The Kam–Tai languages, also called Dong–Tai () or Zhuang–Dong () in China, are a proposed primary branch of the
Kra–Dai language family. The Kam–Tai grouping is primarily used in China, including by the linguists Liang & Zhang (1996).
Liang & Zhang (1996) classify Kam–Sui, Be, and Tai together as the ''Dong-Tai'' 侗台 branch, due to the large number of lexical items shared by all three branches vis-a-vis the more divergent
Kra () and
Hlai () branches. Liang & Zhang (1996) also propose a reconstruction of Proto-Kam–Tai.
A Kam–Tai group consisting of
Kam–Sui and
Tai
Tai or TAI may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*Tai (comics) a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain
*Tai Fraiser, a fictional character in the 1995 film ''Clueless''
*Tai Kamiya, a fictional character in ''Digimon''
Businesses and organisations ...
is accepted by
Edmondson & Solnit (1988).
[Edmondson, Jerold A. and David B. Solnit, editors. 1988. Comparative Kadai: Linguistic studies beyond Tai. Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington Publications in Linguistics, 86. Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington. vii, 374 p.][Edmondson, Jerold A. and David B. Solnit, editors. 1997. Comparative Kadai: the Tai branch. Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington Publications in Linguistics, 124. Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington. vi, 382 p.] Hansell (1988)
[Hansell, Mark. 1988. The Relation of Be to Tai: Evidence from Tones and Initials. In ''Comparative Kadai: Linguistic studies beyond Tai''. Edited by Jerold A. Edmondson and David B. Solnit. Summer Institute of Linguistics and The University of Texas at Arlington Publications in Linguistics No. 86: 239-288.] considers Be to be a
sister
A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a family, familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to r ...
of the
Tai
Tai or TAI may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*Tai (comics) a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain
*Tai Fraiser, a fictional character in the 1995 film ''Clueless''
*Tai Kamiya, a fictional character in ''Digimon''
Businesses and organisations ...
branch based on shared vocabulary, and proposes a ''Be–Tai'' grouping within Kam–Tai. This classification is also followed by
Norquest (2015).
However, Ostapirat (2005)
[Ostapirat, Weera. (2005). "Kra–Dai and Austronesian: Notes on phonological correspondences and vocabulary distribution", pp. 107–131 in Sagart, Laurent, Blench, Roger & Sanchez-Mazas, Alicia (eds.), ''The Peopling of East Asia: Putting Together Archaeology, Linguistics and Genetics.'' London/New York: Routledge-Curzon.] and various other linguists do not make use of the Kam–Tai grouping.
History
Liang & Zhang (1996:18)
[Liang Min 梁敏 & Zhang Junru 张均如. 1996. ''Dongtai yuzu gailun'' 侗台语族概论 / ''An introduction to the Kam–Tai languages''. Beijing: China Social Sciences Academy Press 中国社会科学出版社. ] estimate that the Kam-Sui, Tai, and Hlai branches had already formed by about 5,000 years B.P.
Reconstruction
Proto-Kam-Tai has been reconstructed by Liang & Zhang (1996), drawing data from the Tai, Kam-Sui, Be, Lakkia, Biao, and Hlai branches but not the Kra branch. Wu (2002) presents a reconstruction of Proto-Kra-Dai, which is based on data from the Tai, Kam-Sui, Hlai, and Kra branches.
[Wu, Anqi 吴安其. 2002. ''Hanzangyu tongyuan yanjiu'' 汉藏语同源研究. Beijing: Minzu University Press 中央民族大学出版社. his book contains Wu's reconstructions of Proto-Sino-Tibetan, Proto-Tibeto-Burman, Proto-Hmong-Mien, and Proto-Kra-Dai./ref>
]
References
*Edmondson, J. A., & Solnit, D. B. (eds.) (1988). ''Comparative Kadai: linguistic studies beyond Tai''. Summer Institute of Linguistics publications in linguistics, no. 86. Arlington, TX: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
*Liang Min 梁敏 & Zhang Junru 张均如. 1996. ''Dongtai yuzu gailun'' 侗台语族概论 / ''An introduction to the Kam–Tai languages''. Beijing: China Social Sciences Academy Press 中国社会科学出版社.
*Ni Dabai 倪大白. 1990. ''Dongtai yu gailun'' 侗台语概论 / ''An introduction to the Kam-Tai languages''. Beijing: Central Nationalities Research Institute Press 中央民族学院出版社.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kam-Tai languages
Kra–Dai languages