V. I. Junus (1936) Iƶoran Keelen Grammatikka[2], Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 136
  • Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 630
  • Olga I. Konkova; Nikita A. Dyachkov (2014) Inkeroin Keel: Пособие по Ижорскому Языку[3], →ISBN, page 79

Italian edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈvaj/
  • Rhymes: -aj
  • Hyphenation: vài

Etymology 1 edit

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb edit

vai

  1. inflection of andare:
    1. second-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative

Etymology 2 edit

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb edit

vai

  1. inflection of vaiare:
    1. second-person singular present indicative
    2. first/second/third-person singular present subjunctive
    3. third-person plural imperative

Anagrams edit

Latvian edit

Etymology 1 edit

Borrowed from Livonian või or dialectal Estonian vai; compare other Finnic languages (Finnish vai, Standard Estonian või). First found occasionally in Latvian writings in the 17th century, initially as a conjunction, then as a particle, it became more frequent in the 18th century; but only in the 19th century did it really strike root in the language.[1] Likely unrelated to Sanskrit वा ().

Pronunciation edit

IPA(key): [vài]

  This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

Conjunction edit

vai

  1. used to indicate a disjunction between two elements; or (in the either-or sense, not in the sense of a.k.a., which is jeb).
    atbildi: jā vai nē!answer: yes or no!
    viņa nezināja, ko pirkt: rozes vai neļķesshe didn't know what to buy: roses or carnations
  2. used to suggest vagueness, uncertainty, or a veiled threat; usually followed by ellipsis (...); or, or else...
    ja labi grib, to darbu var veikt parasts dežurants, vai brigadieris, vai (...)if (he) really wants, an ordinary man on duty can do this job, or a brigadier, or... (= or someone like that)
    vai tas kāds noziegums, kauns, vai? — is this a crime, a shame, or what?
    jums tas jādara, vai...you all have to do this, or else...
  3. used to introduce conditional subordinate clauses; whether, if
    nav zināms, vai to darījis viņšit is not known whether he did it
    es nezinu, vai to spēšuI don't know if I will be able to
    pasaki, vai es esmu nodevējstell me if I am a traitor
See also edit

Particle edit

vai

  1. interrogative particle, used in either-or questions
    vai tu runā latviski?do you speak Latvian?
    vai tu dzirdi?do you hear? are you listening?

Noun edit

vai m (invariable)

  1. the word vai itself; also, implicitly, a question
    cits pēc cita nāca tik daudzi vai, ka viņa nevarēja ilgāk izturētso many vai's (= questions) came one after the other that she couldn't stand it any longer

Etymology 2 edit

From Proto-Indo-European *way- (oh!, ah!; woe!, alas!). Cognates include Lithuanian vái, vaĩ, Old High German , Old English , Latin vae, German weh, English woe.[1]

Pronunciation edit

IPA(key): [vāī], IPA(key): [vài], IPA(key): [vaî] (depending on situational intonation)

Interjection edit

vai

  1. used to express emotional responses: excitement, surprise, pain, fear, sorrow, irritation, etc.
    vai, ko es daru!oh! what am I doing!
    vai, kāds jūs līks izskatāties!boy, look at you! what a sight!
    vai, vai, Ilma, vai, tev tikai nauda prātā!oh come on, Ilma, you only think about money!

References edit

  1. 1.0 1.1 Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “vai”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

Livvi edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈʋɑi̯/
  • Hyphenation: va‧i

Conjunction edit

vai

  1. or
    • 2018, Tatjana Boiko, Lʹudmila Markianova, Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 3rd edition, →ISBN, page 118:
      Kuulet vai et kuule?
      Can you hear or not?
    • 2018, Tatjana Boiko, Lʹudmila Markianova, Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 3rd edition, →ISBN, page 118:
      lähtet vai et lähte?
      Will you go or not?
  2. if
    • 2019, Tatjana Boiko, Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 2rd edition, →ISBN, page 311:
      Et vai tulle, suutun.
      If you don't come, i'll get angry.

Adverb edit

vai

  1. only
    • 2019, Tatjana Boiko, Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 2rd edition, →ISBN, page 311:
      Nenga tansie voijah vai harvat.
      Only a few can dance like this.

Synonyms edit

References edit

  • Tatjana Boiko (2019) Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 2nd edition, →ISBN, page 311
  • Tatjana Boiko; Lʹudmila Markianova (2018) Suuri Venʹa-Karjalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Russian-Karelian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 3rd edition, →ISBN, page 118

Ludian edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

Conjunction edit

vai

  1. or

Macanese edit

Etymology edit

From Portuguese vai, from Old Galician-Portuguese vai, and also the third-person singular present indicative inflection of ir.

Verb edit

vai

  1. to go
    Êle nádi vaiHe will not go
    vai sim falâ co iouHe left without talking to me

Derived terms edit

References edit

Mangarevan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Edward Tregear, A Dictionary of Mangareva (or Gambier Islands) (1899)
  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Niuafo'ou edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

Niuean edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Niue Language Dictionary (University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1997, →ISBN)

North Efate edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

North Marquesan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Northern Sami edit

Etymology edit

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Related to Finnish vai.

Pronunciation edit

  • (Kautokeino) IPA(key): /ˈvaj/

Conjunction edit

vai

  1. or (in questions, for mutually exclusive possibilities)
  2. so that

Further reading edit

  • Koponen, Eino; Ruppel, Klaas; Aapala, Kirsti, editors (2002–2008) Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages[4], Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland

Norwegian Bokmål edit

Verb edit

vai

  1. imperative of vaie

Nuguria edit

Noun edit

vai

  1. water

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Nukuoro edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Vern Carroll, An outline of the structure of the language of Nukuoro (1965)
  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Ontong Java edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

Penrhyn edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Pileni edit

Noun edit

vai

  1. water

References edit

  • A Grammar of Vaeakau-Taumako (2011, →ISBN

Portuguese edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese vai, from vādit (present indicative), Latin vāde (imperative). Cognate with Galician vai and Spanish va.

Pronunciation edit

 

Verb edit

vai

  1. inflection of ir:
    1. third-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative

Pukapukan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

Further reading edit

Rapa Nui edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Rarotongan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Romanian edit

Etymology edit

Probably an expressive creation. Similar words are found in many other languages, especially Indo-European. Compare Latin vae, Albanian vaj, Italian guai, Sicilian vai, Spanish ay, Ancient Greek οὐαί (ouaí), English woe.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /vaj/
  • (file)

Interjection edit

vai

  1. alas, woe

Derived terms edit

Samoan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
  2. crake

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Sicilian edit

Etymology 1 edit

Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *wai (expression of grief).[1] Alternatively from Ancient Greek οὐαί (ouaí), from the verse in Revelation 8:13. Compare English woe, German Weh, Latin vae, Italian guai.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈva.i/
  • Hyphenation: và‧i

Noun edit

vai (only plural)

  1. troubles, problems, hardship, misfortune
  2. (interjection) trouble, difficulty, mess, pickle, fix, woe, jam
    Minchia di vai!That's a fucking trouble!

Etymology 2 edit

Derived from Latin vādō. More at Sicilian jiri.

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈva.i/
  • Hyphenation: và‧i

Verb edit

vai

  1. inflection of jiri:
    1. second-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative

References edit

  1. ^ vai in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

South Efate edit

Noun edit

vai

  1. water

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

South Marquesan edit

Noun edit

vai

  1. water

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Tahitian edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Etymology 2 edit

Compare Maori wai.

Pronoun edit

vai

  1. who

Takuu edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

Tikopia edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • Raymond Firth, Mervyn McLean, Tikopia Songs: Poetic and Musical Art of a Polynesian People (1990)

Tokelauan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai. Cognates include Hawaiian wai and Samoan vai.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): [ˈva.i]
  • Hyphenation: va‧i

Noun edit

vai

  1. water
  2. vessel for water
  3. medicine

References edit

  • R. Simona, editor (1986) Tokelau Dictionary[5], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 417

Tongan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

References edit

  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)

Tuvaluan edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Polynesian *wai, from Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waiʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Noun edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
  2. lake

Synonyms edit

References edit

  • An Introduction to Tuvaluan (1999, →ISBN

Uneapa edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Oceanic *pai.

Pronunciation edit

Verb edit

vai

  1. to weave

Further reading edit

  • Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia, Pacific Linguistics, series C-98 (1988)

Veps edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

Conjunction edit

vai

  1. or

References edit

  • Zajceva, N. G.; Mullonen, M. I. (2007), “или, либо”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary], Petrozavodsk: Periodika

Vietnamese edit

Alternative forms edit

  • (North Central Vietnam) ban

Etymology edit

Attested as Middle Vietnamese ꞗĕai, ꞗai in Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651), a dictionary based chiefly on the Northern dialects.

Attested in Phật thuyết đại báo phụ mẫu ân trọng kinh (佛說大報父母恩重經) as 多埋 (MC ta meaj) (modern SV: đa mai).

Compare Proto-Katuic *ʔapaal (shoulder) (whence Pacoh apal).

Some North Central dialects have the form ban with unlenited ‹b› (vs. standard form with lenited ‹v›) and ‹-n› reflex of earlier *-l.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

vai (𣘾, 𦠘, 𦢳)

  1. (anatomy) a shoulder
  2. (television, film, theater) a role; a part
    vai chínha main/lead role
    vai phụa supporting role

See also edit

Derived terms

Votic edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

Pronunciation edit

  • (Luutsa, Liivtšülä) IPA(key): /ˈvɑi̯/, [ˈvɑi̯]
  • Rhymes: -ɑi̯
  • Hyphenation: vai

Conjunction edit

vai

  1. or

Interjection edit

vai

  1. oh, (so)... (mainly to start interrogative clauses)

References edit

  • Hallap, V.; Adler, E.; Grünberg, S.; Leppik, M. (2012), “vai”, in Vadja keele sõnaraamat [A dictionary of the Votic language], 2nd edition, Tallinn