Proto-Hmong–Mien language
The Proto-Hmong–Mien language is the reconstructed ancestor of the Hmong–Mien languages. The time of proto-Hmong-Mien has been estimated to be about 2500 BP by Sagart, Blench, and Sanchez-Mazas and about 4243 BP by the Automated Similarity Judgment Program (ASJP).[1] Lower-level reconstructions include Proto-Hmongic and Proto-Mienic.
Reconstructions
Past reconstructions include Wang & Mao (1995).
Ratliff (2010)
Ratliff (2010) used 11 criterion languages for her reconstruction.
- East Hmongic (Qiandong); Northern vernacular: Yanghao 养蒿, Yanghao Township, Taijiang County, Guizhou
- North Hmongic (Xiangxi); Western vernacular: Jiwei 吉卫, Jiwei Township, Huayuan County, Hunan
- West Hmongic (Chuanqiandian): White Hmong of Laos and Thailand
- West Hmongic (Chuanqiandian); Mashan subdialect, Central vernacular: Zongdi 宗地, Zongdi Township, Ziyun County, Guizhou
- West Hmongic (Chuanqiandian); Luopohe subdialect: Fuyuan 复员, Fuyuan County, Yunnan
- Hmongic; Jiongnai: Changdong Township 长垌, Jinxiu County, Guangxi
- Hmongic; Baiyun Pa-Hng: Baiyun 白云, Rongshui County, Guangxi
- Mienic; Mien, Luoxiang vernacular: Luoxiang Township 罗香, Jinxiu County, Guangxi
- Mienic; Mun: Lanjin Township 览金, Lingyun County, Guangxi
- Mienic; Biao Min: Dongshan Yao Township 东山, Quanzhou County, Guangxi
- Mienic; Zao Min: Daping Township 大平, Liannan County, Guangdong
Wang & Mao (1995)
Wang & Mao (1995) base their Proto-Hmong-Mien reconstruction from the following 23 criterion Hmong-Mien languages.
- Yanghao 养蒿; Hmu, North (ISO 693-3: [hea])
- Jiwei 吉卫; Qo Xiong, West [mmr]
- Xianjin 先进 ( = Dananshan 大南山); Chuanqiandian Miao, 1st lect [cqd]
- Shimenkan 石门坎; Diandongbei Miao [hmd]
- Qingyan 青岩;[2] Guiyang Miao, North [huj]
- Gaopo 高坡; Huishui Miao, North [hmi]
- Zongdi 宗地; Mashan Miao, Central [hmm]
- Fuyuan 复员;[3] Luopohe Miao, 2nd lect [hml]
- Fengxiang 枫香; Chong'anjiang Miao [hmj]
- Qibainong 七百弄; Bunu, Dongnu [bwx]
- Yaoli 瑶里;[4] Nao Klao, Baonuo [bwx]
- Wenjie 文界; Pa-Hng, Sanjiang [pha]
- Changdong 长峒; Jiongnai [pnu]
- Duozhu 多祝;[5] She [shx]
- Jiangdi 江底; Iu Mien, Guangdian [ium]
- Xiangjiang 湘江; Iu Mien, Xiangnan [ium]
- Luoxiang 罗香; Luoxiang Mien AKA Ao Biao [ium]
- Changping 长坪; Changping Mien AKA Biao Mon [ium]
- Liangzi 梁子; Kim Mun [mji]
- Lanjin 览金; Kim Mun [mji]
- Dongshan 东山; Biao Mon, Dongshan [bmt]
- Sanjiang 三江; Biao Mon, Shikou AKA Chao Kong Meng [bmt]
- Daping 大坪; Dzao Min [bpn]
Phonology
Martha Ratliff's 2010 reconstruction contains the following phonemic inventory.
- 51–54 consonants (including pre-glottalized and pre-nasalized consonants)
- 9 monophthong vowels
- 7 diphthongs
- 11 nasal rimes
Medial consonants are *-j-, *-l-, and *-r-.
Proto-Hmong–Mien had the following syllable structure (Ratliff 2010:10):
(C) C [j/w/l] [i̯/u̯] (V) V C (C)T
Ratliff does not reconstruct vowel length for either Proto-Mienic or Proto-Hmong-Mien. Even though Mienic languages usually have vowel length, Ratliff ascribes this to areal features that were borrowed after the breakup of Proto-Mienic.[6] Neighboring languages with vowel length include Cantonese and Zhuang.
Vocabulary
Below are some reconstructed words roughly belonging to the semantic domains of agriculture and subsistence (Ratliff 2004; Greenhill et al. 2008; Starling 1998). Terms for domesticated animals and non-rice crops are usually shared with Chinese, while vocabulary relating hunting, rice crops, and local plants and animals are usually not shared with Chinese.
| Proto- Hmong–Mien | Proto-Hmongic | Old Chinese | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| *ntshu C1 | lhaŋʔ (象) | elephant | |
| *ʔlen A1 | w(h)an (猿) | monkey | |
| *ŋgeu B2 | krun (麇) | river deer | |
| *tʂo B1 | hlāʔ (虎) | tiger | |
| *Glɐn B2 | shōŋ (蔥) | Chinese onion | |
| *Nqa:n A1 | mrū (茅) | cogon grass | |
| *n̥Ak B1 | nhāʔ (弩) | crossbow | |
| *pwɒn B1 ~ *pənX | m-lak-s (射) | to shoot | |
| *ɳõ C2 | łhuk (逐) | to track, follow | |
| *qəi A1 | kē (雞) | chicken | |
| *m-nɔk | ttiwʔ (鳥) | bird | |
| *qlAu B1 ~ *qluwX | *hmaŋ C | kkhwirʔ (犬) | dog |
| *ʔa:p B1 | ʔrāp (鴨) | duck | |
| *mpɒ C1 | prā (豝) | pig | |
| *ʑwɒə:ŋ A2 | g(h)ʷān (羊) | sheep/goat | |
| *ŋɔ:ŋ A2 | lhijʔ (兕) | water buffalo | |
| *dəp D2 | d(h)ōs (豆) | bean | |
| *peu B1 | snikʷ (菽) | soybean | |
| *vəu C2 | was (芋) | taro | |
| *mblau A2 | lhūʔ (稻) | rice plant; growing/unhusked rice | |
| *ntsə:i C1 | mhījʔ (米) | husked rice | |
| *ȵa:ŋ C1 | mhījʔ (米) | cooked rice |
References and notes
- ↑ http://wwwstaff.eva.mpg.de/~wichmann/AutomatedDatingFinal.pdf
- ↑ Baituo, Qingyan Township, Huaxi District, Guiyang 贵阳市花溪区青岩乡摆托寨
- ↑ Yejipo, Ganba Township, Fuquan County 福泉县甘坝乡野鸡坡寨
- ↑ Mangjiang, Yaoli Township, Nandan County 南丹县瑶里乡芒降村
- ↑ Chenhu, Duozhu Township, Huidong County 惠东县多祝乡陈湖村
- ↑ http://sealang.net/sala/archives/pdf8/ratliff2007contrastive.pdf
- Niederer, Barbara (1998). Les langues Hmong-Mjen (Miao-Yao): phonologie historique. Munich: Lincom Europa.
- Ostapirat, Weera (2016). "Issues in the Reconstruction and Affiliation of Proto-Miao-Yao" (PDF). Language and Linguistics. 17 (1): 133–145. doi:10.1177/1606822X15614522. (revision of paper presented at IsCLL-14, Taipei, Taiwan)
- Ratliff, Martha (1992). Meaningful Tone: A Study of Tonal Morphology in Compounds, Form Classes, and Expressive Phrases in White Hmong. Dekalb, Illinois: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University. ISBN 1-877979-77-5.
- Ratliff, Martha (2004). Tapp, Michaud, Culas, and Lee, eds. Vocabulary of Environment and Subsistence in the Hmong–Mien Protolanguage. Symposium on the Hmong/Miao in Asia. Chiang Mai, Thailand: Silkworm Books. pp. 147–165. Manuscript.
- Ratliff, Martha (2010). Hmong–Mien language history. Canberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics. ISBN 0-85883-615-7.
- Benedict, Paul K. (1942). "Thai, Kadai and Indonesian: a new alignment in south east Asia". American Anthropologist. 44: 576–601. doi:10.1525/aa.1942.44.4.02a00040.
- Greenhill, S.J., Blust. R, & Gray, R.D. (2008). "Proto-Hmong–Mien word list". Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database. Department of Psychology, University of Auckland. Retrieved 2011-04-09.
- Greenhill, S.J., Blust. R, & Gray, R.D. (2008). "Proto-Hmongic word list". Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database. Department of Psychology, University of Auckland. Retrieved 2011-04-09.
- Greenhill, S.J., Blust. R, & Gray, R.D. (2008). "Proto-Mienic word list". Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database. Department of Psychology, University of Auckland. Retrieved 2011-04-09.
- Sergei Starostin; G. Bronnikov; Phil Krylov (1998). "Database query to Chinese characters". The Tower of Babel (Starling online). George Starostin. Retrieved 2011-04-09. (multiple entries)
- Wang Fushi, Mao Zongwu / 王辅世, 毛宗武. 1995. Miao Yao yu gu yin gou ni / 苗瑤语古音构拟. 中国社会科学出版社.