*C   

*Cabu to wrap

*Cali cultivated taro: Colocasia esculenta

Note:   Also Rukai (Tona) tai ‘taro’ (probably a loan from Bunun ). PAn *Cali was replaced by PMP *tales. This comparison was first noted by Li (1994).

*Capuh sweep

Note:   Strikingly similar forms like SANG ma-napu ‘sweep’ : sa-sapu ‘brush, broom’ in Malayo-Polynesian languages appear to be distinct, since they cannot be reconciled with Formosan forms that uniformly point to initial *C.

*CawiN year

Note:   This comparison was first noted by Tsuchida (1976:145).

*CebuN smoke

*Cebuŋ to meet, come together

Note:   This comparison was first proposed by Tsuchida (1976:215) who, however, attributed it to ‘Proto-Southern Formosan’ despite including the Saisiyat form.

*Ceked to rest, take a break from work or other activity

*CekeS kind of very slender bamboo

Note:   As noted in Blust (1995) Thao shkish is one of a number of forms that show ‘sibilant assimilation’.

*Cemel grass, herbs; medicine

*Cumay Formosan black bear

Note:   Also Seediq kumay ‘the Formosan black bear’. This word is almost universal among the Formosan languages, being absent only from Atayal (ŋarux), Pazeh (taŋadex) and Taokas (gussin, ŋalo). There can be little doubt that *Cumay was found in PAn, but it was lost when Austronesian speakers moved into the Philippines, which has no bears. Centuries later on reaching Borneo they encountered the Malayan sun bear (Ursus malayanus) and innovated a new term, *baRuaŋ/biRuaŋ for this closely related but distinct animal. The history of Atayal ŋarux, Taokas ŋalo, which appear to be related, is unclear.