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Proto-Mienic language

Proto-Mienic or Proto-Yao () is the reconstructed ancestor of the Mienic languages.

Reconstructions

Reconstructions of Proto-Mienic (Proto-Yao) include those of Purnell (1970), L-Thongkum (1993), Ratliff (2010), and Liu (2021).

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 <nowiki>[</nowiki>Chiang Rai, in Hwei Kang Pa ห้วยก้างปลา], Hsing-an <nowiki>[</nowiki>Xing'an<nowiki>]</nowiki>, and Taipan [Đại Bản 大板] dialects) and Kim Mun (Haininh <nowiki>[</nowiki>Quảng Ninh<nowiki>]</nowiki> and Ling-chun <nowiki>[</nowiki>Lingchuan<nowiki>]</nowiki> 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.

Phonology

Consonants

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

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. 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).

Vowels

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

<nowiki>*</nowiki> only occurs as part of the rimes *- and *-.

Liu (2021) reconstructs contrastive vowel length for Proto-Mienic. 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.

Rimes

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

Tones

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

Sound changes

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

Footnotes

See also

References