Naish languages
Subgroup of three Sino-Tibetan languages
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Naish languages are a low-level subgroup of Sino-Tibetan languages that include Naxi, Na (Mosuo), and Laze.
| Naish | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Yunnan and Sichuan |
| Linguistic classification | Sino-Tibetan |
| Proto-language | Proto-Naish |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | nais1236 |
Classification
The Naish languages are:
In turn, Naish together with Namuyi and Shixing constitutes the Naic subgroup within Sino-Tibetan.
Arguments for relatedness include irregular morphotonology: tone patterns of numeral-plus-classifier phrases that constitute shared structural properties. Since these similarities are phonetically nontransparent, they cannot be due to borrowing.[1]
Names
Note that in Mainland China, the term "Naxi" is commonly used for the entire language group, e.g. by the influential linguistic introduction by He and Jiang (2015).[2][3] The terms "Naish" and "Naic" are derived from the endonym Na used by speakers of several of the languages. These concepts were initially proposed by Guillaume Jacques & Alexis Michaud (2011).[4] Phylogenetic issues are summarized in the entry about the Naic subgroup. For a review of the literature about Naish languages, see Li (2015).[5]
Lexical innovations
Jacques & Michaud (2011) list the following words as Naish lexical innovations.
| Gloss | Naxi | Na | Laze | Proto-Naish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to stumble | pe˧ | khɯ.piM | *(S)pa | |
| cloud | ki˩ | tɕi˧ | tɕi˩sɯ˥ | *ki |
| village | hi˧mbe˧ | fv̩.biL | ɖɯ˧bie˧ | *mba |
| Bai people | le˧bv̩˧ | ɬi.bv̩M | *Sla | |
| noble | sɯ.phiM | sɯ˩phie˩ | *si pha | |
| medicine (2nd syllable) |
ʈʂhɚ˧ɯ˧ | ʈʂhæ.ɯH | tshɯ˧fi˧ | *rtshi Swri |
Reconstruction
Proto-Naish, the proto-language ancestral to the Naish languages, has been reconstructed by Jacques & Michaud (2011). Another reconstruction of Proto-Naish by Zihe Li is in progress; he has published articles detailing open-syllable rhymes,[6] laterals,[7] pre-initials,[8] and retroflex finals.[9]
Phoneme inventory
The Proto-Naish consonant inventory is as follows:
| Type | Labial | Coronal | Dorsal | Uvular | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasals | *m | *n | *ŋ | ||
| Stops | voiceless | *p | *t | *k | *q |
| voiced | *b | *d | *ɡ | ||
| aspirated | *pʰ | *tʰ | *kʰ | *qʰ | |
| Fricatives | *s *z *ɕ *ɕʰ | ||||
| Affricates | *ts *tsʰ *tɕ *tɕʰ | ||||
| Liquids and glides | *w | *r *l *l̥ | *j | ||
The Proto-Naish vowel inventory is disputed; Jacques and Michaud reconstruct seven vowels /æ ɑ i ĩ o ɔ u/ (notated in their paper with ⟨*a *aC1 *i *iN *o *aC2 *u⟩ respectively). On the other hand, Li reconstructs a simple five-vowel system /a e i o u/.
According to Jacques and Michaud, Proto-Naish syllables are exclusively open syllables, not counting the /ĩ/ rhyme spelled by Jacques and Michaud as *iN. This situation came about due to a total loss of all pre-Naish coda consonants without a trace; pre-Naish vowels in closed syllables have identical outcomes to their open-syllable counterparts. However, Li believes that there are enough traces of the lost consonants to reconstruct a proto-Naish with closed syllables.
Reflexes of vowels
The reflexes of vowels depend heavily on the preceding consonant. Jacques and Michaud employ the following cover symbols:
- K for velar stops
- TS for affricates and sibilants
- R for *r and clusters that result in retroflex consonants in attested Naish
- S for *r or *s
Jacques & Michaud
The vowel reflexes in Naish as charted by Jacques and Michaud are as follows.
| Vowel | Preceding consonant(s) | Naxi | Na | Laze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *æ | K | ɑ | ɑ | ɑ |
| TS | e | e | e | |
| *w | ɯ | i | i | |
| Velar + *w | ɑ | ɤ | ɤ | |
| R | ɯ | e | ɯ | |
| Elsewhere | e | i | ie | |
| *ɑ | Everywhere | ɑ | ɑ | ɑ |
| *ɔ | Everywhere | o | o | u |
| *i | TS or R | ɯ | ɯ | ɯ |
| *m | i | v̩ | v̩ | |
| *kr | ɯ | ɯ | i | |
| Elsewhere | i | i | i | |
| *ĩ | Any cluster with *r; ɕ | ɚ | æ | æ |
| TS | ɚ | i | i | |
| *u | TS | ɯ | i | y |
| Labial stop + *r | ɚ | v̩ | v̩ | |
| Elsewhere | v̩ | v̩ | v̩ | |
| *o | Everywhere | u | u | u |
Li
Li, who reconstructs only a five-vowel system /a e i o u/, charts the vowel reflexes as follows:
| Vowel | Preceding consonant(s) | Naxi | Malimasa | Na |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *a | K | ɑ | ɑ | ɑ |
| TS | e | ɛ | e | |
| (C)w but not Pw or Kw | ɯ | ɯ | i | |
| Velar + *w | ɑ | ɑ | ɤ | |
| Labial + *w | u | ɑ | o | |
| R | ɯ | ɤ | e | |
| Preglottalized R | u | ɚ | e | |
| *mr- | ɯ | e | i | |
| Elsewhere | e | ɛ | i | |
| *e | TS | i | ie | i |
| K | ɯ | ɤ | i | |
| Cr | ɚ | ɚ | a | |
| *m | i | o | v̩ | |
| *i | nj or Kj | i | i | i |
| *Kr | ɯ | i | ɯ | |
| Elsewhere | ɯ | ɯ | ɯ | |
| *o | Cr | ɚ | o | v̩ |
| P | v̩ | o | v̩ | |
| Elsewhere | u | u | o | |
| *u | TS | ɯ | v̩ | i |
| *ɕ and *j | y | u | u | |
| *m | ɯ | v̩ | v̩ | |
| Elsewhere | v̩ | v̩ | v̩ | |
Li also provides reflexes of various closed syllables he reconstructs:[10]
| Rhyme | Context | Naxi | Malimasa | Na |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -ak | T- | ɑ | ɑ | ɑ[a] |
| Kw-[b] | ɑ | ɑ | ɤ | |
| P- | u | ɑ | o | |
| r-[c] | a | a | a | |
| -aɣ | T- | o | u | o |
| Cw-[d] | ɚ | o | a | |
| Kr-, Cj- | ɤ | ɤ | ɤ | |
| Cr-[e] | wɑ | o | wa | |
| -eɣ[f] | s- | ɚ | i | i |
| -oɣ | (anywhere) | o | o | o |
| -at | (anywhere) | ɑ | ɑ | ɑ ~ a |
| -al | P- | ɤ | ɑ | ɤ |
| Ts- | a | wa | wa | |
| Retroflexes[g] | wɑ | wa | wa | |
| -el | s- | ɯ | ɚ | ɯ |
| (elsewhere) | ɤ | ɤ | ɯ | |
| -il | (anywhere) | ??? | i | o |
| -ul | Retroflexes | ɚ | o | ɻ̩ |
| (elsewhere) | ɯ | o | ɯ | |
| -ap | TS[h] | y | y | i |
| (elsewhere) | o | u | o | |
| -am | (anywhere) | a | a | a |
- Occasionally [o].
- Corresponds to Burmese wa after velars.
- The *r- becomes /l/ in Malimasa but is deleted in Naxi and Na.
- The *w- was lost in Naxi and Malimasa.
- Where C is not a velar.
- Other members of this rhyme group reconstructed by Li have special developments. He also reconstructs this rhyme for Naxi /ʈʂɚ˥/, Malimasa /tsɯ˩˧go˩˧/, and Na /ʈʂa˧˥/ (meaning "ankle"), and for Naxi /tɕɚ˧pɚ˩/, Malimasa /ie˧ʈʂu˧/ and Na /ʁa˧ʈv˥/ (meaning "neck").
- This reflex also appears in Naxi /wa˧/, Malimasa /wa˧/ and Na /ʁwa˧/ "left side", which Li compares to Tibetan g.yon and Burmese way.
- Any affricate or fricative.
Reflexes of consonants
Naish features up to five series of stop corresponences: aspirated, voiceless, voiced, prenasalized voiced, and prenasalized voiceless.
| Class | Proto-Naish | Naxi | Na | Laze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labial stops | pʰ | pʰ | pʰ | pʰ |
| p | p | p | p | |
| b | b | b | b | |
| mb | mb | b | b | |
| mp | p | b | b | |
| Coronal stops | tʰ | tʰ | tʰ | tʰ |
| t | t | t | t | |
| d | d | d | d | |
| nd | nd | d | d | |
| Velar stops | kʰ | kʰ | kʰ (before *u, *o) qʰ (before *a, *ɔ) tɕʰ (before *i) |
kʰ (most places) tsʰ (before *i) |
| k | k | k q (before *a) tɕ (before *i) |
k q (before *a) tɕ (before *i) | |
| g | g | g | g | |
| ŋg | ŋg | g | g | |
| ŋk | k | ʁ | (inconsistent) | |
| Uvular stops | qʰ | kʰ | qʰ | qʰ |
| q | ? | q | q | |
| ɴq | k | ʁ | ʁ | |
| Sibilants | s | s | s | s |
| z | z | z | z | |
| ɕ | ʂ | ʂ | ʂ | |
| Affricates | tsʰ | tsʰ | tsʰ | tsʰ |
| ts | ts | ts | ts | |
| dz | dz | dz | dz | |
| ndz | ndz | dz | dz | |
| tɕʰ | ʈʂʰ | ʈʂʰ | ʈʂʰ | |
| tɕ | k | tɕ | tɕ | |
| Sonorants | l | l | l | l |
| l̥ | h | ɬ | ɬ | |
| m | m | m | m | |
| n | n | n | n | |
| ŋ | ŋ | ŋ | ŋ | |
| j | (lost) | ʑ | z |
Reflexes of consonant clusters
Proto-Naish possessed many syllable-initial consonant clusters that were simplified in the Naish languages.
Jacques and Michaud
In the following chart, the following cover symbols are used:
- S standing for *s or *r;
- C standing for a stop.
- N standing for a nasal consonant.
| Cluster type | Cluster | Naxi | Na | Laze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1C2 | Cb | b | (lost) | v |
| Ck | ? | h | h | |
| Cg | g | (lost) | ? | |
| S-initial | Sp | p | p | f |
| Sb | b | b | (w) | |
| Smb | mb | b | v | |
| St | t | t | ʈ | |
| sk | k | k | f | |
| Sŋk | k | ʁ | (w) | |
| Sl | l | ɬ | ɬ | |
| SN | h | h | h | |
| Sw | h | h | f | |
| Preserved Cw clusters | kʰw | kʰw | qʰw | kʰw |
| ŋw | ? | ŋw | ŋw | |
| Cr clusters | pr | p | p | p |
| pʰr | pʰ | pʰ | pʰ | |
| br | b | b | b | |
| kr | k | k | ts | |
| tr | ʈʂ | ʈʂ | ʈʂ | |
| gr | g | g | ? | |
| Cŋkr | kj | ʁ | ʁ | |
| Cŋgr | ŋgj | ʁ | ʁ | |
| R-initial | rl | l | ɻ | l |
| rt | ? | ʈ | ? | |
| rd | nd | ɖ | ɖ | |
| rts | ʈʂ | ʈʂ | ts | |
| rtsʰ | ʈʂʰ | ʈʂʰ | tsʰ | |
| rs | ʂ | ʂ | s | |
| Miscellaneous | Cdz | dz | z | z |
Li
Li's own analysis of consonant clusters is as follows. He reconstructs two types of pre-initial: homorganic nasal pre-initials, and a non-homorganic pre-initial *C1 (C in the below table).
| Class | Cluster | Naxi | Malimasa | Na | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lijiang | Baoshan | Bowan | Ninglang | Yongning | |||
| C-initial | Cp | p | p | p | x | χ | p |
| Cb | b | b | b | w | ʁ | b | |
| Cmb | b | b | mb | w | ʁ | b | |
| Cd | d | d | d | l | (lost) | d | |
| Cl | x | x | ɬ | ||||
| Cdz | dʑ | dʑ | dz | tɕʰ | tɕʰ | dʑ | |
| Ck | k | k | k | (ɣ) | ʁ | ʁ | |
| Cg | k | k | g | (lost) | (lost) | ʁ | |
| Cng | g | ŋg | ŋg | (lost) | ʁ | ʁ | |
| Cq | k | q | k | ɣ | ʁ | ʁ | |
| NC- | mb | b | mb | mb | (m)b | b | b |
| nd | d | nd | nd | (n)d | d | d | |
| nl̥ | l | l | l | x | ɬ | ɬ | |
| ŋg | g | ŋg | ŋg | (ŋ)g | g | g | |
| ndz | dz | ndz | ndz | (n)dz | dz | dz | |
| r-medial | pr | p | p | p | p or tʂ | p | p |
| pʰr | pʰ | pʰ | pʰ | pʰ or tʂʰ | pʰ or tʂʰ | pʰ | |
| br | b | b | b | b | b | b | |
| mbr | b | mb | mb | b | b | b | |
| tr | t | t | t | tʂ | tʂ | t | |
| tʰr | tʰ | tʰ | tʰ | ʂ | ʂ | ʈ | |
| ndr | d | nɖ | nɖ | ɖ | ɖ | dʐ | |
| nr | n | ɳ | n | ɳ | ɳ | ɳ | |
| tsr | tʂ | tʂ | tʂ | ts | ts | tʂ | |
| tsʰr | tʂʰ | tʂʰ | tʂʰ | tsʰ | tsʰ | tʂʰ | |
| sr | ʂ | ʂ | ʂ | s | s | ʂ | |
| kr | k or tɕ | k or tɕ | k or c | tɕ or tʂ or k | tɕ or k | k | |
| kʰr | kʰ | kʰ | kʰ | tɕʰ | tɕʰ | kʰ | |
| gr | g | g | g | dʐ | dʐ | g | |
| ŋgr | g | ŋg | ŋg | dʐ | dʐ | g | |
| xr | x | x | h | ʂ | ʂ | x | |
| Misc. | lj | l | ɭ/ʐ | l/ʐ | |||
See also
- List of Proto-Naish reconstructions (Wiktionary)