Northern Kuki-Chin languages

Northern Kuki-Chin (or Northeastern Kuki-Chin^[1]) is a branch of Kuki-Chin languages. It is called Northeastern Kuki-Chin by Peterson (2017) to distinguish it from the Northwestern Kuki-Chin languages. VanBik (2009:31) also calls the branch Northern Chin or Zo.

Except for Thado speakers, most Northern Kuki-Chin speakers self-identify as part of a wider Zomi ethnic group.

Lingua francas

Tedim is the local lingua franca of northern Chin State, Myanmar, while Thado (also known as Kuki) is the local lingua franca of much of southern Manipur State, India.

Languages

VanBik (2009) includes the following languages as Northern Kuki-Chin languages. The positions of Ngawn and Ralte are not addressed by VanBik (2009), but they are classified as Northern Kuki-Chin in Glottolog.

Zomi languages

The Zomi languages refer to most of the Northern Kuki-Chin languages, excluding Thado (Kuki) and a few other peripheral languages. Zomi is a cultural cover term that refers to speakers of languages such as Tedim, Paite, Simte, Zou, Vaiphei, and Ralte. Organizations such as the Zomi Language & Literature Society (ZOLLS) in Churachandpur, Manipur, India are currently working on developing a unified standard "Zomi" language.^[2]

Classification

VanBik (2009:31) divides the Northern Kuki-Chin branch into two major language clusters, namely the Thado cluster and Sizang cluster.

• Thado cluster: Thado/Kuki, Tedim, Khuangsai, Paite, Vuite, Chiru, Zou, Ralte
• Sizang cluster: Sizang/Siyin, Guite/Nguite, Vaiphei, Zou

Sound changes

VanBik (2009) lists the following sound changes from Proto-Kuki-Chin to Proto-Northern Chin.

• Proto-Kuki-Chin *-r > Proto-Northern Chin *-k
• Proto-Kuki-Chin * θ- > Proto-Northern Chin *ts-
• Proto-Kuki-Chin *kl- > Proto-Northern Chin *tl-

Further reading

• S. Dal Sian Pau. 2014. The comparative study of Proto-Zomi (Kuki-Chin) languages. Lamka, Manipur, India: Zomi Language & Literature Society (ZOLLS). [Comparative word list of Paite, Simte, Thangkhal, Zou, Kom, Tedim, and Vaiphei]

References

• Button, Christopher. 2011. Proto Northern Chin. STEDT Monograph 10. ISBN 0-944613-49-7.
• Peterson, David. 2017. "On Kuki-Chin subgrouping." In Picus Sizhi Ding and Jamin Pelkey, eds. Sociohistorical linguistics in Southeast Asia: New horizons for Tibeto-Burman studies in honor of David Bradley, 189-209. Leiden: Brill.
• VanBik, Kenneth. 2009. Proto-Kuki-Chin: A Reconstructed Ancestor of the Kuki-Chin Languages. STEDT Monograph 8. ISBN 0-944613-47-0.

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Sino-Tibetan branches

Western Himalayas
(Himachal, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim)

• West Himalayish
• Tamangic
• Newaric
  • Newar
  • Baram–Thangmi
• Kiranti
• Dhimalish
  • Dhimal
  • Toto
  • Lhokpu
• Lepcha

Greater Magaric	Magaric Magar Kham Chepangic Chepang Bhujel Raji–Raute Dura–Tandrange

Eastern Himalayas
(Tibet, Bhutan, Arunachal)

• Bodish
  • Tibetic
  • East Bodish
  • Tshangla
  • Basum
  • Nam?
• Gongduk
• ʼOle
• Tani
• Chamdo

Myanmar and Indo-Burmese border

• Karbi
• Kuki-Chin
• Mruic
  • Mru
  • Hkongso
• Pyu
• Taman

"Naga"	Ao Angami–Pochuri Meitei Tangkhulic Zeme
Sal	Boro–Garo Konyak Jingpho–Luish

East and Southeast Asia

• Sinitic
  • Chinese
  • Min
• Bai
• Tujia
• Nungish
• Karenic
• Gong
• Kathu
• Cai–Long
  • Caijia
  • Longjia
  • Luren

Burmo-Qiangic	Qiangic Gyalrongic Ersuic Naic Lolo-Burmese Mondzish Burmish Loloish

Dubious (possible isolates)
(Arunachal)

• Hrusish
  • Hruso
  • Mijiic
• Kho-Bwa
  • Puroik
• Miju–Meyor
• Songlin

Greater Siangic	Siangic Koro Milang Idu–Taraon

Proposed groupings

• Central Tibeto-Burman
• Kuki-Chin–Naga
• Macro-Bai
• Mahakiranti
• Rung
• Tibeto-Burman
• Tibeto-Kanauri

Proto-languages

• Proto-Sino-Tibetan
• Proto-Tibeto-Burman
• Proto-Loloish
• Proto-Karenic
• Proto-Min
• Proto-Hakka

Italics indicates single languages that are also considered to be separate branches.