Mnong language
Austroasiatic language spoken in Vietnam and Cambodia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mnong language (also known as Pnong or Bunong) (Bunong: ឞូន៝ង) belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language family. It is spoken by the different groups of Mnong in Vietnam and a Pnong group in Cambodia.
-
Bahnaric
- South Bahnaric
- Sre–Mnong
- Mnong
- Sre–Mnong
- South Bahnaric
| Mnong | |
|---|---|
| Bunong, ឞូន៝ង | |
| Native to | Vietnam and Cambodia |
| Region | throughout Tây Nguyên region, especially in Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng, Đắk Nông and Bình Phước provinces; Mondulkiri in Cambodia |
Native speakers | 130,000 (2002–2008)[1] |
Austroasiatic
| |
| Khmer Latin (Vietnamese alphabet) | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Variously:cmo – Central Mnongmng – Eastern Mnongmnn – Southern Mnongrka – Kraol |
| Glottolog | mnon1259 |
| ELP | Central Mnong |
| Kraol | |
| |
Distribution
Varieties
According to Ethnologue, four major dialects exist: Central, Eastern and Southern Mnong (all spoken in Vietnam), and Kraol (spoken in Cambodia). Within a dialect group, members do not understand other dialects. The Mnong language was studied first by the linguist Richard Phillips in the early 1970s.[2][3]
Lê, et al. (2014:234-235)[4] lists the following subgroups of Mnong and their respective locations.
- Mnông Gar: in northwestern Lâm Đồng Province and southern Lak Lake.
- Mnông Nong: in Đắk Nông District and Đắk Min District
- Mnông Kuênh: in Krông Pắk District
- Mnông Pré: mainly in Đắk Nông District and Đắk Min District, and a few at Lak Lake.
- Mnông Prâng: scattered in Đắk Nông District and Đắk Min District, and a few in southern Lak Lake and in Bản Đon, Ea Súp District.
- Mnông Rlăm: in Lắk District. Many have close relationships with the Ê-đê people.
- Mnông Bu-đâng: in Bản Đon, Ea Súp District
- Mnông Chỉl: in Lắk District. Many have close relationships with the Ê-đê people. Some also live in Lạc Dương District and Đức Trọng District of Lâm Đồng Province.
- Mnông Bu Nor: in Đắk Nông District and Đắk Min District
- Mnông Dih Bri: very small population in Đắk Nông District; Êa Krông.
- Mnông Đíp: Đắk Min District and the northern part of former Sông Bé Province.
- Mnông Biat: small population in former Sông Bé Province. Majority living around the Vietnam-Cambodia border.
- Mnông Bu Đêh: in former Sông Bé Province and Đắk Lắk Province
- Mnông Si Tô: a group of Mạ (Mạ Tô) people in Đắk Nông District who have become assimilated into the Mnông population ("Mnông-ized" Mạ people)
- Mnông K’ah: a group of Ê-đê people scattered across Đắk Nông District, Lắk District, and M'Đrăk District who have become assimilated into the Mnông population ("Mnông-ized" Ê-đê people)
- Mnông Phê Đâm: small population living only in Quảng Tín commune, Đắk Nông District.
Other minor Mnong ethnic groups include the Mnông Rơ Đe, Mnông R’Ông, and Mnông K’Ziêng.
Nguyễn & Trương (2009) cover the following M'Nông dialects.
- M'Nông Preh
- Kuênh
- Mạ
- M'Nông Nâr (Bu Nâr)
- M'Nông Noong (Bu Noong)
- M'Nông R'Lâm
- M'Nông Prâng
Phonology
Consonants
- Implosives /ʄ, ɠ/ may vary across dialects.[5]
Vowels
Numerals
The following comparative numerals from various Mnong dialects are from Nguyễn & Trương (2009).
| Gloss | Preh | Bu Noong | Bu Nâr | Prâng | R'Lăm | Mạ | Kuênh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | du, ngoay, hŏ | muay | waay | dul | ju, ƀơn, muei | dul | đu |
| 2 | bar | bar | ra'r | baar | bar | bar | par |
| 3 | pê | pê | per | păi | pei | pê | |
| 4 | puăn | puăn | waam | puô | puan, puôn | puôn | |
| 5 | prăm | prăm | t'rơ̆m, năm | prăm, năm | prăm, pram | jorăm, sơ năm | snăm |
| 6 | prau | pro | |||||
| 7 | poh | poh | pops | pŏh | poh | poh | pêh |
| 8 | pham | pham | |||||
| 9 | dŭm, sĭn | sĭn | chĭnh | sin | sư̆n, sĭn | sin | |
| 10 | jât | jât | dư | joơt | măt | jơt |