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Gyalrong languages, Old Chinese language, etymological cognates, comparative morphology, historical reconstruction.
Abstract:
Gyalrongic languages, a subgroup of the Burmo-Qiangic branch of the Sino-Tibetan family,
are spoken in the Western Sichuan Province of China. They are polysynthetic languages, and
present rich verbal morphology. Although they are not closely related to Chinese, they are of
particular interest for Sino-Tibetan/Trans-Himalayan comparative linguistics with regards to
their conservative phonology and morphology. Based on previous studies on Old Chinese
phonology, combining with recent fieldwork data, this paper aims to show how Gyalrong
languages could shed light on Old Chinese morphology and thus contribute to the Old
Chinese reconstruction. It also proposes a list of possible cognates between Old Chinese,
Gyalrong languages, indicating also Tibetan cognates when available.
