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Article published In: Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
Vol. 48:2 (2025) ► pp.163–192

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On the independence of tonogenesis in Patkaian branches

ORCiD logo with link | Universität Passau | La Trobe University
Published online: 13 October 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.25011.dam
Abstract
Tonogenesis for Tangsa-Nocte has previously been described as likely derived from phonation distinctions in the proto-language, where aspiration and voicing played no part (van Dam, Kellen Parker. 2018. The tone system of Tangsa-Nocte and related Northern Naga varieties. PhD dissertation, La Trobe University.). With newly published Wancho data (Losu, Banwang & Stephen Morey. 2023. The Wancho language of Kamhua Noknu village. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 46(2), 201–234. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar), a direct tone correspondence can be shown between Tangsa-Nocte and Wancho. Phom (Burling, Robbins & L. Amon Phom. 1998. Phom phonology and word list. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 21(2), 13–42. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar) shows a similar correspondence. The situation differs when considering Southeast Patkaian varieties such as Lainong and Khiamniungan; a correspondence pattern can still be found, but only when taking into account features like voicing and aspiration which had no role in Tangsa-Nocte tonogenesis.
Khiamniungan also lacks the checked-tone category found elsewhere in Patkaian and other Mainland Southeast Asian languages. This paper will show how tonogenesis can be explained for the entirety of Patkaian (Northern Naga) as distinct tonogenetic events based on common pre-tonal features such as voicing, aspiration, and phonation in the proto language.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Methodology
      • 1.1.1Data sources
      • 1.1.2Concept matching & cognacy
    • 1.2Tone category matching
  • 2.Overview of tone in Patkaian sub-branches
    • 2.1Tangsa-Nocte-Tutsa-Ollo (Northern branch)
    • 2.2Wancho, Southwestern
    • 2.3Khiamniungan, Southeastern
  • 3.Cross-language correspondences
    • 3.1General tendencies
  • 4.Predictive power of cross-language correspondences
  • 5.Conclusion
    • 5.1Paths of tonogenesis
    • 5.2Makyam
    • 5.3Summary
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (32)
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