Proto-Loloish language

Proto-Loloish is the reconstructed ancestor of the Loloish languages. Reconstructions include those of David Bradley (1979), James Matisoff (2003), and Ziwo Lama (2012).

In later publications, in place of Loloish, David Bradley instead uses the term Ngwi based on a conservative autonym in the Sanie language.^[1]

Bradley (1979)

Matisoff (2003)

Li (2011)

Li Yongsui (2011) reconstructs Proto-Lolo-Burmese (Proto-Mian-Yi 缅彝) based on 30 languages.

Lama (2012)

Lama (2012) reconstructs 37 consonants for Proto-Loloish (which he calls Proto-Nisoic), 7 of which (marked in green) can occur as syllable finals. The glides /w/ and /j/ occur medially.

• Vowels (8): /i/, /y/, /ɯ/, /u/, /e/, /o/, /ɔ/, /a/
• Tones (5): 1, 2, 3 (unchecked tones), H, L (checked tones)

References and notes

• Bradley, David. 1979. Proto-Loloish. London: Curzon Press. ISBN 978-0-7007-0128-5.
• Lama, Ziwo Qiu-Fuyuan. 2012. Subgrouping Of Nisoic (Yi) Languages: A Study From The Perspectives Of Shared Innovation And Phylogenetic Estimation Archived 2014-04-08 at the Wayback Machine. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Texas at Arlington.
• Li Yongsui [李永燧]. 2011. Burmo-Yi Phonology [缅彝语音韵学]. Beijing: China Social Sciences Academy Press.
• Matisoff, James. 2003. Handbook of Proto-Tibeto-Burman: System and Philosophy of Sino-Tibetan Reconstruction. University of California publications in linguistics, v. 135. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-09843-5.

See also

• Proto-Tibeto-Burman language
• Lolo-Burmese languages
• Loloish languages

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Sino-Tibetan branches

Western Himalayas
(Himachal, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim)

• West Himalayish
• Tamangic
• Newaric
  • Newar
  • Baram–Thangmi
• Kiranti
• Dhimalish
  • Dhimal
  • Toto
  • Lhokpu
• Lepcha

Greater Magaric	Magaric Magar Kham Chepangic Chepang Bhujel Raji–Raute Dura–Tandrange

Eastern Himalayas
(Tibet, Bhutan, Arunachal)

• Bodish
  • Tibetic
  • East Bodish
  • Tshangla
  • Basum
  • Nam?
• Gongduk
• ʼOle
• Tani
• Chamdo

Myanmar and Indo-Burmese border

• Karbi
• Kuki-Chin
• Mruic
  • Mru
  • Hkongso
• Pyu
• Taman

"Naga"	Ao Angami–Pochuri Meitei Tangkhulic Zeme
Sal	Boro–Garo Konyak Jingpho–Luish

East and Southeast Asia

• Sinitic
  • Chinese
  • Min
• Bai
• Tujia
• Nungish
• Karenic
• Gong
• Kathu
• Cai–Long
  • Caijia
  • Longjia
  • Luren

Burmo-Qiangic	Qiangic Gyalrongic Ersuic Naic Lolo-Burmese Mondzish Burmish Loloish

Dubious (possible isolates)
(Arunachal)

• Hrusish
  • Hruso
  • Mijiic
• Kho-Bwa
  • Puroik
• Miju–Meyor
• Songlin

Greater Siangic	Siangic Koro Milang Idu–Taraon

Proposed groupings

• Central Tibeto-Burman
• Kuki-Chin–Naga
• Macro-Bai
• Mahakiranti
• Rung
• Tibeto-Burman
• Tibeto-Kanauri

Proto-languages

• Proto-Sino-Tibetan
• Proto-Tibeto-Burman
• Proto-Loloish
• Proto-Karenic
• Proto-Min
• Proto-Hakka

Italics indicates single languages that are also considered to be separate branches.