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The origin and evolution of laterals in Proto-Naish

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2024

Zihe Li
Zihe Li*
Affiliation:
Peking University, Beijing, China
*
Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper reconstructs Proto-Naish initials with lateral main consonants using data from three Naish languages: Lijiangba Naxi (LJ), Malimasa (MM), and Yongning Na (YN). The methodology of using conservative languages, such as Written Tibetan, Burmese, and rGyalrong, in interpreting sound correspondences is emphasized. At least five lateral initials should be reconstructed to Proto-Naish. Initial correspondences relevant to laterals are also discussed.

Keywords

LateralNaish languagesTibeto-Burman languagesHistorical phonology
Type
Article
Information
Bulletin of SOAS , Volume 87 , Issue 1 , February 2024 , pp. 169 - 187
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London

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Footnotes

I am very grateful to Sangsrgyas Tshering and Yang Daxue for their help on Written Tibetan materials. I also thank Guillaume Jacques, Alexis Michaud, and He Likun for their comments and suggestions on improving this article in a small discussion, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable input. All remaining errors are my own. I would like to acknowledge to following funding sources: Chinese Ministry of Education major project for key research bases of humanities and social sciences 19JJD740001; and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea NRF-2020S1A5A2A03045334.

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