The Sound Systems of Zophei Dialects and Other Maraic Languages

Abstract

This dissertation presents in-depth description and analysis the Zophei sound system within the context of the closely-related Maraic languages. Zophei (or Zyphe, ISO 639-3 ZYP), a previously undocumented member of the Maraic branch of Kuki-Chin (or South-Central Tibeto Burman) spoken in southern Thantlang Township, Chin State, Burma/Myanmar and by thousands of speakers in Indianapolis, Indiana. Using primary data elicited during three years of fieldwork, the sound systems of Lawngtlang, Tlawngrang, and Nuitah Zophei are investigated in detail. Special attention is paid to the segmental, syllable structure, and tonal inventories. A long history of language contact in the Maraic-speaking world has brought on radical innovations in syllable structure, vowel systems, and tone that have, as of yet, seen little linguistic analysis. Outside of the present research program, no previous linguistic work on Zophei exists. As such, this thesis endeavors to describe and analyze the sound systems of Zophei varieties. It has four major goals: (1) Description of the synchronic sound systems of two Zophei varieties, based on data from one speaker of each variety, covering the phonetics and phonology of onsets and rhymes—with particular focus on inter- and intra-speaker variation. (2) Analysis of lexical correspondences and comparative data in the elucidation of diachronic relationships between Zophei varieties, and between Zophei and other Kuki-Chin (especially Maraic) languages. This includes primary data from a third Zophei variety (Nuitah) and data from Hnaring Lutuv (Lautu). (3) To create a lexical database of Tlawngrang and Lawngtlang Zophei, the two varieties focused on herein, with paired audio recordings. (4) To present a preliminary analysis of tone in Lawngtlang Zophei. The data collected and presented in this thesis reveal evidence of phonetic onset variation, vowel shift, and robust use of tone. This study is, to the best of my knowledge, the first linguistic treatment of Zophei and the most comprehensive research available on the sound systems of Maraic languages and on tone in KC. The instruments created for this project as well as the data collected, described, and analyzed for this project lay the groundwork for continued research in Zophei, Maraic, and Kuki-Chin more broadly.