Mnong language

The Mnong language (also known as Pnong or Bunong) (Bunong: Ã¡ÂÂÃ¡ÂÂ¼Ã¡ÂÂÃ¡ÂÂÃ¡ÂÂ) belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language family. It is spoken by the different groups of Mnong in Vietnam and a Pnong group in Cambodia.

Distribution

In Vietnam, Mnong is spoken in the districts of ÃÂÃÂk Song, ÃÂÃÂk Mil, ÃÂÃÂk R'LÃ¡ÂºÂ¥p, KrÃÂ´ng NÃÂ´, Gia NghÃÂ©a, and other nearby locations in ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng Province (NguyÃ¡Â»Ân & TrÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng 2009).

Varieties

According to Ethnologue, four major dialects exist: Central, Eastern and Southern Mnong (all spoken in Vietnam), and Kraol (spoken in Cambodia). Within a dialect group, members do not understand other dialects. The Mnong language was studied first by the linguist Richard Phillips in the early 1970s.

LÃÂª, et al. (2014:234-235) lists the following subgroups of Mnong and their respective locations.

MnÃÂ´ng Gar: in northwestern LÃÂ¢m ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âng Province and southern Lak Lake.
MnÃÂ´ng Nong: in ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng District and ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k Min District
MnÃÂ´ng KuÃÂªnh: in KrÃÂ´ng PÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k District
MnÃÂ´ng PrÃÂ©: mainly in ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng District and ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k Min District, and a few at Lak Lake.
MnÃÂ´ng PrÃÂ¢ng: scattered in ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng District and ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k Min District, and a few in southern Lak Lake and in BÃ¡ÂºÂ£n ÃÂon, Ea SÃÂºp District.
MnÃÂ´ng RlÃÂm: in LÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k District. Many have close relationships with the ÃÂ-ÃÂÃÂª people.
MnÃÂ´ng Bu-ÃÂÃÂ¢ng: in BÃ¡ÂºÂ£n ÃÂon, Ea SÃÂºp District
MnÃÂ´ng ChÃ¡Â»Âl: in LÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k District. Many have close relationships with the ÃÂ-ÃÂÃÂª people. Some also live in LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c DÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng District and ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â©c TrÃ¡Â»Âng District of LÃÂ¢m ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âng Province.
MnÃÂ´ng Bu Nor: in ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng District and ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k Min District
MnÃÂ´ng Dih Bri: very small population in ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng District; ÃÂa KrÃÂ´ng.
MnÃÂ´ng ÃÂÃÂp: ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k Min District and the northern part of former SÃÂ´ng BÃÂ© Province.
MnÃÂ´ng Biat: small population in former SÃÂ´ng BÃÂ© Province. Majority living around the Vietnam-Cambodia border.
MnÃÂ´ng Bu ÃÂÃÂªh: in former SÃÂ´ng BÃÂ© Province and ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k LÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k Province
MnÃÂ´ng Si TÃÂ´: a group of MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ (MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ TÃÂ´) people in ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng District who have become assimilated into the MnÃÂ´ng population ("MnÃÂ´ng-ized" MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ people)
MnÃÂ´ng KÃ¢ÂÂah: a group of ÃÂ-ÃÂÃÂª people scattered across ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng District, LÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k District, and M'ÃÂrÃÂk District who have become assimilated into the MnÃÂ´ng population ("MnÃÂ´ng-ized" ÃÂ-ÃÂÃÂª people)
MnÃÂ´ng PhÃÂª ÃÂÃÂ¢m: small population living only in QuÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng TÃÂn commune, ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k NÃÂ´ng District.

Other minor Mnong ethnic groups include the MnÃÂ´ng RÃÂ¡ ÃÂe, MnÃÂ´ng RÃ¢ÂÂÃÂng, and MnÃÂ´ng KÃ¢ÂÂZiÃÂªng.

NguyÃ¡Â»Ân & TrÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng (2009) cover the following M'NÃÂ´ng dialects.

M'NÃÂ´ng Preh
KuÃÂªnh
MÃ¡ÂºÂ¡
M'NÃÂ´ng NÃÂ¢r (Bu NÃÂ¢r)
M'NÃÂ´ng Noong (Bu Noong)
M'NÃÂ´ng R'LÃÂ¢m
M'NÃÂ´ng PrÃÂ¢ng

Phonology

Consonants

Implosives /ÃÂ, ÃÂ / may vary across dialects.

Vowels

Numerals

The following comparative numerals from various Mnong dialects are from NguyÃ¡Â»Ân & TrÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng (2009).

References

External links

Mnong at www.peoplesoftheworld.org