Article In:
Journal of Historical Linguistics: Online-First Articles

Musk deer are inherited

The reconstruction of the onset *t.ɬj- in Proto-Gyalrongic

ORCID logo | Nanyang Technological University
This paper explores a rare sound correspondence pattern found in Gyalrongic languages, focusing on two etyma: ‘musk deer’ and ‘valley’. The reflexes in daughter languages exhibit different onsets, including palatals, alveolars, and laterals, which renders their genetic relationship non-obvious. Despite its significance, this correspondence pattern has been largely overlooked and insufficiently reconstructed. In this study, I propose a novel reconstruction of the onset, namely *t.ɬj-, elucidating the distinct reflexes observed in different sub-branches. Through this analysis, I demonstrate that both etyma have Sino-Tibetan origins. Additionally, the paper emphasises the importance of studying correspondences with limited examples and discusses the broader implications of such research for other domains.
Keywords: Gyalrongic languages, Sino-Tibetan languages, regular sound change, etymology re-construction, historical linguistics, musk deer
Article outline
  • 1.Background information
  • 2.Research question
  • 3.Previous accounts
    • 3.1East Gyalrongic
    • 3.2Khroskyabs
    • 3.3Horpa
  • 4.Cognacy analysis and reconstruction
  • 5.External comparison
    • 5.1Cognates for ‘musk deer’ and ‘valley’
    • 5.2The case of ‘stone’
  • 6.Concluding remarks: The importance of rare correspondences
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
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