Qiangic languages

Learn about this topic in these articles:

Tibeto-Burman language groups

  • relationships among the Tibeto-Burman languages
    In Tibeto-Burman languages: The Qiangic group

    The important Qiangic languages of Sichuan and Yunnan were hardly known to Western scholars at the time the Conspectus was written (c. 1942–43) or published (1972). Ersu/Tosu is perhaps an indirect descendant of the extinct Xixia (also known as Tangut) language, once spoken in a powerful empire…

    Read More

tonality

  • relationships among the Tibeto-Burman languages
    In Tibeto-Burman languages: Tones

    The situation in Qiangic, Himalayish, and Kamarupan is more varied. These latter groups comprise both tonal and nontonal languages; even the tonal languages among them tend to have systems that are on the rudimentary side, often with only two or three contrasts, or with the tone-bearing unit larger…

    Read More