saaw-saaw

[sa̰a̰w-sa̰a̰w]

loudly, from the sum of many small noises

Dai Lue, or Lü – 300,000 speakers, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China

ᦺᦢᦺᦙᧉ       ᦶᦓᧃ             ᦙᦱ           ᦌᦱᧁᧉᦌᦱᧁᧉ
baj˥ma̰j˩    næn˩               maa˩        sa̰a̰w˩sa̰a̰w˩
leaf            make.sound    cont         loudly
The leaves were rustling “saaw-saaw.”

ᦷᦂᧇ    ᦵᦃᧆᧈ      ᦔᦲᧃ     ᦶᦉᧃ           ᦣᦸᧂᧉ     ᦌᦱᧁᧉᦌᦱᧁᧉ
kop˦˥     xeet˦˥       pin˥      sæn˥              hɔ̰ŋ˩        sa̰a̰w˩sa̰a̰w˩
frog      frog        be        100,000          cry          loudly
Frogs by the millions were croaking “saaw-saaw.”

Dai Lue is spoken in China, Burma, Laos and Thailand. Dai Lue belongs to the Kra-Dai family, a family that includes Thai and Lao. It is written using the New Tai Lue alphabet, which is similar to the Thai and Lao scripts.

Dai Lue has six tones: ˥ high, ˦ high rising, ˨˧ low rising with creak, ˩ low tone, ˧ falling tone, ˩ low tone with creak. Here are some minimal sets that demonstrate the distinctiveness of the tones.

˥  ᦎᧁ   taw˥  fireplace      ᦉᦱᧁ   saaw˥ young woman
˦  ᦎᧁᧈ taw˦˥ turtle            ᦉᦱᧁᧈ  saaw˦˥ to add ingredients while stir-frying
˨  ᦎᧁᧉ ta̰w˨˧  gourd          ᦉᦱᧁᧉ sa̰a̰w˨˧ feed-trough
˩  ᦑᧁ taw˩ seaweed          ᦌᦱᧁ saaw˩ twenty
˧  ᦑᧁᧈ taw˦˧ to equal         ᦌᦱᧁᧈ saaw˦˧  – 
˩  ᦑᧁᧉ ta̰w˩  to support     ᦌᦱᧁᧉ sa̰a̰w˩ loudly, from the sum of many small noises

The online Dai Lue-English Dictionary has more information about
all aspects of Dai Lue sounds, grammar, writing system, and vocabulary.

Source: William Hanna