The Bit–Khang languages consist of:
*''Bit'' cluster:
Bit
The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communication. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represented as ...
(a.k.a. Khabit, Psing, Buxing) and
Quang Lam
*''Khang'' cluster:
Kháng and
Bumang
The Bit–Khang languages are spoken in southern China, northern Laos, and northwestern Vietnam. The Bit-Khang branch was first proposed by
Paul Sidwell
Paul James Sidwell is an Australian linguist based in Canberra, Australia, who has held research and lecturing positions at the Australian National University. Sidwell, who is also an expert and consultant in forensic linguistics, is most nota ...
(2014).
Classification
At first, Bit–Khang languages were usually classified as
Khmuic
The Khmuic languages are a branch of the Austroasiatic languages spoken mostly in northern Laos, as well as in neighboring northern Vietnam and southern Yunnan, China. Khmu is the only widely spoken language in the group.
Homeland
Paul Sidwell ...
, but Sidwell (2014)
has since demonstrated the Palaungic affiliation of Bit-Khang, as well as its unity.
Paul Sidwell
Paul James Sidwell is an Australian linguist based in Canberra, Australia, who has held research and lecturing positions at the Australian National University. Sidwell, who is also an expert and consultant in forensic linguistics, is most nota ...
(2014)
proposes that these languages constitute a subgroup of
Palaungic
The Palaungic or Palaung–Wa languages are a group of nearly 30 Austroasiatic languages, with scholars disagreeing on exactly which languages to include in the classification. They are spoken in scattered pockets across an inland region of South ...
, since they display
lexical innovations characteristic of the Palaungic branch such as 'eye', 'fire', 'blood', and 'laugh'.
Sidwell (2014) suggests that Bit–Khang may have originally been Eastern Palaungic, due to various isoglosses shared with
Waic,
Lametic, and
Angkuic, but was later heavily relexified by
Khmuic
The Khmuic languages are a branch of the Austroasiatic languages spoken mostly in northern Laos, as well as in neighboring northern Vietnam and southern Yunnan, China. Khmu is the only widely spoken language in the group.
Homeland
Paul Sidwell ...
as Bit-Khang speakers migrated eastward into Khmuic territory.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bit-Khang languages
Languages of Vietnam
Languages of Yunnan
Languages of Laos
Palaungic languages