Questions of Language Contact and Genetic Kinship of the Languages of Southeast Asia

Abstract

A phonological and grammatical analysis of Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian, Cambodian and Chinese provides evidence for considering Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian and Cambodian as a group in opposition to Chinese. Within this group Vietnamese, Thai and Laotian form a subgroup in opposition to Cambodian, and serve as intermediate stages between Cambodian and Chinese. The smallest subgroup consists of Thai and Laotian.

At present our knowledge of these languages and their interrelationships permits a claim of genetic kinship only for Thai and Laotian. In spite of the many undoubted similarities among the five languages examined, we cannot claim a genetic kinship between any pair remaining. In making such an attempt it is very easy to mix signs of genetic kinship with the results of language contact.