Central Kuki-Chin languages
branch of the Kuki-Chin languages
Central Kuki-Chin is a branch of the Kuki-Chin languages. Central Kuki-Chin languages are spoken primarily in Mizoram, India and in Hakha Township and Falam Township of Chin State, Myanmar.
Official use
Mizo is the official language of Mizoram State, India.
Classification
VanBik (2009:23) classifies the Central Kuki-Chin languages as follows.
Central Kuki-Chin
Pangkhua?
Laamtuk Thet (Tawr): Laamtuk, Ruavaan dialects
Lai languages
Hakha cluster: Halkha, Farrawn, Thantlang, Mi-E, Zokhua
Falam cluster: Bawm, Bualkhaw, Laizo, Lente, Khualsim, Khuangli, Sim, Tlaisun, Zanniat
Mizo languages
Mizo cluster: Fanai, Hualngo, Lusei, Khiangte, Renthlei
Hmar cluster: Hmar
VanBik (2009) is unsure about the classification of Pangkhua, and tentatively places it within Central Kuki-Chin.
Sound changes
VanBik (2009) lists the following sound changes from Proto-Kuki-Chin to Proto-Central Chin.
Proto-Kuki-Chin *k(ʰ)r-, *p(ʰ)r- > Proto-Central Chin *t(ʰ)r-
Proto-Kuki-Chin *k(ʰ)l-, *p(ʰ)l- > Proto-Central Chin *t(ʰ)l-
Proto-Kuki-Chin *y- > Proto-Central Chin *z-
See also
Lai languages
References
Peterson, David. 2017. "On Kuki-Chin subgrouping." In Picus Sizhi Ding and Jamin Pelkey, eds.
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