Kuki-Chin languages

Kuki-Chin
Kuki-Chin-Mizo, Kukish, South Central Tibeto-Burman, South Central Trans-Himalayan
Geographic
distribution		India, Myanmar, Bangladesh
EthnicityZo
Linguistic classificationSino-Tibetan
Early form
Subdivisions
Language codes
Glottologkuki1246  (Kuki-Chin)
Blue: Old Kuki, Green: Kuki-Zo, Red: Central, Orange: Maraic, Yellow: Southern, Purple: Khomic

The Kuki-Chin languages (also called Kukish[2] or South-Central Tibeto-Burman languages) are a branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family spoken in northeastern India, western Myanmar and southeastern Bangladesh. Most notable Kuki-Chin-speaking ethnic groups are referred to collectively as the Zo people which includes the Mizo, Kuki, Chin and Zomi people.

Kuki-Chin is alternatively called South-Central Trans-Himalayan (or South Central Tibeto-Burman) by Konnerth (2018), because of negative connotations of the term "Kuki-Chin" for many speakers of languages in this group.[3]

Kuki-Chin is sometimes placed under Kuki-Chin–Naga, a geographical rather than linguistic grouping.

Geographical distribution

Internal classification

The Karbi languages may be closely related to Kuki-Chin, but Thurgood (2003) and van Driem (2011) leave Karbi unclassified within Sino-Tibetan.[4][5]

The Kuki-Chin branches listed below are from VanBik (2009), with the Northwestern branch added from Scott DeLancey, et al. (2015),[6] and the Khomic branch (which has been split off from the Southern branch) from Peterson (2017).[7]

  • Kuki-Chin
    • Central: Mizo (Duhlian), Bawm (Sunthla and Panghawi), Falam (Hallam, Ranglong, Darlong, Hauhulh, Simpi, Hualngo, Chorei), Thor (Tawr), Hmar, Hrangkhol, Biate (Biete), Hakha (Lai/Pawi, Mi-E, Zokhua), Pangkhua, Saihriem, Laizo/Tlaisun, Khualsim, Zanniat, Zahau, Sim
    • Maraic: Mara (Tlosai {Siaha and Saikao}, Hawthai {Lyvaw, Sizo, and Lochei}, Hlaipao {Zyhno, Heima, and Lialai}), Zophei, Senthang, Zotung (Lungngo, Calthawn, Innmai), Lautu
    • Northeastern (Northern): Suantak-Vaiphei, Zo (Zou), Paite, Tedim, Thado (Kuki), Gangte, Simte, Vaiphei, Sizang, Ralte, Ngawn
    • Southern: Shö (Asho/Khyang, Chinbon), Thaiphum, Daai (Nitu), Mün, Yindu, Matu, Welaung (Rawngtu), Kaang, Laitu, Rungtu, Songlai, Sumtu
    • Khomic: Khumi (Khumi proper and Khumi Awa), Mro, Rengmitca, etc.
    • Northwestern ("Old Kuki"): Monsang, Moyon, Lamkang, Aimol, Anal, Tarao, Koireng (Kolhreng), Chiru, Kom, Chothe, Purum,[7] Kharam,[7]

Darlong and Ranglong are unclassified Kuki-Chin language.

The recently discovered Sorbung language may be mixed language that could classify as either a Kuki-Chin or Tangkhul language.[8]

Anu-Hkongso speakers self-identify as ethnic Chin people, although their language is closely related to Mru rather than to Kuki-Chin languages. The Mruic languages constitute a separate Tibeto-Burman branch, and are not part of Kuki-Chin.[7]

VanBik (2009)

Kenneth VanBik classified the Kuki-Chin languages based on shared sound changes (phonological innovations) from Proto-Kuki-Chin as follows.[9]

  • Kuki-Chin
    • Central: *k(ʰ)r-, *p(ʰ)r- > *t(ʰ)r-; *k(ʰ)l-, *p(ʰ)l- > *t(ʰ)l-; *y- > *z-
      • Pangkhua?
      • Lamtuk Thet: Lamtuk, Ruavan
      • Lai
        • Hakha: Hakha, Thantlang, Zokhua
        • Falam: Bawm, Bualkhaw, Laizo, Lente, Khualsim, Khuangli, Sim, Tlaisun, Zanniat
      • Mizo
        • Mizo: Fanai, Hualngo, Lushai, Khiangte
        • Hmar: Khosak, Thiek, Lawitlang, Khawbung, Darngawn, Lungtau, Leiri
    • Maraic: *kr- > *ts-; *-ʔ, *-r, *-l > -Ø; *-p, *-t, *-k > *-ʔ; *θ- > *s-
      • Mara
        • Tlosai
          • Saikao
          • Siaha
        • Hlaipao
          • Heima
          • Lialai
          • Vahapi/Zyhno
        • HawThai
          • Sizo
            • Ngaphepi
            • Sabyu
            • Chapi
          • Lyvaw
            • Lochei
            • Tisih
            • Phybyu
      • Lautu
        • Hnaro
        • Chawngthia
      • Zophei
        • Vytu
        • Sate/Awsa
      • Senthang
        • Khuapi
        • Surkhua
      • Zotung *h- > *f-; *kr- > *r-; *khl- > *kh-, *l-; *c(h)- > *t(h)-/*s-; *y- > *z-/*z(h)-; *w- > *v-
        • Calthawng
        • Innmai
        • Lungngo/Tinpa
    • Peripheral: *r- > *g-
      • Northern: *θ- > *ts-; *kl- > *tl-; *-r > *-k
      • Southern (Southern Plains): *-r > *-y
        • Khumi: Khomi, Wakung
        • Cho-Asho
          • Asho
          • Cho: Matu; Chinpon; Daai, Nghmoye, Ngmuun, Mkaang

Peterson (2017)

David A. Peterson's internal classification of the Kuki-Chin languages is as follows.[10]

  • Kuki-Chin
    • Northwestern ("Old Kuki"): Purum, Koireng, Monsang, etc.
    • Central
    • Peripheral
      • Northeastern ("Northern")
      • Khomic: Khami/Khumi, Mro-Khimi, Lemi, Rengmitca, etc.
      • Southern
        • Cho
        • Daai
        • Hyow/Asho

Peterson's Northeastern branch corresponds to VanBik's Northern branch, while Peterson's Northwestern corresponds to the Old Kuki branch of earlier classifications.

See also

References

  1. ^ VanBik 2009.
  2. ^ Burling, Robbins (2003). "The Tibeto-Burman languages of Northeastern India". In Thurgood, Graham; LaPolla, Randy J. (eds.). The Sino-Tibetan Languages (1st ed.). Routledge. pp. 169–191. ISBN 0-7007-1129-5.
  3. ^ Konnerth, Linda (2018). "The historical phonology of Monsang (Northwestern South-Central/"Kuki-Chin"): A case of reduction in phonological complexity". Himalayan Linguistics. 17 (1): 19–49. doi:10.5070/H917134878. ...many language activists among the speakers of languages of the South-Central branch has made it clear to me that using the "Kuki-Chin" label is very insensitive.
  4. ^ Thurgood, Graham (2003). "A subgrouping of the Sino-Tibetan languages: The interaction between language contact, change, and inheritance". In Thurgood, Graham; LaPolla, Randy J. (eds.). The Sino-Tibetan languages. London: Routledge. pp. 13–14. ISBN 0-7007-1129-5.
  5. ^ van Driem, George L. (2011). "Tibeto-Burman subgroups and historical grammar". Himalayan Linguistics Journal. 10 (1): 31–39. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012.
  6. ^ DeLancey, Scott; Boro, Krishna; Konnerth, Linda; Teo, Amos (14 May 2015). Tibeto-Burman Languages of the Indo-Myanmar borderland. 31st South Asian Languages Analysis Roundtable.
  7. ^ a b c d Peterson 2017.
  8. ^ Mortenson, David; Keogh, Jennifer (2011). "Sorbung, an Undocumented Language of Manipur: its Phonology and Place in Tibeto-Burman" (PDF). Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society. 4 (1): 64–114.
  9. ^ VanBik 2009, p. 23.
  10. ^ Peterson 2017, p. 206.

Bibliography

  • van Driem, George (2001). Languages of the Himalayas: An Ethnolinguistic Handbook of the Greater Himalayan Region. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-12062-4.
  • Peterson, David A. (2017). "On Kuki-Chin subgrouping". In Ding, Picus Sizhi; Pelkey, Jamin (eds.). Sociohistorical linguistics in Southeast Asia: New horizons for Tibeto-Burman studies in honor of David Bradley. Leiden: Brill. pp. 189–209. doi:10.1163/9789004350519_012. ISBN 978-90-04-34983-4.
  • VanBik, Kenneth (20 October 2009). Proto-Kuki-Chin: a reconstructed ancestor of the Kuki-Chin languages (PDF). Berkeley: University of California. ISBN 0-944613-47-0. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 July 2013.

Further reading

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