Kuki-Chin languages

Kuki-Chin
Kuki-Chin
Kuki-Chin-Mizo, Kukish
Geographic; distribution	India, Myanmar, Bangladesh
Ethnicity	Zo Kuki; Chin; Mizo; Zomi;
Linguistic classification	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Central Tibeto-Burman Kuki-Chin–Naga Kuki-Chin; ; ; ;
Early form	Proto-Kuki-Chin
Subdivisions	Northwestern; Northeastern; Central; Maraic; Southern; Khomic;
Language codes
Glottolog	kuki1246 (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

Northwestern ("Old Kuki"): Chandel district of Manipur, India; Tamu Township of Sagaing Region, Myanmar.
Northeastern ("Kuki-Zo"): Chandel district, Churachandpur district, Kangpokpi district, Noney district, Tamenglong district, and Tengnoupal districts of Manipur, India; Tedim Township of Chin State, Myanmar; Tamu Township of Sagaing Region, Myanmar.
Central: whole state of Mizoram, India; Pherzawl district of Manipur, India; parts of Cachar district and parts of Karbi Anglong district of Assam, India; parts of East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, India; Falam Township, Hakha Township, and Thantlang Townships of Chin State, Myanmar; Kalay Township and Khampat area of Sagaing Region, Myanmar, parts of Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.
Maraic: majority of Siaha district of Mizoram, India; parts of Matupi Township of Chin State, Myanmar.
Southern: Kanpetlet Township, Matupi Township, Mindat Township, Paletwa Townships of Chin State, Myanmar; parts of the Arakan Range of Rakhine State, Myanmar; parts of Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.
Khomic: Paletwa Township of Chin State, Myanmar; parts of Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

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
    - Thado/Kuki, Tedim, Khuangsai, Paite Vuite, Chiru
    - Sizang, Guite, Vaiphei, Ralte,
  - 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
  - Core Central
  - Maraic
- 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.

References

^ VanBik 2009.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Peterson 2017.
^ 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.
^ VanBik 2009, p. 23.
^ 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.

External links

[FOOTNOTEVanBik2009-1] 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.

[FOOTNOTEPeterson2017-7] 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.

[FOOTNOTEVanBik200923-9] VanBik 2009, p. 23.

[FOOTNOTEPeterson2017206-10] Peterson 2017, p. 206.

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