Episode 19: Chinese’s Family Circle: Sino-Tibetan
Language Families of the World
Dr John McWhorter (2019)
Film Review
McWhorter is a fascinating (and funny) lecturer, especially when he demonstrates the tones used in Chinese and other Asian languages.
Sino-Tibetan is a family of languages that arose in China and migrated north. Its most important subfamily is Tibeto-Burman, a collection of languages spoken in Northeast India, Tibet and Burma.
Ancient Chinese used suffixes and prefixes, like most languages, to convey subtle differences in meaning. At some point Chinese suffixes and prefixes were replaced by tones to make the language easier for non-Chinese slaves to learn the language. At present most modern Chinese words are one syllable, with tone changes expressing different meanings.
For example baragjat (eight) in proto-Sino-Tibetan has been simplified to bā in Mandarin. Mjwiad (sleep) has been simplified to mèi in Mandarin and mwe (to enjoy sleep) in Burmese.
McWhorter gives the example of the tone change in the English words “pack” and “back.” Most English speakers don’t hear the tonal difference because they’re listening for the consonants. In Chinese-related languages initial and final consonants have dropped off but the tonal differences remain.
Tibetan consists of 25 related languages. Classical Tibetan wasn’t tonal, but modern Tibetan languages are.
In Burmese the final consonants persist in written language, but are no longer pronounced.
The Most Revolutionary Act 