Proto-Mienic language explained

Proto-Mienic
Also Known As:Proto-Yao
Familycolor:Hmong-Mien
Ancestor:Proto-Hmong–Mien
Target:Mienic languages

Proto-Mienic or Proto-Yao (Chinese: 原始瑶语) is the reconstructed ancestor of the Mienic languages.

Reconstructions

Reconstructions of Proto-Mienic (Proto-Yao) include those of Purnell (1970),[1] L-Thongkum (1993),[2] Ratliff (2010),[3] and Liu (2021).[4]

Purnell (1970) and L-Thongkum (1993) do not include any data from the divergent Biao Min and Zao Min languages. Purnell's (1970) Proto-Yao reconstruction is based on Iu Mien (Chiengrai [Chiang Rai, in Hwei Kang Pa ห้วยก้างปลา], Hsing-an [Xing'an], and Taipan [Đại Bản 大板] dialects) and Kim Mun (Haininh [Quảng Ninh] and Ling-chun [Lingchuan] dialects).

Liu's (2021) Proto-Yao reconstruction is based on data from Iu Mien (Jiangdi 江底 and Miaoziyuan 庙子源 dialects), Biao Mwan (Luoxiang 罗香), Kim Mun (Liangzi 梁子 and Tansan 滩散 dialects), Biao Min (Dongshan 东山 and Shikou 石口 dialects), and Zao Min (Daping 大坪). More than 500 lexical items are reconstructed.[4]

Phonology

Consonants

Liu (2021:78-80) gives the following consonant inventory for Proto-Mienic.[4]

Proto-Mienic consonants
LabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
Stop, voicelesspronounced as /p/pronounced as /t/pronounced as /c/pronounced as /k/pronounced as /ʔ/
Stop, voicedpronounced as /b/pronounced as /d/pronounced as /ɟ/
Affricate, voicelesspronounced as /ts/
Affricate, voicedpronounced as /dz/
Nasalpronounced as /m/pronounced as /n/pronounced as /ɲ/pronounced as /ŋ/
Fricative, voicelesspronounced as /s/pronounced as /x/pronounced as /h/
Fricative, voicedpronounced as /ɣ/pronounced as /ɦ/
Approximantpronounced as /w/pronounced as /l/pronounced as /j/
Rhoticpronounced as /r/

Initial consonants can be preglottalized, aspirated, or devoiced. Final consonants include /-p, -t, -k, -m, -n, -ŋ/.

Proposed velarization

Ostapirat (2016) proposes velarized initials in Proto-Mienic, which are not reconstructed by Liu (2021), Ratliff (2010), and others.[5] Below is a comparison of selected Proto-Mienic reconstructions with initial bilabial stops from Ostapirat (2016), Liu (2021), L-Thongkum (1993) ("Pre-Mjuenic" reconstructions), and Ratliff (2010).

Gloss Ostapirat (2016) Liu (2021) L-Thongkum (1993) Ratliff (2010)
full, satisfied
  • peuB
  • pwɔŋ3
  • pwɔŋB
pHM *pu̯ɛŋX
fruit
  • pˠeuB
  • pjiɔu3
  • piəuB
pHM *pji̯əuX
float
  • mbˠeuA
  • mbliɔu2
  • mbiəuA > *biəuA2
  • mbi̯əuA
bedbug
  • pˠiA
  • pji1
pHM *pji
three
  • pˠuA
  • pwɔu1
  • puəA
pHM *pjɔu
burn
  • pˠuB
  • pwɔu3
  • puəB
  • pɔuB
name
  • mpˠuC
  • ʔbwɔu5
  • ʔbuəC > *buəC1
pHM *mpɔuH
hand
  • bˠuB
  • bwɔu4
  • buəB > *puəB2
pHM *-bɔuX

Vowels

Liu (2021:165) reconstructs 8 Proto-Mienic vowels.

Front Back
Highpronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/
Mid-highpronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/
Mid-lowpronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/
Near-lowpronounced as /ink/
Lowpronounced as /ink/

*pronounced as /ink/ only occurs as part of the rimes *-pronounced as /ɛːŋ/ and *-pronounced as /ɛk/.

Liu (2021) reconstructs contrastive vowel length for Proto-Mienic.[4] However, L-Thongkum (1993) and Ratliff (2010) do not reconstruct vowel length for Proto-Mienic, as they consider vowel length in synchronic Mienic languages to be later prosodic developments.

Sound correspondences

Sound correspondences among the Mienic languages from Liu (2021):

Initials

Reflexes of Proto-Mienic initials in synchronic Mienic languages are as follows (Liu 2021). Prenasalized Pre-Mienic initials are reconstructed; these developed into certain preglottalized and aspirated Proto-Mienic initials.

Proto-Mienic Pre-Mienic Jiangdi Mien Miaoziyuan Mien Luoxiang Mien Liangzi Mun Tansan Mun Dongshan Biao Min Shikou Biao Min Daping Dzao Min
  • p
p p p p ʔp p b b
p
  • b
p p p p ʔp p b p
  • ʔb
  • mp
b b b b b b p b
  • mpʰ
b b b b b b b b
  • mb
b b b b b b p b
  • ʔm
m m m m m m m m
  • hm
m m m
  • ʔw
w w w w v w v v
  • w
w w v w v w v v
  • pw
pw pw p p ʔp p b b
  • bw
pw pw p p ʔp p p p
  • ʔbw
  • mpw
bw bw bw b b b pw b
  • bʰw
  • mpʰw
bw bw b b b b b b
  • mbw
bw bw bw b b b p b
  • hmw
mw mw m m m m m
  • mw
mw mw mw m m m m m
  • pj
pj pj pj pj ʔpj pj bj b
  • bj
pj pj pw f f pj b pj
  • ʔbj
  • mpj
bj bj b b b b b b
  • bʰj
  • mpʰj
bj bj bw v b bj b bj
  • hmj
mj mj m̥w m m m̥j m mj
  • mj
mj mj mw m m m m m
  • ʔwj
wj wj v w v w ʔ vj
  • wj
wj wj w w v w v vj
  • pl
pj p pj pj ʔpj pl pl pj
  • mbl
bj b bj bj bj bl pl b
  • t
t t t t ʔt t d d
h
  • d
t t t t ʔt t d t
  • ʔd
d d d d d d t d
  • ntʰ
d d d d d d d d
  • nd
d d d d d d t d
  • ʔn
n n n n n n n n
  • hn
n n n n
  • n
n n n n n n n n
  • s
f f θ θ s s h
s s ɕ θ s s h
  • tw
tw tw tw t ʔt tw d d
  • dw
d dw d d d dw tw d
  • ʔdw
  • ntw
d d d d d dw tw d
  • sw
f f θ θ sw sj h
  • sʰw
s s ɕ θ sw sj h
  • ʔdj
  • ntj
dj dj d d d t d d
  • sʰj
sj sj ɕ s ɕ s ɕ sj
  • ʔl
l l l l l l l l
  • ʔlj
lj lj l lj lj lj lj lj
  • hl
ɬ l l l l ɬ l l
  • hlj
ɬ ɬ l l ɬ lj lj
  • l
l l l l l l l l
  • ʔr
l l g g g l l dz
  • ʔrj
l l g gj gj l l dz
  • hr
ɬ ɬ g g g ɬ l dz
  • hrj
ɬj ɬj gj gj gj ɬj lj dz
  • r
l l g g g l l dz
  • rj
l l g gj gj l l dz
  • ts
ts ts θ θ ts ts t
  • tsʰ
tsʰ tsʰ θ t tɕʰ tsʰj h
  • dz
ts ts θ ts ts h
  • ʔdz
dz dz d d d dz ts dz
  • dzʰ
  • ntsʰ
dz dz d d d dz d
  • ndz
dz dz d d d dz ts d
  • tsw
tsw tsw θw θ tsw ts t
  • dzw
tsw tsw θw tsw ts h
  • ʔdzw
  • ntsw
dʑw dʑw j ȡ ȡ ȡ g
  • tsj
tsj tsj s ɕ ȶ ts
  • tsʰj
tsʰj tsʰj θj tj kʰj tsʰ tsʰ h
  • dzj
tsj tsj s ɕ ȶʰ sj
  • ʔdzj
  • ntsj
dzj dzj ȡ ȡ hj j dz
  • dzʰj
  • ntsʰj
dzj dzj ȡ ȡ ȡ tɕʰ dzj
  • ndzj
dzj dzj ȡ ȡ h
  • c
ts ts ȶ ȶ ȶ ts
tsʰ tsʰ ɕ ȶ ȶʰ ȶʰ ȶʰ h
  • ɟ
ts ts ȶ ȶ ȶ s
  • ʔɟ
  • ɲc
j ȡ ȡ dz dz
  • ɟʰ
  • ɲcʰ
dzj dzj ɕ s ɕ s tɕʰ dzj
  • ɲɟ
dz dz ȡ ȡ ȡ dz
  • ʔɲ
ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ
ȵ̥ ȵ̥ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ̥ ȵ ȵ
  • ɲ
ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ
  • ʔj
j j j j j j j j
  • j
j j j j j j j dz
  • cw
tsw tsw tɕw s ɕ ȶ ts
  • cʰw
tsʰ tsʰ ɕw s ɕ ȶʰw tɕʰ ts
  • ɟw
tsw tsw tɕw ȶ ȶ ȶw tɕw ts
  • ɲw
ȵ ȵw ȵw ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ ȵ
  • k
k k k k k k k k
k/kʰ k k k/f
  • ʔg
  • ŋk
g g d d d k k k
  • ʔŋ
ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ
  • ŋ
ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ ŋ
  • x
j j ȡ ȡ ȡ k k
  • ɣ
j j ȡ ȡ ȡ k g
  • kw
kw kw kw kw kw kw kw k
  • kʰw
kʰw k kʰw kʰw h
  • gw
kw kw kw kw kw kw kw f
  • ʔgw
  • ŋkw
g g g g g gw k/kw g
  • gʰw
  • ŋkʰw
g g g g g gw g g
  • ŋgw
g g g g g gw kw g
  • kj
s ɕ ȶ k
  • kwj
tɕw tɕw s ɕ ȶw tɕw ts
  • gj
ȶ ȶ ȶ k
  • gwj
kwj kj kj kw kw ȶ kj
  • ʔgj
g g g gj gj g k/kj g
  • kl
k kj kj kj kl kl ts
  • kl
k k kj kj kl kl k
  • kl
k kj kj kj kl kl t
  • kwl
tɕw kw kw kw kw kl kl k
  • klj
kj kj kj kj kl klj kj
  • gl
k kl tl kl kl kl k
  • glj
k kl tl kl kl klj kj
  • ŋgl
g gl dl gl gl kl g
  • ʔ
ʔ ʔ ʔ ʔ ʔ ʔ ʔ ʔ
  • h
h h h h h h h v
  • ɦ
ɦ Ø ɦ ɦ ɦ ɦ ɦ ɦ

Rimes

Reflexes of Proto-Mienic rimes in synchronic Mienic languages (Liu 2021):

Proto-Mienic Jiangdi Mien Miaoziyuan Mien Luoxiang Mien Liangzi Mun Tansan Mun Dongshan Biao Min Shikou Biao Min Daping Dzao Min
  • i
e e i i i i i/e i/ɛi
  • im
im im im im ɛn en um
  • iːm
iːm im im im in ɛm
  • in
in in in in ɛn en ɛn
  • iːn
iːn in in iːn ən ɛn
  • iːŋ
iːŋ iːŋ ɛ
  • iːp
ip i ip ip iːp in ɛ ɛp
  • it
it i it i
  • ik
i ei i i i i ɛ
  • e
i ei i i i i i ɛ
  • ei
ei ei ei ei ɛi əi i ɛi
  • ei
ei ei ei ei ɛi əi i i
  • ei
ei ei ei ei ɛi i e i
  • em
om əŋ em am am an en um
  • eːm
iːm əŋ em eːm iːm ən um
  • en
en əŋ en in in in en ɛn
  • eːn
eːn əŋ en eːn iːn ən ɛn
  • eːt
et ei et eːt iːt ən e ɛt
  • ɛːŋ
ɛːŋ ɛŋ ɛŋ ɛŋ ɛːŋ ɛ ɛŋ
  • ɛk
ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ ɛ a a
  • æ
e e a a a a a a
  • æm
om əŋ em im im an an ɛm
  • æn
en əŋ an an an an ən ɛn
  • æːn
en əŋ an aːn aːn an ən ɛn
  • æŋ
əŋ ɛŋ
  • æp
op e ep ap ap an æ ɛp
  • æt
at ə ət et et an ɛ ɔt
  • æːt
at ə ət ɛt ɛːt ə ɛ ɔt
  • æk
e e a a a a a a
  • a
a a a a a a a a
  • ai
ai ai ai ai ai ai ai ɛi
  • aːi
aːi a aːi aːi aːi a ai ai
  • aːi
ai ai ai ai aːi ai ai ai
  • aːi
aːi a aːi aːi aːi a ai ai
  • aːi
aːi a aːi aːi aːi a ai ai
  • aːi
ai ai ai ai aːi ai ai ai
  • au
au au au au au a ɔu iu
  • aːu
aːu a aːu au aːu a au au
  • am
am am am am an an am
  • aːm
aːm aːm aːm aːm an ɔn ɔm
  • an
an əŋ ən an an an ən an
  • aːn
aːn aːn an aːn an ən ɔn
  • aːn
aːn an an aːn an ən an
  • aːŋ
aːŋ aːŋ aːŋ
  • ap
ap a ap ap ap an æ ap
  • aːp
aːp a aːp aːp aːp an æ ap
  • at
at a at at at an æ at
  • aːt
aːt a aːt aːt aːt an æ at
  • ak
a a a a a a a a
  • aːk
o ɔ ɔːk aːk ak ɔ ɔ ɔu
  • o
u u o u u u u ɔu
  • ou
u u ou ou ɔu ɔ eu au
ɔŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ/uŋ
  • oːŋ
ɔŋ ɔːŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ
  • op
op əu up op up in ɛ ip
  • oːp
op oːp op ɔk ɔp u
  • ot
ot ə ot ɔt ɔt an ɛ
  • ok
u u o ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔu
  • ɔ
o ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔu
  • ɔːi
oːi a ɔi ɔi ɔːi ai ei æ
  • ou
o ə u u u au ɔu u
  • iɔu
ou əu eu ou ɔu au ɔu iu
  • iɔu
ou əu eu ou ɔu au ɔu u
  • iɔu
ou əu ou ou ɔu əu eu u
  • iɔu
ou əu ou ou ɔu əu iu u
  • iɔu
ou əu eu ou ɔu au ɔu ɛu
  • ɔm
om om ɔm ɔm an ɔn ɔn
  • ɔːm
oːm ɔŋ ɔm ɔm ɔːm ɔ ɔ ɔm
  • ɔːn
oːn ɔːŋ ɔn ɔːn an ən an
  • ɔŋ
əŋ əŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ
  • ɔːŋ
oːŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ ɔŋ ɔːŋ ɔ ɔŋ
  • ɔt
at a ɔt ɔi ɔːi a ɛ ɛt
  • ɔk
o ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔ ɔu
  • ɔːk
u u ok ɔːk ɔːk u u u
  • u
o ə u u u u u u
  • uːi
uːi ui ui ui uːi əi ei ai
  • uːi
uːi ui ui ui uːi əi i i
  • iu
iu iu iu iu iu iu iu iu
  • iːu
iu iu eu eu iːu au iu ɛu
  • um
om um um um in œn um
  • un
un un un un un un in
ə ɔŋ ɔŋ
ə ɔŋ
əŋ ɔŋ
  • uːŋ
uːŋ uːŋ ə ɔŋ
  • ut
ut u ut ut ut un ɛ ut
  • uːt
ut u ut uːt uːt in ɛ ut
  • uk
u əu u u u u ɔ iu

Tones

Proto-Mienic tonal categories and their respective tone pitch reflexes in synchronic Mienic languages (Liu 2021):

Proto-Mienic Jiangdi Mien Miaoziyuan Mien Luoxiang Mien Liangzi Mun Tansan Mun Dongshan Biao Min Shikou Biao Min Daping Dzao Min
  • 1
33 33 33 35 35 33 33 44
  • 1
33 33 33 31 13 33 33 44
  • 2
31 31 31 33 33 31 55 53
  • 3
52 53 53 545 55 35 35 24
  • 3
52 53 53 43 42 35 35 24
  • 4
231 232 213 32 31 42 31 44
  • 5
24 35 35 44 335 24 44 42
  • 5
24 35 55 21 331 24 44 42
  • 6
13 11 11 22 32 42 13 22
  • 7
55 54 43 24 35 53 35 44
  • 7
55 54 43 54 35 53 35 44
  • 7
55 54 43 31 12 53 35 44
  • 7
55 54 43 32 12 53 35 44
  • 8
12 21 32 42 32 42 22 22
  • 8
12 21 32 21 32 42 22 22

Sound changes

Sound change innovations in synchronic Mienic languages (Liu 2021:156–157, 228):

Initials! Proto-Mienic !! Reflex !! Dialect
  • p
b Shikou, Daping
p Liangzi, Daping
  • ʔm
m all Mienic lects
  • hm
m Liangzi, Tansan, Shikou, Daping
  • pw
b Shikou, Daping
  • t
d Shikou, Daping
t Liangzi
h Daping
  • ʔn
n all Mienic lects
  • hn
n Liangzi, Tansan, Shikou, Daping
  • hl
l Liangzi, Tansan, Shikou, Daping
  • ʔg
d Luoxiang, Liangzi, Tansan
  • s
f Jiangdi, Miaoziyuan
  • s
h Daping
h Daping
  • tw
d Shikou, Daping
  • ts
θ Luoxiang, Tansan
  • ts
t Daping
  • dz
h Daping
  • ʔɲ
ɲ all Mienic lects
  • j
dz Daping
  • ɦ
zero Miaoziyuan
  • pj
bj > b Shikou, Daping
  • bj
f Liangzi, Tansan
  • ʔl
l all Mienic lects
  • ʔr/*hr/*r
l Jiangdi, Miaoziyuan, Dongshan, Shikou
  • ʔr/*hr/*r
g Luoxiang, Liangzi, Tansan
  • ʔr/*hr/*r
dz Daping
ɲ Liangzi, Tansan, Shikou, Daping
  • ʔŋ
ŋ all Mienic lects
Rimes! Proto-Mienic !! Reflex !! Dialect
  • i
e Jiangdi, Miaoziyuan
  • m
n Miaoziyuan, Dongshan, Shikou
  • p/*t
n Dongshan
  • ai
ɛi Daping
  • æːŋ
Shikou
  • æ
e Jiangdi, Miaoziyuan
  • ɛ
a Shikou, Daping
  • u
ə Miaoziyuan
  • u
o Jiangdi
  • ɔu
ə Miaoziyuan
  • ɔu
o Jiangdi
  • ɔŋ
Jiangdi
  • ɔŋ
əŋ Miaoziyuan, Luoxiang
ə Dongshan
  • aːŋ
ɔŋ Shikou, Daping
  • æ
e Jiangdi, Miaoziyuan
  • aːn
ən Shikou
  • aːp
an Dongshan
  • aːu
a Miaoziyuan, Dongshan
ɛ Daping
  • at
an Dongshan

See also

Notes and References

  1. Purnell, Herbert C., Jr. 1970. Toward a reconstruction of Proto-Miao-Yao. PhD dissertation, Cornell University.
  2. L-Thongkum, Theraphan. 1993. A view on Proto-Mjuenic (Yao). Mon-Khmer Studies 22:163-230.
  3. Book: Ratliff, Martha . Martha Ratliff . 2010 . Hmong–Mien language history . Canberra, Australia . . 978-0-85883-615-0 . 1885/146760 . free . none.
  4. Book: Liu, Wen 刘文. Yaoyu fangyan lishi bijiao yanjiu 瑶语方言历史比较研究. 2021. Social Sciences Press 社会科学文献出版社. Beijing. 1294576509. 9787520181464.
  5. Ostapirat, Weera. 2016. Issues in the Reconstruction and Affiliation of Proto-Miao-Yao . Language and Linguistics 17(1) 133–145.