Katuic languages
| Katuic | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Katuic peoples |
| Geographic distribution | Indochina |
| Linguistic classification | Austroasiatic
|
| Subdivisions |
|
| Language codes | |
The fifteen Katuic languages form a branch of the Austroasiatic languages spoken by about 1.3 million people in Southeast Asia. People who speak Katuic languages are called the Katuic peoples. Paul Sidwell is the leading specialist on the Katuic languages. He notes that Austroasiatic/Mon–Khmer languages are lexically more similar to Katuic and Bahnaric the closer they are geographically, independently of which branch of the family they belong to, but that Katuic and Bahnaric do not have any shared innovations that would suggest that together they form a branch of the Austroasiatic family.
Classification
Data for adequate classification of the Mon–Khmer Katuic languages only become available after the opening of Laos to foreign researchers in the 1990s. The following classification is that of Sidwell (2003). Sidwell (2005) casts doubt on Diffloth's Vieto-Katuic hypothesis, saying that the evidence is ambiguous, and that it is not clear where Katuic belongs in the family.
- Kui–Bru branch (West Katuic):
- (etc.: see West Katuic)
- Pacoh language (Vietnam and Laos)
- Ta'Oi–Kriang branch (Laos):
Ethnologue also lists Kassang, but that is a Bahnaric language (Sidwell 2003).
Ethnologue also lists Tareng and Khlor (Lor), but not Kantu, Dakkang, Triw, Talan, or Chatong; some of these might be synonymous.
Proto-language
Sidwell (2005) reconstructs the consonant inventory of proto-Katuic as follows:
| *p | *t | *c | *k | *ʔ |
| *b | *d | *ɟ | *ɡ | |
| *ɓ | *ɗ | *ʄ | ||
| *m | *n | *ɲ | *ŋ | |
| *w | *l, *r | *j | ||
| *s | *h |
This is identical to reconstructions of Proto-Mon Khmer except for *ʄ, which is better preserved in the Katuic languages than in other branches of Austro-Asiatic, and which Sidwell believes was also present in Proto-Mon Khmer.
Further reading
- Sidwell, P. (2005). The Katuic languages: classification, reconstruction and comparative lexicon. LINCOM studies in Asian linguistics, 58. Muenchen: Lincom Europa. ISBN 3895868027
- Peiros, I. (1996). Katuic comparative dictionary. Canberra, Australia: Dept. of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University. ISBN 0858834359
- Costello, N. A. (1991). Nôôq paraaq Katu: Katu dictionary : Katu–Vietnamese–English. Manila: Summer Institute of Linguistics, Thailand Group.
- Thomas, D. M. (1976). A phonological reconstruction of Proto–East Katuic. Grand Forks, N.D.: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
External links