Episode 20 SE Asian Languages: The Sinosphere

Language Families of the World

Dr John McWhorter (2019)

Film Review

According to McWhorter, there are three language families in Southeast Asia:

• Austroasiatic (Vietnamese, Cambodian)
• Tai Kadai (Thai)
• Hmong-Mien (Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand)

For the most part these languages use one syllable words, tones, creaky vowels* and telegraphic (without subject, direct object or indirect object) sentences.

MacWhurter describes Southeast Asia as a Sprachbund, a region where different language families have structural similarities owing to much of the population being bilingual.

Romania is a European Sprachbund, with Greek, Albanian and the Slavic languages having a major impact on Romanian.

Austroasiastic

• Vietnamese – experienced major Chinese influence owing to 1000-year Chinese occupation of North Vietnam.** Has one syllable words and six tones.
• Khmer (Cambodian) – has 33 vowel sounds instead tones.

Tai Kadai (Thai) consists of 75 languages, with most spoken in southern China and Thailand.

Hmong Mien

Residing primarily in hill country in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, the Hmong had less contact with Chinese invaders and immigrants and their language was less influenced by Chinese.

*Creaky phonation (aka creaky vowels) is a voice quality characterized by a low, scratchy sound. It can be used to convey different meanings in various languages

**English was influenced in a similar way by the Norman French occupation of England after 1066. Many modern English words are of French origin.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/6120000/6120038