Mon-Khmer languages
Let an agent explain the Mon-Khmer grouping, relay branches, geography, history and classification debates from linguistic sources with positions attributed, describe the named branches, and distinguish Mon-Khmer from Austroasiatic as a whole, Munda languages, Tai-Kadai and Austronesian families and Mon and Khmer as individual languages.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain the Mon-Khmer grouping, relay branches, geography, history and classification debates from linguistic sources with positions attributed, describe the named branches, and distinguish Mon-Khmer from Austroasiatic as a whole, Munda languages, Tai-Kadai and Austronesian families and Mon and Khmer as individual languages.
A traditional grouping of the Austroasiatic language family of Southeast and South Asia, excluding the Munda languages of India in older classifications, including Khmer, the national language of Cambodia with historical stages such as Middle Khmer, the Vietic branch with Vietnamese, the Khasi-Palaungic languages of north-east India, Myanmar and southern China, the Nicobarese languages of the Nicobar Islands, and the Aslian languages of the Malay Peninsula spoken by Orang Asli peoples; many linguists now treat Mon-Khmer as not a valid subgroup and classify branches directly under Austroasiatic, and debates are attributed. Many smaller Austroasiatic languages are endangered.
What it is for: Classifying Southeast Asian languages.
It can be explain the grouping and branches; relay geography and history; describe named branches; present classification debates with attribution.
Distinguishing features
Mainland Southeast Asian distribution
Contested subgroup
Includes national languages
Many minority languages
What it looks like
Not a physical object; shown on language maps of Southeast Asia.
Physical character
Austroasiatic languages: about 150-170 count - estimates vary
oldest dated Khmer inscription: 611 AD note - Angkor Borei, as reported
Vietnamese speakers: the largest Austroasiatic language note - check current figures
How it is recognised
Traditional Austroasiatic subgroup
Khasi-Palaungic languages, Khmer languages, Nicobarese languages, Vietic, Middle Khmer, Aslian languages
Austroasiatic includes Munda; Tai-Kadai includes Thai and Lao; Austronesian includes Malay; Mon and Khmer are single languages
Related models
is a kind of - traditional subgroup
includes -
includes -
is contrasted with -
In practice
Families and kinds
Khmeric
Vietic
Monic
Khasi-Palaungic
Nicobarese
Aslian
Standards and regulation
ISO 639-5 language family codes
National language policies in Cambodia and Vietnam
Failure modes and hazards
Presenting Mon-Khmer as a settled subgroup
Stale speaker counts
Confusing Mon-Khmer with Mon or Khmer
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What Mon-Khmer is.
Attribution.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is the Mon-Khmer grouping, and how does it differ from Austroasiatic, Munda, Tai-Kadai, Austronesian and the Mon and Khmer languages? definition
- Is the question about a specific language, classification or history? boundary
Branches
Named branches.
Branches
Branches.
- What are Khasi-Palaungic, Khmeric, Nicobarese, Vietic and Aslian languages, and what is Middle Khmer? definition
- Which entry fits the specific branch? action
Linguistics Classification.
Attribution.
Subgroup
Validity debate.
Subgroup
Subgroup.
- Why do linguists such as Sidwell argue Mon-Khmer is not a valid subgroup, with positions attributed? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Homeland
Homeland hypotheses.
Homeland
Homeland.
- What hypotheses exist about the Austroasiatic homeland and spread? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Languages Major languages.
Sources.
Khmer
Khmer.
Khmer
Khmer.
- How did Khmer develop from Old to Middle to Modern Khmer? provenance
- Which entry fits Khmer language? action
Vietnamese
Vietnamese.
Vietnamese
Vietnamese.
- Why was Vietnamese classified as Austroasiatic despite tones and Chinese loans? provenance
- Which entry fits Vietnamese language? action
Context Endangerment.
Context.
Aslian
Orang Asli languages.
Aslian
Aslian.
- What is the status of Aslian languages among Orang Asli communities? provenance
- Which entry fits Orang Asli? action
Endangered
Endangered languages.
Endangered
Endangered.
- Which Austroasiatic languages are endangered, checked against current sources? provenance
- Is the information current? boundary
What the second pass must settle
- Should the registry retain Mon-Khmer or treat branches under Austroasiatic?
- Should Middle Khmer be moved to Khmer history entries?
- How should Glottolog classifications be linked?