Wiktionary

vai

See also: Vai, vaî, văi, vải, and va'i
Languages (48)
Translingual • English
Anuta • Dalmatian • East Futuna • Emae • Fijian • Finnish • Futuna-Aniwa • Galician • Guaraní • Ingrian • Italian • Latvian • Livvi • Ludian • Macanese • Mangarevan • Niuafo'ou • Niuean • North Efate • North Marquesan • Northern Sami • Norwegian Bokmål • Nuguria • Nukuoro • Ontong Java • Penrhyn • Pileni • Portuguese • Pukapukan • Rapa Nui • Rarotongan • Romanian • Samoan • Sicilian • South Efate • South Marquesan • Tahitian • Takuu • Tikopia • Tokelauan • Tongan • Tuvaluan • Uneapa • Veps • Vietnamese • Votic
Page categories

Translingual

edit

Symbol

edit

vai

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

See also

edit

English

edit

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

edit

Transliteration of Bengali ভাই (bhai).

Noun

edit

vai (plural vais) (Bangladesh, West Bengal, chiefly Benglish)

  1. Alternative spelling of bhai.

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
  • Hyphenation(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 while both can be used in question clauses, 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.

Derived terms

edit

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

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, 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?
    • 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?
  2. Used to introduce polar questions, especially rhetorical ones.
    • 1916, Volmari Porkka, “1576. [Soikkola]. III443b”, in Väinö Salminen, V. Alava, editor, Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot. Länsi-Inkerin runot‎[4], volume III2, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, lines 16-18:
      Itse käin kyselömmää: // »Mitä vessät velvyeen, // Vai vessät sotivennooja?»
      Myself I started to ask him: // »What are you carving, my brother dear, // Are you carving a warship?»
    • 1937, D. I. Efimov, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (toin osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 86:
      Vai siis siulle syyvvä, juuvva ei annettu?
      Then they didn't give you anything to eat, to drink?
    • 1937, N. A. Iljin, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (kolmas osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 46:
      Hää mörnää: „Mitä lykit siä?
      Vai maistaa tahot pleettiä?“
      He shouts: „Why are you pushing?
      Do you want to taste the whip, perchance?“

Synonyms

edit
edit
  • vaa (“only; but”)

References

edit
  • V. I. Junus (1936) Iƶoran Keelen Grammatikka‎[5], 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[6], →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 vȯi 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 (vā).

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 neļķes ― she 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 viņš ― it is not known whether he did it
    es nezinu, vai to spēšu ― I don't know if I will be able to
    pasaki, vai es esmu nodevējs ― tell 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 izturēt ― so 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 wē, Old English wā, 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[1] (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. Sense 2 is a semantic loan from Cantonese 去.

Verb

edit

vai

  1. to go
    Êle nádi vai ― He will not go
    Já vai sim falâ co iou ― He left without talking to me
  2. (before a verb) to go in order to do something
    Iou vai olâ si têm
    I'll see if there is any
    (literally, “I go to see if there is”)
    Chomâ iou vai tambâ tacho? Nádi!
    Invite me to fill in for somebody who can't go? No way!
    (literally, “Call me to go repair pan? No way!”)
    Beto logo buscâ iou vai tifinâ
    Beto will find me to go have lunch

Usage notes

edit
  • Sense 2 is especially common when Macanese write using Cantonese-influenced syntax.

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

Borrowed from 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[7], 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/
  • Audio:(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. Mostly displaced by pape because of tapu by association with names of certain royalty.[1]

Noun

edit

vai

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
    Synonym: pape

References

edit
  • William Churchill, The Polynesian Wanderings: Tracks of the Migration Deduced (1911)
  1. ^ White, Ralph Gardner (1968) “Borrowing and Taboo in Eastern Polynesia”, in The Journal of the Polynesian Society‎[2], volume 77, number 1, →ISSN, pages 64-5

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[8], 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]‎[9], Petrozavodsk: Periodika

Vietnamese

edit

Alternative forms

edit
  • (North Central Vietnam) ban

Etymology

edit

Attested as Northern 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 chính ― a main/lead role
    vai phụ ― a supporting role

See also

edit
Derived terms

Votic

edit

Etymology

edit

From Proto-Finnic *vai.

Pronunciation

edit

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
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=vai&oldid=83137164"
  NODES
Association 1
INTERN 1
Note 5