Pacoh language

Pacoh
Native to	Vietnam
Native speakers	32,000 (2002–2005)
Language family	Austroasiatic Katuic Pacoh
Language codes
ISO 639-3	pac
Glottolog	paco1243

The Pacoh language is a member of the Katuic language group, a part of the Eastern [1] Mon–Khmer linguistic branch. Most Pacoh speakers live in central Laos and central Vietnam. Pacoh is undergoing substantial change, influenced by the Vietnamese.

Alternative names are Paco, Pokoh, Bo River Van Kieu. Its dialects are Pahi (Ba-Hi). They are officially classified by the Vietnamese government as Ta'Oi (Tà Ôi) people.

Phonology

Vowels (Sidwell 2003):

Pacoh has six vowel qualities, all of which occur long and short, in modal and creaky voice. Creaky vowels are lowered compared to modally voiced vowels. There are three diphthongs which also occur modal and creaky. Unlike other languages in the area, vowel phonation does not seem to have originated in the phonation of preceding consonants.

Monophthongs

	front	central	back
High modal	i iː	ɨ ɨː	u uː
Low modal	e eː	ə əː	o oː
High creaky	ḛ ḛː	ə̰ ə̰ː	o̰ o̰ː
Low creaky	ɛ̰ ɛ̰ː	a̰ a̰ː	ɔ̰ ɔ̰ː

Diphthongs

	front	central	back
Modal	iə	ɨə	uə
Creaky	ḛa	ə̰a	o̰a

Further reading

• Alves, M. J. (2006). A grammar of Pacoh: a Mon–Khmer language of the central highlands of Vietnam. Pacific linguistics, 580. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, the Australian National University. ISBN 0-85883-568-1
• Watson, Richard L. (1964). "Pacoh Phonemes". Mon-Khmer Studies Journal.

External links

• Alves, Mark J. 2007. Pacoh Pronouns and Grammaticalization Clines.
• A grammar of Pacoh: A Mon–Khmer language of the central highlands of Vietnam
• The language has these sounds
• Pacoh-English-Vietnamese dictionary by SIL International