The Kam–Tai languages, also called Dong–Tai (
Chinese: ä¾—å°è¯æ”¯) or Zhuang–Dong (
Chinese: 壮侗è¯æ—) in China, are a proposed primary branch of the
Kra–Dai language family. However, since the 2000s in China, the names Dong–Tai (
Chinese: ä¾—å°è¯æ”¯) and Zhuang–Dong (
Chinese: 壮侗è¯æ—) have been used to refer to the entire
Kra–Dai language family, including the
Kra languages, due to the extensive documentation and comparative work done on Kra languages in China starting from the 2000s.
Definitions
The term Kam–Tai always includes at least both
Tai and
Kam–Sui by definition, and can refer to:[1]
In Western scholarship, a Kam–Tai group consisting of
Kam–Sui and
Tai is accepted by
Edmondson & Solnit (1988).[2][3] Hansell (1988)[4] considers Be to be a
sister of the
Tai branch based on shared vocabulary, and proposes a Be–Tai grouping within Kam–Tai. This classification is also followed by
Norquest (2015).[5]
However, Ostapirat (2005)[6] and various other linguists do not make use of the Kam–Tai grouping.
Dispersal
Liang & Zhang (1996:18)[7] estimate that the Kam-Sui, Tai, and Hlai branches had already formed by about 5,000 years B.P.
^Edmondson, Jerold A. and David B. Solnit, editors. 1988. Comparative Kadai: Linguistic studies beyond Tai. Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington Publications in Linguistics, 86. Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington. vii, 374 p.
^Edmondson, Jerold A. and David B. Solnit, editors. 1997. Comparative Kadai: the Tai branch. Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington Publications in Linguistics, 124. Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington. vi, 382 p.
^Hansell, Mark. 1988. The Relation of Be to Tai: Evidence from Tones and Initials. In Comparative Kadai: Linguistic studies beyond Tai. Edited by Jerold A. Edmondson and David B. Solnit. Summer Institute of Linguistics and The University of Texas at Arlington Publications in Linguistics No. 86: 239–288.
^Norquest, Peter. 2015. A Phonological Reconstruction of Proto-Hlai. Leiden: Brill.
^Ostapirat, Weera. (2005). "Kra–Dai and Austronesian: Notes on phonological correspondences and vocabulary distribution", pp. 107–131 in Sagart, Laurent, Blench, Roger & Sanchez-Mazas, Alicia (eds.), The Peopling of East Asia: Putting Together Archaeology, Linguistics and Genetics. London/New York: Routledge-Curzon.
^Liang Min æ¢æ• & Zhang Junru å¼ å‡å¦‚. 1996. Dongtai yuzu gailun ä¾—å°è¯æ—概论 / An introduction to the Kam–Tai languages. Beijing: China Social Sciences Academy Press ä¸å›½ç¤¾ä¼šç§‘å¦å‡ºç‰ˆç¤¾.
ISBN9787500416814
Edmondson, J. A., & Solnit, D. B. (eds.) (1988). Comparative Kadai: linguistic studies beyond Tai. Summer Institute of Linguistics publications in linguistics, no. 86. Arlington, TX: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
ISBN0-88312-066-6
Liang Min æ¢æ• & Zhang Junru å¼ å‡å¦‚. 1996. Dongtai yuzu gailun ä¾—å°è¯æ—概论 / An introduction to the Kam–Tai languages. Beijing: China Social Sciences Academy Press ä¸å›½ç¤¾ä¼šç§‘å¦å‡ºç‰ˆç¤¾.
ISBN9787500416814
Ni Dabai 倪大白. 1990. Dongtai yu gailun ä¾—å°è¯æ¦‚论 / An introduction to the Kam-Tai languages. Beijing: Central Nationalities Research Institute Press ä¸å¤®æ°‘æ—å¦é™¢å‡ºç‰ˆç¤¾.