ACD - Austronesian Comparative Dictionary Online

*-nu₁ marker of uncertainty

PAN -nu₁ marker of uncertainty ⇫ ¶

Form.
Seediq	ma-nu	what, which? (much used relative or interrogative pronoun)
Thao	mi-nu	why?
Siraya	man-no	when?
	hi-no	where?
Favorlang/Babuza	sban-no	when?
WMP
Itbayaten	di-no-h	where, wherever, at which place?
Agta (Central Cagayan)	e-nu	what?
Ibanag	so-nu anni	when?
Balangaw	he-no	who?
Ifugaw	ŋa-nu	what?
Ifugaw (Bayninan)	ŋa-nu	what?
Kapampangan	ní-nu	who?
Kalamian Tagbanwa	ti-nu pa	who?
	sa-nu pa	when?
Palawan Batak	ʔu-nu	what?
	saʔ-nu	when?
Mamanwa	o-no sa	what?
Manobo (Dibabawon)	kaga-nu	when?
Bonggi	o-nu	what?
Ida'an Begak	nu kidan	when? (future)
	nu	what?
Tausug	u-nuh	what?
	haʔu-nuh	when?
Kayan (Uma Juman)	hi-noʔ	where?
Melanau Dalat	new	what?
Malay	nu	that there; yon (Kedah)
Kaidipang	ṛoo-nu	when?
Kayan	hi-noʔ	where?

PMP a-nu thing whose name is unknown, avoided, or cannot be remembered: what? ⇫ ¶

WMP
Itneg (Binongan)	a-no	what?
Bontok	ʔanu-ka	an empty form substituting in any form class when the normal form is inappropriate or when it cannot be recalled; what's-it; what-you-may-call-it
Ifugaw	a-nú-na	when?
	a-nu-ká	thing ... may be used in the sense of adultery in the case that the speaker avoids using the real word
Ifugaw (Amganad)	a-nú-na	when?
Tagalog	a-nó	what?
Chamorro	am-anu	where, which?
	m-anu	which, whichever?
Aklanon	a-nó	what?; do what? (particle that can be used as any part of speech)
Hiligaynon	a-nú	what?
Moken	a-no-ŋ	what?
Aborlan Tagbanwa	a-nu	whatchamacallit
Cebuano	a-nú	what?
Samal	a-nu	whatchamacallit
Sangil	a-nu-i	whatchamacallit
Acehnese	a-nò	whatchamacallit, a certain, someone, something that one does not want to, or cannot name
Bintulu	a-nəw	thing mentioned, whatchamacallit
	a-nəw nasək	clothing
	a-nəw inəh	what?
Sangir	a-nu	indefinite pronoun: whatchamacallit, word used to indicate something for which one will not or cannot use the proper name
Karo Batak	a-nu	indefinite pronoun, a certain; indicating for a person whose name one doesn't know, or doesn't want to say
Iban	a-nuʔ	some(thing), i.e. not specified
Malay	a-nu	So-and-So-, such-and-such
Tontemboan	a-nu	word used to indicate something indefinite, used both for persons and for things; thing, whatchamacallit
	u-a-nu	a demonstrative word, connected with something that has not yet been named, but which presently shall be named, a certain someone, also used to indicate possession
Kaidipang	a-nu-ko	what?
Mongondow	o-nu	what, which, how?
Kayan	a-noʔ	which?; the one that
Banggai	anu	whatchamacallit
Ngaju Dayak	a-nu	a certain (person, etc.)
Bare'e	a-nu	indefinite pronoun, word used to indicate something for which one will not or cannot use the proper name
Uma	a-nu	whatchamacallit; possessions
	meʔ-anu	do something (unstated)
Mori Bawah	anu	whatsit, whatchamacallit
Murik	a-noʔ	which, which one; thing mentioned
Wolio	a-nu	property
Sundanese	a-nu	relative pronoun: this, that, which, that which, what; he/she who
Old Javanese	a-nu-ŋ	something that ... In practice it is comparable to : who, which; or : whoever, whatever
	a-nu	someone (something, somewhere) or other, So-and-So, What's the name, you-know-who (-what, -where)
	aŋ-a-nu	do something or other, do you-know-what
Javanese	a-nu	um, uh (representing a pause to collect one's thoughts); substitution for a word that has slipped the mind; expressing vagueness rather than definiteness; sex organ (euphemistic)
Balinese	uman tyaŋé limaŋ anun i raka	the field of me (is) five (times) that of I Raka
	a-nu-n	(preceding a personal name) the one belonging to, that of
	a-nu	one, a certain one'; di dina anu 'on a certain day
Sasak	a-nuʔ	indefinite pronoun (something); used to form possessive pronouns; used also for the genitalia; do something with someone
Bikol	a-nó	what?
Malagasy	á-no-na	such a one, such a thing, so-and-so
CMP
Soboyo	anu	a certain; word used for persons the speaker doesn’t know

PCEMP anu thing whose name is unknown ⇫ ¶

OC
Tolai	an	used when either there is no verb to express the idea or the spreaker is unable to recall the correct verb, so-and-so; thine, anything

PWMP maŋ-anu do such-and-such (action unspecified) ⇫ ¶

WMP
Sangir	maŋ-anu	verb which can be used as an indefinite substitute for any other verb
Mongondow	moŋ-onu	what are you doing?; why?
Old Javanese	aŋ-anu	do something or other, do you-know-what
Malagasy	man-àno-na	literally to "so-and-so" anything

PWMP sa-anu (gloss uncertain) ⇫ ¶

WMP
Tontemboan	sa-anu	perhaps
Old Javanese	s-ānu	being connected with something, or in some way possessing something

PWMP i-anu, si-anu person whose name is avoided or cannot be remembered: So-and-so ⇫ ¶

WMP
Itneg (Binongan)	si-ano	who?
Toba Batak	si anu	So-and-So, name of someone whom one does not wish to, or cannot name
Karo Batak	si anu	So-and-so
Iban	s-anuʔ	So-and-so
Malay	si anu	So-and-so
Balinese	i anu	So-and-So, an unknown and unnamed person
Malagasy	i-àno-na	what's-his-name

PMP sanu person whose name is avoided or cannot be remembered: So-and-so ⇫ ¶

WMP
Singhi Land Dayak	soni ~ oni	So-and-so
OC
Roviana	sanu	a term used instead of a particular name--- So-and-so
Cheke Holo	hanu	word used to replace a taboo word or name
Bugotu	hanu	thing
	a hanu	the person, he who
Nggela	a hanu	what's-his-name
	hanu	indefinite pronoun. Replaces an unremembered name of a person or thing. Someone, so-and-so; do so and so, thus, in such a way
	na hanu	the thing whose name I can't remember

This word seems to derive ultimately from *si anu, although the contracted form may already have existed in PMP.

PWMP in-anu to have had something done with it ⇫ ¶

WMP
Old Javanese	in-anu	do something or other, do you-know-what
Bikol	daʔí in-anó	intact, untouched

PMP a-nu-ku my unnamed thing: mine ⇫ ¶

WMP
Sangir	i anu-ku	my friend (male or female)
	anu-ku	mine
Tontemboan	anu-ku	mine
Kayan	anu-k	mine
Wolio	o anu-ku	mine
Sasak	anuʔ ku	mine
OC
Label	anu-k	mine

PMP a-nu-mu your unnamed thing: yours ⇫ ¶

WMP
Sangir	anu-m	yours
Tontemboan	anu-mu	yours
Kayan	anu-m	yours
Wolio	o anu-mu	yours
Sasak	anuʔ da	yours
OC
Label	anu-m	yours

PMP a-nu-ni a his/her unnamed thing: his/hers ⇫ ¶

WMP
Sangir	anu-ne	his/hers
Tontemboan	anu-na	his/hers
Kayan	anu-n naʔ	his/hers
Wolio	o anu-na	his/hers/theirs
Sundanese	anu-na	his/hers
Sasak	anuʔ nia	his/hers

POC anu-ña his/her unnamed thing: his/hers ⇫ ¶

OC
Label	anu-na	his/hers

PAN i-nu place which is unknown or cannot be remembered: where? ⇫ ¶

Form.
Saisiyat	ha-ino	where?
Atayal	i-nu	where, anywhere?
Seediq	i-no	where? (especially interrogative)
Paiwan	inu	where?
WMP
Binukid	inu	what, which
Kenyah (Long Anap)	i-nu	what?
Kenyah	i-nu	what?
Melanau (Mukah)	uaʔ i-new	what?

PAN ka-nu₁ interrogative; probably 'when?' ⇫ ¶

Form.
Saisiyat	ka-no	what?

PMP ka-nu₂ when? ⇫ ¶

WMP
Agta (Central Cagayan)	ka-nu	when?
Ilokano	ka-anó	when?
Samal	ka-nu	when?
Kalagan	kinu-nu	when? (future)
	ka-nu	when?
Mansaka	a-ka-nu	when? (past)
Manobo (Sarangani)	ka-no	when?
Kaidipang	ka-anu-ko	where?
Bikol	ka-anóáno	what is the relationship to?

PAN na-nu what? ⇫ ¶

Form.
Atayal	na-nu	why, anyhow, what, anything, to do what?
Kanakanabu	na-nu	where?
WMP
Aklanon	ná-no	what (noun form only)
Subanen/Subanun	na-nu	when?

PPh si-nu person whose name is unknown, avoided or cannot be remembered: who? ⇫ ¶

WMP
Yami	si-nu	who?
Itbayaten	si-no	who?
Kalinga	si-nu	who?
Kalinga (Guinaang)	si-nu	who?
Bontok	sí-nu	who; what?
Kankanaey	si-nó	who?, which?, what?
Ilokano	si-nnó	who?
Sambal (Botolan)	hi-no	who?
Sambal	hi-no	who?
Tagalog	sí-no	who?
	sí-no man	anyone, whoever
Kalamian Tagbanwa	tinu pa	who?
Agutaynen	si-no-pa	who (singular; = ‘who?, plural’)
Binukid	sinʔu	who?
Subanen/Subanun	si-nu	who?
Subanon	si-nu	who?

PPh anu-en how? In what way? ⇫ ¶

WMP
Ilokano	an-ano-én	how? what is the use of?
Hiligaynon	anu-un	become, do with
Mongondow	onu-on	what must be done?

PWMP anu-anu thing of uncertainty ⇫ ¶

WMP
Ilokano	an-ano-én	How? What is the use of? What can (I, etc.) do with?
Wolio	anu anu	deride, mock, ridicule
Javanese	anu anu	otherwise; had something happened
Bikol	mag-ka-anó-áno	be related to each other in what way?
Malagasy	ano ano	praise, blessing; a guess, anything done at random

Reconstructions

PAN	-nu₁	marker of uncertainty
PMP	a-nu	thing whose name is unknown,…
PCEMP	anu	thing whose name is unknown
PWMP	maŋ-anu	do such-and-such (action…
PWMP	sa-anu	(gloss uncertain)
PWMP	i-anu, si-anu	person whose name is avoided…
PMP	sanu	person whose name is avoided…
PWMP	in-anu	to have had something done…
PMP	a-nu-ku	my unnamed thing: mine
PMP	a-nu-mu	your unnamed thing: yours
PMP	a-nu-ni a	his/her unnamed thing:…
POC	anu-ña	his/her unnamed thing:…
PAN	i-nu	place which is unknown or…
PAN	ka-nu₁	interrogative; probably…
PMP	ka-nu₂	when?
PAN	na-nu	what?
PPh	si-nu	person whose name is unknown,…
PPh	anu-en	how? In what way?
PWMP	anu-anu	thing of uncertainty

Note

Also Tsou ánʔo ‘where is?’, Itbayaten sinoh ‘who?’, Bontok annoka ‘an empty form substituting in any form class when the normal form is inappropriate or when it cannot be recalled; what's-it; what-you-may-call-it’, Aklanon kánʔo ‘when (in the past)?’, Aklanon sínʔo ‘who?, whom?’, Mamanwa sinʔo ‘who?’, Manobo (Western Bukidnon) me-nu ‘how? what?’, Tontemboan ma-anu ‘have sex with a woman’. Philippine forms such as Itbayaten sinoh and Aklanon sinʔuh suggest *-nuh, but the final consonant is not supported by Atayal, Saisiyat or other Formosan languages. In addition, since *si-nu seems clearly to be formed from *si ‘nominative case of singular personal names’ + *nu ‘marker of uncertainty’ I assume that the glottal stop in some Philippine forms is a secondary development.

It is unclear whether this morpheme could occur in isolation in PAn, since such reflexes as Melanau Dalat (Kampung Kekan) new ‘what?’ could be products of secondary reduction. *-nuh was a formative in many interrogative words, but apparently was not an interrogative marker itself, as there is no comparative evidence that it could be used to transform declarative into interrogative expressions. Rather, it is perhaps most accurately characterized as a marker of uncertainty or deliberate obscurity. For the morphological parallel of *maŋ- + ‘what?’ = ‘why?’ cp. Mongondow moŋ-onu and Malay meŋ-apa ‘why?’.