Bru language
{{Short description|Mon–Khmer dialect continuum of Southeast Asia}}
{{distinguish|Brao language}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Bru
| nativename = {{lang|mul|Bruu}}
| states = Laos, Vietnam, Thailand
| speakers = {{sigfig|295,300|2}}
| date = 1991–2006
| ref = e18
| familycolor = Austro-Asiatic
| fam2 = Katuic
| fam3 = West
| fam4 = Brou–So
| lc1 = bru
| ld1 = Eastern Bru
| lc2 = brv
| ld2 = Western Bru
| lc3 = sss
| ld3 = Sô
| lc4 = xhv
| ld4 = Khua
| lc5 = ncq
| ld5 = Northern Katang
| lc6 = sct
| ld6 = Southern Katang
| glotto = brou1236
| glottorefname = Brou–So
}}
Bruu (also spelled Bru, B'ru, Baru, Brou) is a Mon–Khmer dialect continuum spoken by the Bru people of mainland Southeast Asia. Sô and Khua are dialects.{{cite web | url=http://sealang.net/sala/mk-class.htm | title=Mon-Khmer Classification (Draft) }}
Names
There are various local and dialect designations for Bru (Sidwell 2005:11).
- So ~ Sô
- Tri (So Tri, Chali)
- Van Kieu
- Leu ~ Leung (Kaleu)
- Galler
- Khua
- Katang (not the same as Kataang)
Distribution
The distribution of the Bru language spreads north and northeast from Salavan, Laos, through Savannakhet, Khammouane, and Bolikhamsai, and over into neighboring Thailand and Vietnam (Sidwell 2005:11). In Vietnam, Brâu (Braò) is spoken in Đắk Mế, Bờ Y commune, Đắk Tô District, Kon Tum Province.Lê Bá Thảo, Hoàng Ma, et al.; Viện hàn lâm khoa học xã hội Việt Nam - Viện dân tộc học. 2014. Các dân tộc ít người ở Việt Nam: các tỉnh phía nam. Ha Noi: Nhà xuất bản khoa học xã hội. {{ISBN|978-604-90-2436-8}}
Dialects
Thailand has the following Western Bru dialects (Choo, et al. 2012).
- Bru Khok Sa-at{{Cite thesis |last=Engelkemier |first=Jennifer M. |title=Aspects of Bru Khok Sa-at grammar based on narrative texts |date=2010 |degree=M.A. |publisher=Payap University |url=http://ic.payap.ac.th/graduate/linguistics/theses/Jennifer_Engelkemier_Thesis.pdf |access-date=2015-11-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117034223/http://ic.payap.ac.th/graduate/linguistics/theses/Jennifer_Engelkemier_Thesis.pdf |archive-date=2015-11-17}} of Phang Khon District and Phanna Nikhom District, Sakon Nakhon Province
- Bru Woen Buek of Woen Buek (Wyn Buek), Ubon Ratchathani Province (more similar to Katang)
- Bru Dong Luang of Dong Luang District, Mukdahan Province
The following Bru subgroups are found in Quảng Bình Province (Phan 1998).Phan Hữu Dật. 1998. "Về tên gọi các tộc người nói ngôn ngữ Môn-Miên ở miền tây tỉnh Quảng Bình." In Một số vấn đề về dân tộc học Việt Nam, p.476-482. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản Đại Học Quốc Gia Hà Nội.
- Vân Kiêu: 5,500 persons in Lệ Thủy District and Vĩnh Linh District (in Quảng Trị Province)
- Măng Coong: 600 persons in Bố Trạch District
- Tri: 300 persons in Bố Trạch District
- Khùa: 1,000 persons in Tuyên Hóa District
Below is a comparative vocabulary of Vân Kiêu, Măng Coong, Tri, and Khùa from Phan (1998:479-480), with words transcribed in Vietnamese orthography.
| class="wikitable"
! Gloss !! Vân Kiêu !! Măng Coong !! Tri !! Khùa !! Vietnamese | ||||
| align=center | one | align=center | mui | colspan="3" | muôi | một | |
| align=center | two | colspan="4" | bar | hai | ||
| align=center | three | colspan="4" | pei | ba | ||
| align=center | four | colspan="4" | pon | bốn | ||
| align=center | five | colspan="2" | shăng | colspan="2" | t'shăng | năm | |
| align=center | hair | colspan="4" | sok | tóc | ||
| align=center | eye | colspan="4" | mat | mắt | ||
| align=center | nose | align=center | lyu | colspan="3" | mu | mũi | |
| align=center | sky | colspan="3" | plang | align=center | giang | trời | |
| align=center | ground | align=center | kute | colspan="2" | katek | align=center | k'tek | đất |
| align=center | water | colspan="3" | dơ | align=center | do | nước | |
| align=center | fish | colspan="4" | sia | cá | ||
| align=center | bird | colspan="4" | cham | chim | ||
| align=center | water buffalo | colspan="4" | trick | trâu | ||
| align=center | cattle | align=center | ntro | colspan="3" | tro | bò |
Phonology
= Consonants =
The consonant sounds in both East and West dialects consist of the following:{{Cite book|last=Miller|first=Carolyn P.|title=Eastern Bru Grammar Sketch|publisher=SIL Language and Culture Archives|year=2017}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | |
| rowspan="3" |Plosive/ Affricate |{{IPAlink|p}} |{{IPAlink|t}} |{{IPAlink|tɕ}} |{{IPAlink|k}} |{{IPAlink|ʔ}} |
|---|
| aspirated
|{{IPAlink|pʰ}} |{{IPAlink|tʰ}} | |{{IPAlink|kʰ}} | |
| voiced
|{{IPAlink|b}} |{{IPAlink|d}} | | | |
| colspan="2" |Nasal
|{{IPAlink|m}} |{{IPAlink|n}} |{{IPAlink|ɲ}} |{{IPAlink|ŋ}} | |
| rowspan="2" |Liquid
| |{{IPAlink|r}} | | | |
| lateral
| |{{IPAlink|l}} | | | |
| colspan="2" |Fricative
| rowspan="2" |{{IPAlink|w}} |{{IPAlink|s}} | | |{{IPAlink|h}} |
| colspan="2" |Approximant
| |{{IPAlink|j}} | | |
- {{IPA|/w/}} is typically pronounced as labiodental fricative {{IPA|[v]}} or approximant {{IPA|[ʋ]}} when occurring in initial position. In final position, it is always heard as {{IPA|[w]}}.
- {{IPA|/r/}} can be heard as either a trill {{IPA|[r]}} or a tap {{IPA|[ɾ]}}.
- {{IPA|/tʰr/}} as a consonant cluster, can be phonetically heard as {{IPA|[tʰɹ̥]}} in the Western dialect.
- {{IPA|/h/}} can also be heard as a voiced glottal {{IPA|[ɦ]}} when a preceding a breathy vowel sound in the Western Bru dialects. It can also be heard as nasal {{IPA|[h̃]}} when preceding a nasal vowel in the Western dialects.{{Cite journal|last=Thongkum|first=Theraphan L.|title=The distribution of the sounds of Bruu|year=1980|journal=Mon-Khmer Studies|volume=8|pages=221–293}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Final consonants ! colspan="2" | |
| colspan="2" |Plosive
|{{IPAlink|p}} |{{IPAlink|t}} | |{{IPAlink|k}} |{{IPAlink|ʔ}} |
|---|
| colspan="2" |Nasal
|{{IPAlink|m}} |{{IPAlink|n}} | |{{IPAlink|ŋ}} | |
| colspan="2" |Fricative
| | | | |{{IPAlink|h}} |
| colspan="2" |Rhotic
| |{{IPAlink|r}} | | | |
| rowspan="3" |Approximant
!plain |{{IPAlink|w}} |{{IPAlink|l}} |{{IPAlink|j}} | | |
| aspirated
|{{IPAlink|wʰ}} | |{{IPAlink|jʰ}} | | |
| glottalized
|{{IPAlink|wˀ}} | |{{IPAlink|jˀ}} | | |
- Plosive sounds {{IPA|/p, t, k/}} in final position are heard as unreleased {{IPA|[p̚, t̚, k̚]}}.
= Vowels =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! ! colspan="2" |Central !Back |
| Close
|{{IPAlink|i}} {{IPAlink|iː}} | colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|ɨ}} {{IPAlink|ɨː}} |{{IPAlink|u}} {{IPAlink|uː}} |
|---|
| Close-mid
|{{IPAlink|e}} {{IPAlink|eː}} | colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|ə}} {{IPAlink|əː}} |{{IPAlink|o}} {{IPAlink|oː}} |
| Open-mid
|{{IPAlink|ɛ}} {{IPAlink|ɛː}} | colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|ɜ}} {{IPAlink|ɜː}} |{{IPAlink|ɔ}} {{IPAlink|ɔː}} |
| Open
| |{{IPAlink|a}} {{IPAlink|aː}} |{{IPAlink|ɒ̈}} {{IPAlink|ɒ̈ː}} | |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Vowels in the Western Bru dialect ! ! colspan="2" |Central ! colspan="2" |Back |
| Close
|{{IPAlink|i}} {{IPAlink|iː}} | colspan="2" | |{{IPAlink|ɯ}} {{IPAlink|ɯː}} |{{IPAlink|u}} {{IPAlink|uː}} |
|---|
| Close-mid
|{{IPAlink|e}} {{IPAlink|eː}} | colspan="2" | |{{IPAlink|ɤ}} {{IPAlink|ɤː}} |{{IPAlink|o}} {{IPAlink|oː}} |
| Open-mid
|{{IPAlink|ɛ}} {{IPAlink|ɛː}} | colspan="2" | |{{IPAlink|ʌ}} {{IPAlink|ʌː}} |{{IPAlink|ɔ}} {{IPAlink|ɔː}} |
| Open
| |{{IPAlink|a}} {{IPAlink|aː}} |{{IPAlink|ɒ̈}} {{IPAlink|ɒ̈ː}} | colspan="2" | |
== Breathy vowels ==
Vowel sounds may also be distinguished using breathy voice:
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Breathy vowels ! ! colspan="2" |Central !Back |
| Close
|{{IPAlink|i̤}} {{IPAlink|i̤ː}} | colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|ɨ̤}} {{IPAlink|ɨ̤ː}} |{{IPAlink|ṳ}} {{IPAlink|ṳː}} |
|---|
| Close-mid
|{{IPAlink|e̤}} {{IPAlink|e̤ː}} | colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|ə̤}} {{IPAlink|ə̤ː}} |{{IPAlink|o̤}} {{IPAlink|o̤ː}} |
| Open-mid
|{{IPAlink|ɛ̤}} {{IPAlink|ɛ̤ː}} | colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|ɜ̤}} {{IPAlink|ɜ̤ː}} |{{IPAlink|ɔ̤}} {{IPAlink|ɔ̤ː}} |
| Open
| |{{IPAlink|a̤}} {{IPAlink|a̤ː}} |{{IPAlink|ɒ̤̈}} {{IPAlink|ɒ̤̈ː}} | |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Breathy vowels in the Western Bru dialect ! ! colspan="2" |Central ! colspan="2" |Back |
| Close
|{{IPAlink|i̤}} {{IPAlink|i̤ː}} | colspan="2" | |{{IPAlink|ɯ̤}} {{IPAlink|ɯ̤ː}} |{{IPAlink|ṳ}} {{IPAlink|ṳː}} |
|---|
| Close-mid
|{{IPAlink|e̤}} {{IPAlink|e̤ː}} | colspan="2" | |{{IPAlink|ɤ̤}} {{IPAlink|ɤ̤ː}} |{{IPAlink|o̤}} {{IPAlink|o̤ː}} |
| Open-mid
|{{IPAlink|ɛ̤}} {{IPAlink|ɛ̤ː}} | colspan="2" | |{{IPAlink|ʌ̤}} {{IPAlink|ʌ̤ː}} |{{IPAlink|ɔ̤}} {{IPAlink|ɔ̤ː}} |
| Open
| |{{IPAlink|a̤}} {{IPAlink|a̤ː}} |{{IPAlink|ɒ̤̈}} {{IPAlink|ɒ̤̈ː}} | colspan="2" | |
== Nasal vowels ==
Nasal vowel sounds may occur in the Western Bru dialect:
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Nasal vowels in the Western Bru dialect ! ! colspan="2" |Central ! colspan="2" |Back |
| Close
|{{IPAlink|ĩː}} | colspan="2" | |{{IPAlink|ɯ̃}} |{{IPAlink|ũ}} {{IPAlink|ũː}} |
|---|
| Open-mid
|{{IPAlink|ɛ̃}} {{IPAlink|ɛ̃ː}} | colspan="2" | |{{IPAlink|ʌ̃ː}} |{{IPAlink|ɔ̃}} {{IPAlink|ɔ̃ː}} |
| Open
| |{{IPAlink|ã}} {{IPAlink|ãː}} |{{IPAlink|ɒ̈̃}} {{IPAlink|ɒ̈̃ː}} | colspan="2" | |
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- Choo, Marcus, Jennifer Herington, Amy Ryan and Jennifer Simmons. 2012. [http://li.payap.ac.th/images/stories/survey/sociolinguistic_survey_of_bru_in_thailand.pdf Sociolinguistic Survey Of Bru In Phang Khon And Phanna Nikhom Districts, Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719114435/https://li.payap.ac.th/images/stories/survey/sociolinguistic_survey_of_bru_in_thailand.pdf |date=2020-07-19 }}. Chiang Mai: Linguistics Institute, Payap University.
- Choo, Marcus. 2012. [http://li.payap.ac.th/images/stories/survey/So_RTT_Report.pdf An investigation of intelligibility between So varieties in Northeast Thailand: the Bru in Khok Saat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720004630/https://li.payap.ac.th/images/stories/survey/So_RTT_Report.pdf |date=2020-07-20 }}. Chiang Mai: Payap University.
- Choo, Marcus. 2008. [http://li.payap.ac.th/images/stories/survey/So%20in%20NE%20Thailand%20report%20%28FINAL%29.pdf Sociolinguistic survey of So in Northeastern Thailand] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719100334/https://li.payap.ac.th/images/stories/survey/So%20in%20NE%20Thailand%20report%20(FINAL).pdf |date=2020-07-19 }}. Chiang Mai: Payap University.
- Khồng Diễn (1975). "Về nhóm người Khùa (Bru) ở Quảng Bình". In, Ủy ban khoa học xã hội Việt Nam: Viện dân tộc học. Về vấn đề xác định thành phần các dân tộc thiểu số ở miền bắc Việt Nam, 538–548. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản khoa học xã hội.
- Migliazza, Brian. 2002. [https://sil.academia.edu/BrianMigliazza Multilingualism Among the So People of Issan].
- Phạm Đức Dương (1975). "Về mối quan hệ cộng đồng tộc người giữa các ngôn ngữ thuộc nhóm Việt - Mường miền tây tỉnh Quảng Bình". In, Ủy ban khoa học xã hội Việt Nam: Viện dân tộc học. Về vấn đề xác định thánh phần các dân tộc thiểu số ở miền bắc Việt Nam, 500–517. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản khoa học xã hội.
- Phan Hữu Dật (1975). "Về tên gọi các tộc người nói ngôn ngữ Môn - Miên ở miền tây tỉnh Quảng Bình". In, Ủy ban khoa học xã hội Việt Nam: Viện dân tộc học. Về vấn đề xác định thánh phần các dân tộc thiểu số ở miền bắc Việt Nam, 531–537. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản khoa học xã hội.
- Sidwell, Paul. (2005). [The Katuic languages: classification, reconstruction and comparative lexicon]. LINCOM studies in Asian linguistics, 58. Muenchen: Lincom Europa. {{ISBN|3-89586-802-7}}
- Yotmanisakun, Sarocha. 2022. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Y0pqP7fZEkGAQQZuWoVZMTkzDTB8KIR/view?usp=sharing Preliminary Phonological Description of Southern Katang]. M.A. dissertation. Chiang Mai: Payap University.
External links
- [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/appendix/languages/bru/bru.html UCLA phonetics lab data]
- [http://projekt.ht.lu.se/rwaai RWAAI (Repository and Workspace for Austroasiatic Intangible Heritage)]
- http://hdl.handle.net/10050/00-0000-0000-0003-AD64-5@view Bru in the RWAAI Digital Archive
{{Languages of Laos}}
{{Languages of Thailand}}
{{Languages of Vietnam}}
{{Austro-Asiatic languages}}