Khmuic_languages Knowpia

Khmuic
Khmuic
Geographic; distribution	Indochina
Linguistic classification	Austroasiatic Khmuic;
Proto-language	Proto-Khmuic
Glottolog	khmu1236

The Khmuic languages /kəˈmuːɪk/ are a branch of the Austroasiatic languages spoken mostly in northern Laos, as well as in neighboring northern Vietnam and southern Yunnan, China. Khmu is the only widely spoken language in the group.

Homeland edit

Paul Sidwell (2015)^[1] suggests that the Khmuic Urheimat (homeland) was in what is now Oudomxay Province, northern Laos.

Languages edit

The Khmuic languages are:

Mlabri (Yumbri)
Kniang (Phong 3, Tay Phong)
Ksingmul (Puok, Pou Hok, Khsing-Mul)
Khmu’
Khuen
O’du
Prai
Mal (Thin)
Theen (Kha Sam Liam)

There is some disagreement over whether Bit is Khmuic or Palaungic; Svantesson believes it is most likely Palaungic,^[2] and it is sometimes placed in Mangic, but most classifications here take them as Khmuic. Similarly, Phuoc (Xinh Mul) and Kháng are also sometimes classified as Mangic, and Kháng is classified as Palaungic by Diffloth.

The recently discovered Bumang language is also likely a Khmuic or Palaungic language. Jerold A. Edmondson considers it to be most closely related to Khang. Also, Quang Lam is a poorly attested language in Vietnam that may be closely related to Kháng or Bit.

Classification edit

The interrelationships of these languages are uncertain. Ethnologue 19 classifies them as follows:

Khmuic
- Khao: Khao, Bit
- Mlabri: Mlabri
- Xinh Mul: Khang, Phong-Kniang, Puoc
- Mal–Khmu’
  - Khmu’, Khuen, O’du
  - Mal–Phrai: Lua’, Mal, Prai

A provisional classification at SEALang^[3] keeps Mal–Phrai, but connects Khao with Khang instead of with Bit, treats Khuen as a dialect of Khmu':

Khmuic
- Bit
- Khao–Khang: Khao, Khang
- Mlabri
- Phong
- Puoc
- Khmu’
- O’du
- Mal–Phrai: Lua’, Mal, Phray, Phai

Diffloth & Proschan (1989) edit

Chazée (1999), citing Diffloth & Proschan (1989), has the following:

Khmuic
- (Khang?)
- Khmu
- Phray–Pram
  - Mlabri
  - Phay/Mal/T'in
  - - Ksing Moul (Ksongmul)
    - Pramic
      - Tai Hat (Iduh)
      - Tai Then
      - Phong Laan, Phong Phène, Phong Tapouang
      - Kaniang, Phong Piat, (Phong Saloey)

However, Gérard Diffloth now considers Pramic (i.e., all Khmuic languages except for Khmu) to be a separate Austroasiatic branch that has come under heavy influence from Khmu.^[4]

Peiros (2004) edit

Ilia Peiros (Peiros 2004:39) gives the following classification:

Khmuic
- - Khang
  - Bit
- - Mlabri–Pray
    - Mlabri
    - Pray
  - - Kmu
    - - Kxinh Mul
      - Ksinmul
    - - Phong-Kniang
      - Iduh

Sidwell (2014) edit

Based on developments of Proto-Khmuic *aː₁, Paul Sidwell (2014) classifies the Khmuic languages as follows.

Khmuic
- Khmu
- Mlabri-Pram
  - Mlabri
  - Phay-Pram
    - Phay/Mal/T'in
    - Khsing Mul
    - Pramic
      - Tai Hat
      - Phong Laan, Phong Phène, Phong Tapouang
      - Kniang, Phong Piat, (Phong Saloey)
      - Tayten

The developments of Proto-Khmuic *aː₁ according to Sidwell (2014) are:

Proto-Khmuic: *aː₁
- Khmu: *aː
- Proto-Mlabri-Pram: *ɛː
  - Proto-Pray-Pram: *iə
    - Proto-Pramic *iː

References edit

^ Sidwell, Paul. 2015. The Palaungic Languages: Classification, Reconstruction and Comparative Lexicon Archived 2019-10-23 at the Wayback Machine. München: Lincom Europa.
^ Ethnologue Report for Bit
^ SEALang SALA: Southeast Asian Linguistics Archives
^ Sidwell, Paul. 2018. Austroasiatic Studies: state of the art in 2018 Archived 2019-05-03 at the Wayback Machine. Presentation at the Graduate Institute of Linguistics, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, May 22, 2018.

External links edit

RWAAI (Repository and Workspace for Austroasiatic Intangible Heritage)
- The Kammu Project (Lund University) Archived 2018-05-26 at the Wayback Machine
http://hdl.handle.net/10050/00-0000-0000-0003-66E8-9@view Khmuic languages in RWAAI Digital Archive