Monic languages

The Monic languages are a branch of the Austroasiatic language family descended from the Old Monic language of the kingdom of Dvaravati in what is now central Thailand. The Nyahkur people continue directly from that kingdom, whereas the Mon are descendants of those who migrated to Pegu after the 11th century Khmer conquest of Dvaravati.

Classification

Paul Sidwell proposes the following tree for Monic, synthesizing past classifications from Theraphan L-Thongkum and Gérard Diffloth.

Old Mon / Proto-Monic
*Nyah [Kur language|Nyah Kur]
**North
**Central
**South
*Middle Mon
**Literary Mon
**Mon Ro: Northernmost dialect, spoken in the Pegu-Paung-Zin Kyaik area
***West Mon Ro variety: Spoken from north of Martaban to Thaton
***East Mon Ro variety: Spoken in a small area on the south bank of the Gyaing River
**Mon Rao: Spoken around Mawlamyine, extending several hundred kilometers south to Tavoy
***North Mon Rao
***Kamarwet area Mon
***South Mon Rao
***Ye Mon Rao: This is the southernmost Mon variety.
**Thai Mon

Selected animal and plant names in Proto-Monic, Proto-Nyah Kur, and Proto-Mon :