Laurent Sagart
Encyclopedia
Laurent Sagart is a director of research at the Centre de recherches linguistiques sur l'Asie orientale (CRLAO - UMR 8563) unit of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
(CNRS). Born at Paris in 1951, he earned his Ph.D. in 1977 at the University of Paris 7 and his Doctorat d'Etat in 1990 at University of Aix-Marseille 1
. His early work focuses on Chinese dialectology and his recent work, together with William H. Baxter
, has treated the reconstruction of Old Chinese
.
language family.
Sagart considers the Austronesian languages to be related to the Sino-Tibetan languages
, and also groups the Tai–Kadai languages as more closely related to the Malayo-Polynesian languages
.
Centre national de la recherche scientifique
The National Center of Scientific Research is the largest governmental research organization in France and the largest fundamental science agency in Europe....
(CNRS). Born at Paris in 1951, he earned his Ph.D. in 1977 at the University of Paris 7 and his Doctorat d'Etat in 1990 at University of Aix-Marseille 1
University of Provence
The University of Provence Aix-Marseille I is a public university mostly located in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. It is one of the three Universities of Aix-Marseille and is part of the Academy of Aix and Marseille.-Overview:...
. His early work focuses on Chinese dialectology and his recent work, together with William H. Baxter
William H. Baxter
William H. Baxter is a professor in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Michigan. His specialty is the historical study of the Chinese language. He earned his Ph.D...
, has treated the reconstruction of Old Chinese
Old Chinese
The earliest known written records of the Chinese language were found at a site near modern Anyang identified as Yin, the last capital of the Shang dynasty, and date from about 1200 BC....
.
Sino-Austronesian
Sagart is probably most well-known for his proposal of the Sino-AustronesianSino-Austronesian languages
-See also:*Classification schemes for Southeast Asian languages*Austric languages*Austro-Tai languages*Dené–Caucasian languages*Austronesian languages*Sino-Tibetan languages*Old Chinese language*Tibeto-Burman languages*Haplogroup O *Languages of China...
language family.
Sagart considers the Austronesian languages to be related to the Sino-Tibetan languages
Sino-Tibetan languages
The Sino-Tibetan languages are a language family comprising, at least, the Chinese and the Tibeto-Burman languages, including some 250 languages of East Asia, Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. They are second only to the Indo-European languages in terms of the number of native speakers...
, and also groups the Tai–Kadai languages as more closely related to the Malayo-Polynesian languages
Malayo-Polynesian languages
The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, with approximately 385.5 million speakers. These are widely dispersed throughout the island nations of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean, with a smaller number in continental Asia...
.
- Sino-Austronesian (Sino-Tibetan–Austronesian)
- Tibeto-BurmanTibeto-Burman languagesThe Tibeto-Burman languages are the non-Chinese members of the Sino-Tibetan language family, over 400 of which are spoken thoughout the highlands of southeast Asia, as well as lowland areas in Burma ....
("Sino-Tibetan languagesSino-Tibetan languagesThe Sino-Tibetan languages are a language family comprising, at least, the Chinese and the Tibeto-Burman languages, including some 250 languages of East Asia, Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. They are second only to the Indo-European languages in terms of the number of native speakers...
") - AustronesianAustronesian languagesThe Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia that are spoken by about 386 million people. It is on par with Indo-European, Niger-Congo, Afroasiatic and Uralic as one of the...
- Luilang, PazehPazeh languagePazeh is the language of the Pazeh, a Taiwanese aboriginal people). It is a Formosan language of the Austronesian languages language family. Kulun was a dialect. There was only one remaining native speaker of Pazeh proper, 96-year-old Pan Jin-yu. Since her death, however, the language is extinct...
, SaisiatSaisiyat languageSaisiyat is the language of the Saisiyat, a tribe of indigenous people on Taiwan . It is a Formosan language of the Austronesian family... - Pituish
- Atayalic (ThaoThao languageThao , also known as Sao, is the language of the Thao people, a tribe of Taiwanese aborigines in the region of Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan. In 2000 there were approximately 5 or 6 speakers living in Dehua village , all but one of whom were over the age of sixty...
, Favorlang, Taokas, Papora, HoanyaHoanyaThe Hoanya are a Taiwanese aboriginal people who live primarily in Changhua county, Chiayi city, Nantou county, and near Tainan City.Their language, Hoanya, is now extinct.- References :...
) - Enemish
- SirayaSiraya languageSiraya is a Formosan language spoken until the end of the 19th century by the indigenous Siraya people of Taiwan. Dialects of Siraya included Taivoa and Makatao....
- Walu-Siwaish
- Tsouic (PaiwanPaiwan languagePaiwan is a native language of Taiwan, spoken by the Paiwan people, one tribe of the Taiwanese aborigines. Paiwan is a Formosan language of the Austronesian language family...
, RukaiRukai languageRukai is the mother tongue of the Rukai, one indigenous people of Taiwan . It is a divergent Formosan language of the Austronesian languages language family. There are some 10,000 speakers, some monolingual. There are several dialects, of which Mantauran, Tona, and Maga are divergent.Rukai is...
, PuyumaPuyuma languageThe Puyuma language is the language of the Puyuma people, a tribe of indigenous people on Taiwan . It is a divergent Formosan language of the Austronesian family...
, AmisAmis languageAmis is the Formosan language of the Amis Ami, an indigenous tribal people living along the east coast of Taiwan . It is spoken from Hualien in the north to Taitung in the south, with another population near the southern end of the island, though the northern varieties are sometimes considered a...
, BununBunun languageThe Bunun language is spoken by the Bunun people of Taiwan. It is one of the Formosan languages, a geographic group of Austronesian languages, and is subdivided in five dialects: Isbukun, Takbunuaz, Takivatan, Takibaka and Takituduh. Isbukun, the dominant dialect, is mainly spoken in the south of...
) - Muish
- Northeastern Formosan (KavalanKavalan languageKavalan was formerly spoken in the Northeast coast area of Taiwan by the Kavalan people . It is an East Formosan language of the Austronesian family....
, etc.) - Daic or Kra–Dai (Tai–Kadai)
- Malayo-PolynesianMalayo-Polynesian languagesThe Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, with approximately 385.5 million speakers. These are widely dispersed throughout the island nations of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean, with a smaller number in continental Asia...
- Northeastern Formosan (Kavalan
- Tsouic (Paiwan
- Siraya
- Atayalic (Thao
- Luilang, Pazeh
- Tibeto-Burman