Tibeto-Burman languages

(Redirected from Tibeto-Burman)

The Tibeto-Burman linguistic subfamily of the proposed Sino-Tibetan language family is spoken in various central and south Asian countries: Myanmar (the Burmese language as well as the languages of minorities like the Karens and Kachins), Tibet (Tibetan language), northern Thailand (Lahu, Lisu, Akha languages), southern China, Nepal, Bhutan, India (Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir), and western Pakistan (Balti language).

The subfamily includes approximately 350 languages; Burmese has the most speakers (approximately 32 million). Approximately six million Tibetans speak one of several related languages.

Some linguists have now scrapped the idea of the Sino-Tibetan language family, and have elevated Tibeto-Burman to displace Sino-Tibetan as the top-tier language family, with the Chinese languages classified as a branch of the Tibeto-Burman family.

Contents

Classification

Following is a partial listing of Tibeto-Burman languages.

Bradley (1997)

I. Bodic (a.k.a. Western)

A. Bodish
i. Central Bodish (a.k.a. Tibetan)
a. Western Tibetan
b. Central Tibetan
i) Western
ii) mNgaẖris
iii) gTsang
iv) dBus (a.k.a. 'Central' Central Tibetan)
v) Southern Tibetan
c. Amdo Tibetan (a.k.a. Northeastern Tibetan)
d. Khams Tibetan (a.k.a. Southeastern Tibetan)
ii. West Bodish (a.k.a. Gurung, Tamang)
iii. East Bodish (a.k.a. Bumthang)
iv. Tshangla (a.k.a. East Bodic)
v. West Himalayish (a.k.a. Kanauri)
B. Himalayan
i. Central
ii. Kiranti

II. North-East India (a.k.a. Sal)

A. Bobo-Garo
i. Northern Naga
B. Jinghpaw
C. Luish (a.k.a. Sak)
D. Pyu

III. Kuki-Chin

A. Southern Naga
B. Kuki
C. Chin
D. Arleng

IV. Central

A. Lepcha
B. Western Arunachal
C. Adi-Mising- Nishi (a.k.a. Abor-Miri-Dafla, Tani)
D. Digarish 'Mishmi'
E. Keman 'Mishmi'
F. Rawang (a.k.a. Nungish)

V. North-Eastern

VI. South-Eastern

A. Burmese-Lolo (a.k.a. Burmic)
i. Mru
ii. Gong
iii. Burmish
iv. Loloish
a. Northern
b. Central
c. Southern
B. Karen

Shafer (1966-1974)

Sino-Tibetan:

I. Sinitic

II. Daic

III. Bodic

IV. Burmic

V. Baric

VI. Karenic

Ethnologue

I. Bai

II. Himalayish

A. Mahakiranti
i. Kham-Magar-Chepang-Sunwari
a. Chepang
b. Kham
c. Magar
d. Sunwari
ii. Kiranti
a. Tomyang
b. Eastern
c. Western
iii. Newari
B. Tibeto-Kanauri
i. Dzalakha
ii. Lepcha
iii. Western Himalayish
iv. Tibetic
a. Tshangla
b. Dhimal
c. Tamangic
d. Tibetan
C. Baima (unclassified)

III. Jingpho-Konyak-Bodo

A. Jingpho-Luish
B. Konyak-Bodo-Garo

IV. Karen

A. Pa’o
B. Zayein
C. Pwo
D. Sgaw-Bghai
i. Bghai
ii. Brek
iii. Kayah
iv. Sgaw
E. Zayein Karen (unclassified)

V. Kuki-Chin-Naga

A. Kuki-Chin
i. Central
ii. Northern
iii. Southern
B. Naga
i. Angami-Pochuri
ii. Ao
iii. Tangkhul
iv. unclassified Naga
v. Zeme

VI. Lolo-Burmese

A. Burmish
i. Northern
ii. Southern
iii. unclassified Burmish
B. Loloish
i. Northern
a. Lisu
b. Samei
c. Yi
i. Southern
ii. unclassified Loloish
C. Naxi
D. Phula (unclassified)

VII. Meithei

VIII. Mikir

IX. North Assam

A. Deng
B. Tani

X. Nungish

XI. Tangut-Qiang

A. Qiangic
B. rGyarong

XII. Tujia

XII. unclassified Tibeto-Burman

XIV. West Bodish

XV. Mru

Bibliography

  • Bradley, David. (1997). Tibeto-Burman languages and classification. In D. Bradley (Ed.), Papers in South East Asian linguistics: Tibeto-Burman languages of the Himalayas (No. 14, pp. 1-71). Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Shafer, Robert. (1966). Introduction to Sino-Tibetan (Part 1). Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.
  • Shafer, Robert. (1967). Introduction to Sino-Tibetan (Part 2). Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.
  • Shafer, Robert. (1968). Introduction to Sino-Tibetan (Part 3). Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.
  • Shafer, Robert. (1970). Introduction to Sino-Tibetan (Part 4). Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.
  • Shafer, Robert. (1974). Introduction to Sino-Tibetan (Part 5). Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.de:Tibeto-birmanische Sprachen

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