Far East Semitic/Tonal Semitic

Hlaub lag, vi seb qawd ___ = Hello, my name is ___

definite article ðə -> vi

Lexicon

• nqhwm = fish
• yed = to have; there is

Phonology

• iniitials and vowels as in White Hmong/Green Mong RPA, but aa ee oo are breathy voiced vowels.

Grammar

Pronouns

• 1st person pronouns:
  • qawd (polite, from *3abd 'slave')
  • npws (when speaking to non-intimate peers or someone of lower status)
  • dlag (intimate; from PFES *đV lak 'yours')
  • nau (only used in poetry)
• 2nd person pronouns:
  • nkaub (polite; from *maqāmu 'place')
  • dliv (non-intimate, non-polite, from an older polite pronoun *laTip)
  • qhov (intimate, from *Hubb)
  • hmu (rude)

Family members use family terms to refer to themselves or to the listener.

Animate plurals marked with ... wj (PFES *wıl)