Kim Mun language

Distribution

In China, Kim Mun is spoken in the following counties (Mao 2004:304-305).

• Yunnan: Hekou, Malipo, Maguan, Xichou, Qiubei, Guangnan, Funing, Yanshan, Shizong, Jiangcheng, Mojiang, Yuanyang, Jinping, Lüchun, Mengla, Jinghong
• Guangxi: Xilin, Lingyun, Napo, Tianlin, Fengshan, Bama, Lipu, Pingle, Mengshan, Jinxiu, Yongfu, Luzhai, Fangcheng, Shangsi
• Hainan: Qiongzhong, Baoting, Qionghai, Tunchang, Ledong, Wanning, Sanya. In Hainan, Kim Mun speakers are officially classified by the Chinese government as ethnic Miao, rather than Yao.

Ethnologue lists several counties in Vietnam where Kim Mun is spoken (in Bac Giang province, Ha Giang province, Lao Cai province, Quang Ninh province, Tuyen Quang province and Yen Bai province).. Van Ban district of Lao Cai province is one of the primary areas where Kim Mun is spoken in Vietnam. In Vietnam, Dao people belonging to the Quần Trắng, Thanh Y, and Áo Dài subgroups speak Kim Mun. Kim Mun speakers are also found in northern Laos (in Luang Namtha province, Oudomxai province and in Bokeo province).

Daniel Arisawa has performed fieldwork with an isolated speaker of Kim Mun (originally from Laos) in Lampang province, northern Thailand (along the border of Mae Mo district and Ngao district).

Phonology

Consonants

• Lateral-released sounds are also present as .
• Fricative sounds are realized as affricate sounds in the Liangzi dialect.
• may also be heard as a retroflex in free variation in the Liangzi dialect.
• may also be heard as in different positions in the Liangzi dialect.
• Palatalized sounds ; can also be heard as palatal sounds ; in free variation.
• Sounds are more stiff-voiced in free variation.
• Sounds are heard as unreleased in word-final position.

Vowels

• /ɐ/ is heard as [ə] in the Laos dialects of Kim Mun.
• /i, u/ can be heard as [ɪ, ʊ] when in closed syllables.
• /o/ may be labialized as [oʷ] in word-final position.
• /e/ may have a palatal off-glide as [eʲ] in word-final syllables.
• /ɔ/ when before a velar consonant can be heard as a diphthong [aʊ].
• /o, ɔ/ may also be heard as lowered [ɔ̞, ɒ] in free variation in the Laos dialects.

Notes

References

• Clark, Eddie. (2008). A phonological analysis and comparison of two Kim Mun varieties in Laos and Vietnam (Master's thesis) . Payap University.
• Phạm Văn Duy. 2014. Văn hóa dân gian Kinh Môn. Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản văn hóa thông tin.
• Phan Hữu Dật & Hoàng Hoa Toàn. 1998. "Về vấn đề xác minh tên gọi và phân loại các ngành Dao Tuyên Quang." In Phan Hữu Dật (ed). Một số vấn đề về dân tộc học Việt Nam, p. 483-567. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản Đại Học Quốc Gia Hà Nội.
• Shintani Tadahiko. 1990. The Mun language of Hainan Island: its classified lexicon [海南島門語: 分類詞滙集]. Tokyo: ILCAA.
• Shintani Tadahiko. 2008. The Mun language of Funing County: its classified lexicon. Tokyo: ILCAA.

References

1. 毛宗武, 李云兵 / Mao Zongwu, Li Yunbing. 1997. 巴哼语研究 / Baheng yu yan jiu (A Study of Baheng [Pa-Hng]). Shanghai: 上海远东出版社 / Shanghai yuan dong chu ban she.
2. Phan Hữu Dật & Hoàng Hoa Toàn. 1998. "Về vấn đề xác minh tên gọi và phân loại các ngành Dao Tuyên Quang." In Phan Hữu Dật (ed). ''Một số vấn đề về dân tộc học Việt Nam'', p.483-567. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản Đại Học Quốc Gia Hà Nội. [Comparative word list of 9 Dao dialects in [[Tuyen Quang Province]] from p. 524-545]
3. Arisawa, Daniel. 2023. ''A preliminary phonological analysis of the dislocated Kim Mun in Lampang, Thailand''. Chiang Mai: SEALS 32 conference presentation.
4. Mao, Zongwu 毛宗武. (2004). "Yao zu Mian yu fang yan yan jiu [瑤族勉语方言研究]". Beijing: Minzu Chubanshe.
5. Clark (2008)
6. Tadahiko (2008)