ไอ

From Proto-Tai *s.ʔwɤːjᴬ (“steam, vapor”). The short vowel in ไอ [ʔajᴬ²] is unexpected as a reflex of it. The Northern Tai and Central/Southwestern Tai may in fact be unrelated. In Southwestern Tai, cognate with Lao ໄອ (ʼai), Lü ᦀᦻ (˙ʼaay), Shan ဢၢႆ (ʼǎai), Tai Nüa ᥟᥣᥭ (ʼaay), Ahom 𑜒𑜩 (ʼay). From Proto-Tai *ʔajᴬ (“to cough”). In Southwestern Tai, cognate with Northern Thai ᩋᩱ, Lao ໄອ (ʼai), Lü ᦺᦀ (˙ʼay), Shan ဢႆ (ʼǎi), Tai Dam ꪼꪮ, Tai Nüa ᥟᥭ (ʼay), Aiton ဢ︀ႝ (ʼay), Ahom 𑜒𑜩 (ʼay). In Central Tai, cognate with Nong Zhuang ae, Tày ay. In Northern Tai, cognate with Zhuang ae, Saek ไอ๋. In other Tai, cognate with Zuojiang Zhuang ae (Chongzuo, Ningming, Longzhou, Daxin dialects). Borrowed from English i (“the letter I/i”).