Re-examining the genetic position of Jingpho: putting flesh on the bones of the Jingpho/Luish relationship

Abstract

This paper has a twofold aim: (1) to clarify the interrelationships among several key TB subgroups, especially as concerns Jingpho; and (2) to establish the Jingpho/Luish relationship on a firmer footing. The heart of the paper is the set of Jingpho/Luish cognates presented in Appendix III, which complements the discussion in Section 5 of the text (Jingpho and Luish). Before arriving at that point, however, it seems necessary to deal with several other issues: (1) the genetic and contactual position of Nungish, with which Jingpho had been supposed to have a special relationship; (2) some genetic or contact relationships of Jingpho other than with Luish; (3) some genetic or contact relationships of Luish other than with Jingpho; and (4) the phonologies of the two chief surviving Luish languages, Kadu and Sak. From one point of view, this paper is an elaboration of Burling's Sal hypothesis, which posits a special relationship among Jingpho, Northern Naga (Konyakian), and Bodo-Garo. It is, however, beyond the scope of the present study to go into detail about the latter two groups. The primary focus of the paper is lexical, and morphological comparisons between Jingpho and Luish are only discussed tangentially