Katuic languages
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
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.
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.
Katuic peoples
The Katuic peoples live mainly in central Vietnam's Truong Son region and the highlands of south eastern Laos. The peoples include the Katu, Ta Oi, Paco and the Bru in Vietnam. The Katuic groups in Laos include the Bru, Ta'oih, Kantu, Dakkang, Triw, Chatong and Ngeq.They subsist mainly on shifting...
. Paul Sidwell
Paul Sidwell
Paul Sidwell is a researcher and director at the Centre for Research in computational Linguistics and the Australian National University. Sidwell is a leading specialist in Mon-Khmer languages, especially the Katuic and Bahnaric branches.-Publications:...
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 LaosLaos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
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.
- Katu branch:
- Dakkang (Laos)
- Kantu (Laos)
- KatuKatu languageKatu is a Katuic language of Vietnam and Laos. The varieties in the two countries differ significantly....
(Vietnam and Laos) - Phuong (Vietnam)
- Triw (Laos)
- Kui–Bru branch (West KatuicWest Katuic languagesThe West Katuic or Kui–Bru languages are part of the Katuic branch of the Austroasiatic family.* Brou–So languages** Bru language ** Sô language ** Khua language * Kuay–Yoe languages...
):- Bru (Laos and Thailand)
- KuyKuy languageKuy language is a Katuic language, part of the larger Austroasiatic family.Kuy is one of the more important languages of the Mon–Khmer family...
(Thailand) - SoSô languageSô is a Katuic language of Laos and Thailand."Sô" is the name used in Thailand. In Laos it is known as "Mangkong" or "Bru"....
(Laos)
-
- (etc.: see West Katuic)
- Pacoh languagePacoh languageThe Pacoh language is a member of the Katuic language group, a part of the Eastern Mon–Khmer linguistic branch. Most Pacoh speakers live in central Laos and central Vietnam. Pacoh is undergoing substantial change, influenced by the Vietnamese....
(Vietnam and Laos)
- Ta'Oi–Kriang branch (Laos):
- Chatong
- Ngeq/Kriang
- Ong/Talan–IrIr languageIr is a language spoken by a few thousand people in the east of Salavan Province, southern Laos. One of the Ta'oih languages, it is most closely related to Ong....
- Ta'Oi
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.