Layers of Chinese Loanwords in Protosouthwestern Tai as Evidence for the Dating of the Spread of Southwestern Tai (original) (raw)
Online Publication Date:
01 Jan 2014
The current ethno-linguistic landscape of mainland Southeast Asia is a result of the spread of Tai speakers from southern China. This study examines Chinese loanwords in Proto-Southwestern Tai, the hypothetical ancestor of all modern Southwestern Tai varieties and proposes a dating of the spread of Southwestern Tai languages. By comparing the reconstructed Proto-Southwestern Tai forms with corresponding Chinese forms, four layers of Chinese loanwords existed in Proto- Southwestern Tai, namely Pre-Later Han, Later Han Chinese, Early Middle Chinese, and Late Middle Chinese layers. These layers indicate that Proto-Southwestern Tai was in contact with Chinese at least until the Tang era. In collaboration with non-linguistic evidence, this paper therefore proposes that Southwestern Tai languages began to spread southward sometime during the eighth and the tenth centuries CE.
Title:
Layers of Chinese Loanwords in Protosouthwestern Tai as Evidence for the Dating of the Spread of Southwestern Tai
Article Type:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/26659077-01703004
Language:
English
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Online Publication Date:
01 Jan 2014
The current ethno-linguistic landscape of mainland Southeast Asia is a result of the spread of Tai speakers from southern China. This study examines Chinese loanwords in Proto-Southwestern Tai, the hypothetical ancestor of all modern Southwestern Tai varieties and proposes a dating of the spread of Southwestern Tai languages. By comparing the reconstructed Proto-Southwestern Tai forms with corresponding Chinese forms, four layers of Chinese loanwords existed in Proto- Southwestern Tai, namely Pre-Later Han, Later Han Chinese, Early Middle Chinese, and Late Middle Chinese layers. These layers indicate that Proto-Southwestern Tai was in contact with Chinese at least until the Tang era. In collaboration with non-linguistic evidence, this paper therefore proposes that Southwestern Tai languages began to spread southward sometime during the eighth and the tenth centuries CE.
Content Metrics
All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Full Text Views | 1496 | 393 | 48 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 2288 | 697 | 66 |