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Article published In:
Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
Vol. 46:2 (2023) ► pp.235–264

Revisiting “Eye of the day”

Tibeto-Burman evidence and arguments both for and against contact as the driver of innovation, in response to Urban (2010) & Blust (2011)

ORCID logo | Universität Zürich | La Trobe University
A particular lexical construction for “sun” composed of morphemes for “eye” and either “day” or “sky” has been widely reported for Austronesian languages. Urban (2010) made the case for this phenomenon as an areal feature originating in Austronesian, with attestation in Austroasiatic and Tai-Kadai varieties, but absent in Sino-Tibetan. A follow-up (Blust 2011) argued for the possibility of independent genesis across the languages, while reiterating the absence of the feature in Sino-Tibetan. This paper presents a large scale survey of Tibeto-Burman language varieties. Data from this region show widespread occurrence of the phenomenon in distinct constructions, arguing against contact as the inciting factor. Instead, this paper argues for multiple innovation events, with only small scale regional spread through contact. Data are analysed from approximately 250 doculects from a wide range of sources, including newly elicited data for Bodo-Garo, Maringic and Northern Naga varieties.
Keywords: typology, contact
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Conventions used in this paper
    • 1.2Methodology
  • 2.Eye in Tibeto-Burman “sun” constructions
    • C+corV+back+midŋ as sky in Tibeto-Burman
  • 3.Occurrences of “eye of the day” by language group
    • Tani
    • Meitheilon, Uipo (Khoibu) & Maring
    • Tangkhulic
    • Zemeic
    • Kiranti
    • South central (Kuki-ChinNaga)
    • Sal
    • Digarish & K’man-Meyor
    • Karenic
  • 4.Possible occurrences of “mother of day”
    • Lolo-Burmese
    • Naic
    • Ersuic
    • Qiangic
  • 5.Against contact as an explanation
  • 6.Expanded uses of eye: Ankles and navels
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Language varieties surveyed
    • Bodic
    • Bodo-Garo
    • Lolo-Burmese
    • Digarish
    • Jinghpaw-Sak
    • Karenic
    • Kuki-Chin-Naga
    • Mahakiranti
    • Na-Qiangic
    • Northern Naga
    • Nungish
    • Tani
    • Other varieties
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 9 November 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.22011.van
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