Amis language

language
name=Amis
familycolor=Austronesian
fam2=Formosan
iso2=map
iso3=ami
states=Taiwan
region=
speakers=137,651(by Council of Indigenous Peoples of Executive Yuan, Taiwan, in 2002)

Amis is the language of the Amis or Ami, a tribe of indigenous people on Taiwan (see Taiwanese aborigines). It is a Formosan language of the Austronesian family.

The public spaces of the counties where many Amis people live in Taiwan, like Hualien Train Station, Taitung Train Station, and Jhihben Train Station, broadcast in Amis Language also.

Dialects

There are some dialects of Amis language: Sakizaya language (regarded as a language independent to Amis language sometimes), Northern Amis dialect, Middle Amis dialect, Seashore Amis dialect, Malan Amis dialect and Hengchun Amis dialect.

Phonology

* Compare with Tagalog baboy (pig), tatlo (3), apat(4), lima(5), anim(6), pito(7), walo(8)
* Compare with Kapampangan asu(dog), pusa(cat), atlo(3), apat(4), lima(5), anam(6), pitu/pito(7), walu/walo(8), siyam(9), apulu/apulo(10) and ama (father) and ima(mother)

*ma olah kako mimali = I like to play sports.
*takaraw ko pi ta’kod = I jump very high.
*kalamkam ko kacomikay = I run very fast.
*Ira ko tata’angay a mata a ko = I have big eyes
*mamangay a ngapa ’= A small mouth
*takaya’ay a fokes = long hair
*sowalsan ko kahaccay a tamdaw makapahay kako = Everyone tells me that I am beautiful.
*ma fana’ay mi asik，misawsaw to kaysing，milidong to fodoy = I can sweep the floor, wash dishes and clothing.
*ma olah midmak kako to tayal no loma’ = I love to do household chores.
*nawhani ma olah kako to loma’no mako = Because I love my home.

Grammar

There are some inflections of verbs exist in Amis language, like Existential clause, Active voice, Passive voice, disposal sentence, Imperative mood, Optative mood, Prohibitive mood, and etc.

There are two Word Orders in Amis language, called "General" Word Order and "Special" Word Order.

Below are some examples of Amis sentence:

"General" Word Order Sentence I : Verb-Subject

Example

*Maomahay ko wama.(The father is working at the farmfield.)
**mimaomahay: Working (at farmfield)
**wama: Father

*Misaholoay ko wina.(The mother is cooking rice.)
**misaholoay: Cooking (rice)
**ina/wina: Mother

"General" Word Order Sentence II : Verb Subject Object

Example

*Mifaca' ko kaying to riko'.(The young woman is washing cloth.)
*Mifaca' koya kaying to riko'.(The young woman is washing cloth.)
**mifaca': wash(clothes)
**kaying: young woman
**riko'/fudoy: cloth

References

*http://www.nhlue.edu.tw/~taiwanese/word/t2.doc

External links

* [http://www.watchtower.org/ai/index.html Sample Ami text]
* [http://language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/language.php?id=350 Central Amis Wordlist at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database]
* [http://amis.pct.org.tw/cudad_%20no_%20'amis.htm Ami translations of the New Testament]