Papers by Ken Manson
Several Karen reconstructions have been proposed based on limited data or spread of language chos... more Several Karen reconstructions have been proposed based on limited data or spread of language chosen. This paper reviews the previous reconstructions, and summarizes a new reconstruction along with reflexes from all the main clusters of Karen languages. Links to other families of Southeast Asia are discussed. Tonal development is presented and discussed, along with a proposed “Gedney-style” tone box for Karen languages.
A Bibliography of Karen Linguistics, 2023
Chandra Khonthasen. 1923. เรื ่ องร่ างกายธรรมนี ยมประเผณี การเลี ้ ยงชี ผ ทั ้ งภาษาชาวยางแดง [R... more Chandra Khonthasen. 1923. เรื ่ องร่ างกายธรรมนี ยมประเผณี การเลี ้ ยงชี ผ ทั ้ งภาษาชาวยางแดง [Rueang rangkai thamniam phrapheni kan liang chip thung phasa chao yangdaeng]. Journal of the Siam Society 17(2). 59-73. Chapman, Cassandra. 2011. Subordination and coordination in Karen Sgaw. In Marc Brunelle (ed.), Sgaw Karen papers, presented to Nimrod Andrew, 85-96. Ottawa: University of Ottawa. Chappell, Hilary. 1991a. Benefactive, dative and double object constructions in Sgaw Karen.
For years linguists have reconstructed Karen from several (easily accessed) languages, leading to... more For years linguists have reconstructed Karen from several (easily accessed) languages, leading to a tree-like heritage. This paper approaches the analysis from a different perspective -comparing multiple dialects from a cluster. This is the first of such broad-reaching research in the Karen branch comparing multiple doculects rather than one or two easily accessed varieties. *pʰ *tʰ *cʰ *kʰ *i *ɨ *ɯ *u *p *t *c *k ʔ *e *ə *o *b *d [*ɟ] *g *ɛ *a *ɔ *m̥ *n̥ *ŋ ̥ *ai *au *m *n *ŋ *s *h *w *l *r *j *ʍ *l ̥ *r̥ *j ̥ Network analysis With respect to Proto-Karen Initials Proto-Karen Proto-Kayan Comments *b-*p-similarly *d, *ɟ, *g *p-*b-similarly *t, *c, *k *pʰ-*pʰ-similarly *tʰ, *cʰ, *kʰ [retention] *s-*s-retention (phonetic variation [s/t̪θ/θ]) *n̥ -*n-merged with voiced, similarly *m̥ -, *ŋ ̥ -*l ̥-*l-merged with voiced l-*ɲ ̥ /*ɲ *j-merged with PK *j (and in some dialects fricativised) *r̥ -*r-merged with voiced r-. One phonetician marked consistently [r̥ ], suggesting that Proto-Kayan has retained the voicing distinction Displaced Northern Southern Yinbaw Gekho Lahta Zayein Outgroup PaO Clusters Proto-Karen Proto-Kayan Comments *pʰl *pʰl *pl Lahta/Zayein dialects (#54 seed, #409 spherical, #346 hit, beat) *pr *pr *pl Lahta/Zayein dialects (#391 few, #195 human, #370 buy, #526 peacock, #166 intestines, #274 vomit) *kʰl *kʰl *k Lahta/Zayein dialects (poorly attested) (#500 loose, #62 sugarcane, #68 banana (Tai loan), #133 land snail, #218 road) *kr *kr *kw Lahta/Zayein dialects (poorly attested) (#288 shout, #477 earthworm, #310 scratch) Rhymes Proto-Karen Proto-Kayan Comments *a *a Retention *ɛ *ɛ/*ai Retention/split *ɔ *ɔ/*au Retention/split
The Karen languages form a clearly defined cluster of languages with no members of uncertain stat... more The Karen languages form a clearly defined cluster of languages with no members of uncertain status (Benedict 1972, Shafer 1974, Matisoff 1991, Bradley 1997, van Driem 2001, LaPolla 2001, Thurgood 2003, Manson 2010). The English term Karen is probably an adaption of the Burmese name for these people, but it has been reacquired by the Sgaw to refer to themselves. Other Karen groups rarely use this term to refer to themselves, and refer to themselves instead with an endogenous name, often based on the reconstructed Proto-Karen form *k-ɲaŋ (Solnit 2001), e.g. Kayah, Kayaw, Kayan, Sgaw. The Karen branch has been considered part of Sino-Tibetan for over a century, but only in the last 35 years has a consensus developed that these languages form a distinct branch within Tibeto-Burman rather than a sister to Tibeto-Burman. Benedict (1972: 129) notes that ‘morphologically, Karen diverges from Tibeto-Burman almost as widely as does Chinese, especially as regards syntax’. These features lead ...
This paper is a compilation of all linguistic works that have focused on the Karen branch of Tibe... more This paper is a compilation of all linguistic works that have focused on the Karen branch of Tibeto-Burman
Why classify languages? • Identify languages and dialects • Organise knowledge • Direct research ... more Why classify languages? • Identify languages and dialects • Organise knowledge • Direct research • Guide orthography choices • Inform source translation choices • … The comparative method • Distinguishes between retentions, innovations and borrowings o RETENTIONS Basis for reconstruction Shared retentions are useless for subgrouping o INNOVATIONS Basis for subgrouping Shared innovations important for subgrouping o BORROWINGS Ignored o Often difficult to separate retentions from innovations from borrowings, especially if the languages are closely related • Performs poorly when there is borrowing with no nuclear zone that has avoided contact with neighbouring languages (Ross 2006) Homoplasy • Same trait in unrelated languages (Parallel development [Sapir's 'Drift']) o Same innovation in different branches o Shared retention o Lateral transfer (borrowing) • Parallel developments in phonology are VERY common (e.g. p > f) Tree vs. Wave model • Tree model assumes dialects separate geographically and have not contact • Wave model assumes that dialects separate but remain in contact • Southeast Asia is a linguistic area o Millennia of language contact across 5 language families o Wave of migration into and around the region • Wave model would appear to be a better fit for Southeast Asia Quantifying the difference • Two broad methods o Distance o Character Distance methods • Matrix of pair-wise similarities • Steps o Compare pair-wise o Measure the difference o Develop matrix o Derive tree/network • Different algorithms are used o Apparent cognates o Cognates o Blair method o Dolgopolsky classes • Works well for quick analysis using the first phone of the word's root • Recommend this for exploratory analysis Lexicostatistics o Languages with a greater proportion of apparent cognates are deemed to be more closely related that those with fewer apparent cognates o Includes false cognates (including undetected borrowings) skews the cognate count making them appear more closely related o Gives wrong results if… Language contact (borrowings) Words change at different rates Some languages retain many proto-features Dialect chains
This paper summarised the development of consonants, vowels and tones in Karen languages and prop... more This paper summarised the development of consonants, vowels and tones in Karen languages and proposes a classification based on shared innovations. Supporting data is also provided.
A phonology of Pekon Kayan [pdu] including a description of consonants, vowels, tone/phonation, s... more A phonology of Pekon Kayan [pdu] including a description of consonants, vowels, tone/phonation, syllable and word structure.
This 6 page outline gives an approximate page count for each grammar section for a descriptive gr... more This 6 page outline gives an approximate page count for each grammar section for a descriptive grammar of a Southeast Asian language.
Ethnologue > SIL Bibliography > A sociolinguistic analysis of coloured South African speech... more Ethnologue > SIL Bibliography > A sociolinguistic analysis of coloured South African speech in Australia A sociolinguistic analysis of coloured South African speech in Australia. Citation, Manson, Ken. 1999. ... Author, Manson, Ken. Serial, PYU Working Papers in Linguistics. Subject ...
Notes on Linguistics
Ethnologue > SIL Bibliography > Review of: Eastern Kayah Li: grammar, texts... more Ethnologue > SIL Bibliography > Review of: Eastern Kayah Li: grammar, texts, glossary, by David Solnit Review of: Eastern Kayah Li: grammar, texts, glossary, by David Solnit. Citation, Manson,Ken. 2001. ... Notes on Linguistics 4(4): 233-236. Author, Manson, Ken. Serial, ...
La Trobe University Research Online, a digital repository holding works produced by La Trobe Univ... more La Trobe University Research Online, a digital repository holding works produced by La Trobe University staff and students La Trobe University Research Online, a digital repository holding works produced by La Trobe University staff and students
Conference Presentations by Ken Manson
Handout for the 54th ICSTLL, Sydney
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Papers by Ken Manson
Conference Presentations by Ken Manson
1. Preverbal
2. Preverbal + Postverbal
3. Preverbal + Clause-final
4. Clause-final
This data presents evidence for a new cluster of languages with double negation (c.f. Vossen 2011). Evidence for the Jespersen Cycle (van der Auwera 2009) in the Karen languages will be presented: the clause-final negative marker *ba has its origins as the adjective ‘correct’ via a grammaticalisation path through a speech strengthener/“emphasis” in positive declarative sentences, and then speakers added this marker to emphasize their negative statements. Some proposals are made for how the languages and dialects have developed in this conceptual space, and the potential internal relationships between the languages.