Notes on the Phuan Lects Spoken in Xiengkhouang, Thathom, and Borikhane (Laos)

Abstract

This study on Phuan first introduces the areas of Laos investigated in Xiengkhouang, Xaysômboun, and Bolikhamxay provinces. A historical account of Xiengkhouang, regarded as the Phuan homeland, is provided. The presentation of the linguistic literature discusses the research on Phuan in Thailand and the lesser-known research on Phuan in Laos. The fifteen tone diagrams for Phuan of this study, which are based on recordings made in thirteen locations, support a tone pattern with a 1-234 split in A and C columns of Gedney’s tone diagram, a 123-4 split in B, DL, and DS columns, and a B-DL quasi-coalescence. Two tone diagrams, for Tai Dam and Tai Daeng lects of Muong Kham (Xiengkhouang), are given for comparison. Other issues concerning the Phuan lects considered include: the reflex /-ɤː/ of Proto-Tai *əï, *eï/ɛï, *oï; diphthongs /iə/, /ɯə/, /uə/; reflexes of DL syllables *CV:k; the initial consonant /h-/ instead of /kh -/; and specific lexical items.

Keywords

• southwestern tai
• tone systems
• dialectology
• ethnolinguistic history