Proto-Hmongic or Proto-Miao ( zh, 原始苗语) is the reconstructed ancestor of the

Hmongic languages The Hmongic languages, also known as Miao languages ( zh, s=苗语, p=Miáoyǔ), include the various languages spoken by the Miao people (such as Hmong, Hmu, and Xong). Hmongic languages also include various languages spoken by non- Mienic-spe ...

Reconstructions

In China, the first comprehensive reconstruction of Proto-Hmongic (Proto-Miao) was undertaken by Wang Fushi (1979). Wang's 1979 manuscript was subsequently revised and published as Wang (1994).Wang, Fushi 王輔世. 1994. ''Miaoyu guyin gouni 苗语古音構擬 / Reconstruction of Proto-Miao Language''. Tokyo: Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA) / Ajia Afurika Gengo Bunka Kenkyūjo 國立亞非語言文化硏究所. Ratliff (2010) includes reconstructions of Proto-Hmong–Mien, Proto-Hmongic, and

Proto-Mienic Proto-Mienic or Proto-Yao ( zh, 原始瑶语) is the reconstructed ancestor of the Mienic languages. Reconstructions Reconstructions of Proto-Mienic (Proto-Yao) include those of Purnell (1970), L-Thongkum (1993), Ratliff (2010), and Liu (2021). ...

Phonological development

Rimes

Below are some rime mergers in Proto-Hmongic, in which the first part of the Proto-Hmong-Mien rime is preserved. On the other hand, Proto-Hmongic retains some Proto-Hmong-Mien rime distinctions, whereas Proto-Mienic has merged the rimes.

Final stops

The Proto-Hmongic tonal category C is derived from Proto-Hmong–Mien final *-k, while tonal category D in Proto-Hmongic is derived from Proto-Hmong–Mien finals *-p and *-t. Below are some examples of Proto-Hmongic tone C corresponding to Proto-Mienic tone D and Proto-Hmong-Mien final *-k. Although Proto-Hmongic does not have explicitly reconstructed final stops (i.e., *-p, *-t, *-k), Pa-Hng and Qo Xiong have vowel quality distinctions that correspond to whether the Proto-Hmong-Mien rime was open or closed. For example: Qo Xiong has -''u'' for words developed from Proto-Hmong-Mien forms with closed rimes, while Qo Xiong words developed from Proto-Hmong-Mien forms with open rimes have -''ə''.

Final nasals

Ratliff (2010) reconstructions only one final nasal for Proto-Hmongic. *-n/*-ŋ are in

complementary distribution In linguistics, complementary distribution (as distinct from contrastive distribution and free variation) is the relationship between two different elements of the same kind in which one element is found in one set of environments and the other ele ...

with each other, with *-n occurring after front vowels. Other than as *-ŋ, the Proto-Hmongic final nasal can alternatively be reconstructed as a single *-N. Taguchi (2022) proposes that nasal codas in open rimes in Proto-Hmongic are historically derived from nasal initial consonants.

Proposed onset velarization

Ostapirat (2016) proposes

velarized Velarization merican spelling/small> or velarisation ritish spelling/sup> is a secondary articulation of consonants by which the back of the tongue is raised toward the velum during the articulation of the consonant. In the International Pho ...

initials in Proto-Hmongic, which are not reconstructed by Ratliff (2010) and others. Qo Xiong retains distinct initial reflexes for forms developed from Proto-Hmongic *m.l- (> Qo Xiong ''n''-) versus *m.lˠ- (> Qo Xiong ''mj''-).Ostapirat, Weera. 2016
Issues in the Reconstruction and Affiliation of Proto-Miao-Yao
. ''Language and Linguistics'' 17(1) 133–145.

Initial velar and uvular consonants

Taguchi (2023) also suggests that Ratliff's (2010) Proto-Hmongic *k- and *q- are in fact secondary developments from Proto-Hmong–Mien *kr- and *k-, respectively.Taguchi, Yoshihisa. 2023. ''Toward a new reconstruction of Proto-Hmong-Mien''. 26th Himalayan Languages Symposium, 4-6 September 2023. Paris: INALCO. Ostapirat (2016) also revises Ratliff's uvulars (*q-, etc.) as velars (*k-, etc.).

Irregular correspondences with Proto-Mienic

Some Proto-Hmongic and

forms are cognate with each other, but a precise Proto-Hmong-Mien form cannot be easily reconstructed due to mismatches between the tonal categories, rimes, or onsets. Some examples of irregular correspondences between Proto-Hmongic and Proto-Mienic:

Notes

References

{{Hmong-Mien languages

Hmongic The Hmongic languages, also known as Miao languages ( zh, s=苗语, p=Miáoyǔ), include the various languages spoken by the Miao people (such as Hmong, Hmu, and Xong). Hmongic languages also include various languages spoken by non-Mienic-speaki ...