A comparative database of Sino-Tibetan languages, based on Peiros-Starostin 1996, but containing improved reconstructions. It includes systematic data from seven best attested languages and language groups, and additional evidence from many other Sino-Tibetan languages. The Lepcha data were input, and are continued to be input, by Olga Mazo.
Database structure.
1. Protoform. The Sino-Tibetan protoform (based mainly on Starostin 1989).
2. Meaning. A provisional reconstruction of the Proto-Sino-Tibetan meaning.
3. Chinese. The Old Chinese form, in S. Starostin's reconstruction.
4. Tibetan. The Classical Tibetan form.
5. Burmese. The Classical Burmese forms, with Proto-Lolo-Burmese forms where they are available.
6. Kachin. The Kachin (Jingpaw) form.
7. Lushei. The Lushei form, with Proto-Kuki-Chin forms (in Shafer's reconstruction) when they are available.
8. Lepcha. The Lepcha form.
9. Kiranti. The Proto-Kiranti reconstruction done by S. Starostin, with a link to the Kiranti database.
8. Comments. Various etymological comments, plus references and evidence from other languages of the Sino-Tibetan family, drawn from works by P. Benedict, R. Shafer, J. Matissoff and others. The field also contains reconstructions of Proto-Gurung (by I. Peiros) which we hope to make available later as a separate database.
Correspondences between Sino-Tibetan languages
| PST | OCh | Tib | Burm | Jp | Lush | Lepcha | Kiranti |
| *p | p | p ( / Xb) | p(h) | b (/ ph) | p | p, b, f | p, b |
| | b | b | p(h) | b ( / ph) | p | | |
| *ph | ph | p ( / Xb) | p(h) | p ( / ph) | p | p, b, f | ph, bh |
| | bh | b | p(h) | p ( / ph) | p | | |
| *b | p | p ( / Xb) | p(h) | b | ph | f | ph, bh |
| | b | b | p(h) | b | ph | | |
| *bh | p | p ( /Xb) | p(h) | ph | b | ? | ph, bh |
| | b | b | p(h) | ph | b | | |
| *m | m(h) | m (*mr > br) | (h)m | m | (h)m | m | m |
| *w | p, b | b | w | w | v | v | p |
| | | | | | | | |
| *t | t | t ( / Xd) | t(h) | d ( / th) | t | t, d, th | t, d |
| | d | d | t(h) | d ( / th) | t | | |
| *th | th | t ( / Xd) | t(h) | t ( / th) | t | t | th, dh |
| | dh | d | t(h) | t ( / th) | t | | |
| *d | t | t ( / Xd) | t(h) | th | čh ( < *th) | t, d, th | th, dh |
| | d | d | t(h) | th | čh ( < *th) | | |
| *dh | th | t ( / Xd) | t(h) | d | d | t, d, th | th, dh |
| | dh | d | t(h) | d | d | | |
| *n | n(h) | n | n(h) | n | (h)n | n(j) | n |
| *r | r(h) | r | r(h) | r | (h)r | r(j) | r |
| *rj | r | rgj | r(h) | c | z / r | r(j) | ŕ |
| *rj1 | l | ź | r(h) | j | ṭh / hr | j | ŕ |
| | | | | | | | |
| *c | c | ʒ | ć(h) (LB *c(h)) | ǯ / č | th / č | č, ǯ | c, ʒ |
| | ʒ | c | ć(h) (LB *c(h)) | ǯ / č | th / č | | |
| *ch | sh ( = ch) | s /c ( /Xʒ) | ć(h) (LB *c(h)) | c / s | th / s | č, ǯ, c | ch, s |
| | ʒh | z | ? | ? | ? | | |
| *ʒ | s | s ( / Xz) | ć(h) (LB *c(h)) | z | ? | ǯ | c, ʒ |
| | s | z | ć(h) (LB *c(h)) | z | th | | |
| *ʒh | c | c | ć(h) (LB *c(h)) | š | f | c | c, ʒ |
| | ʒ | ? | ć(h) (LB *c(h)) | š | f | | |
| *s | s | s | s | s | th | s, c, (š) | s |
| | | | | | | | |
| *ć | ć | ć ( / Xʒ́) | ć(h) | ǯ / č | th / č | č, ǯ | c, ʒ |
| | ʒ́ | ʒ́ | ć(h) | ǯ / č | th / č | | |
| *ćh | sh ( = ch) | (Xʒ́) | ć(h) | c | č | ? | ? |
| | ʒ́h | ʒ́ | ć(h) | c | č | | |
| *ʒ́ | ć | ? | ć(h) | s | čh | ǯ | c, ʒ |
| | ʒ́ | ʒ́ | ć(h) | s | čh | | |
| *ʒ́h | ćh | ć | ć(h) | š ( / č) | f | č | c, ʒ |
| | ʒ́h | ? | ć(h) | š ( / č) | f | | |
| *ś | s | ś | s | š | s / th | š, č(h), ǯ | s, ?ʒh |
| *ń | ŋ | ń | (h)ń, (h)n | n | (h)n | ? | n |
| *j | l(h) | j | j | j | z | j | j |
| | | | | | | | |
| *l | l(h) | l | (h)l | l | (h)l | l(j) | l |
| *ƛ (= *T-l-) | ƛ(h), Ł(h) | lć ( / lʒ́), lt ( / ld) | (h)l | t / l | tl / (h)l | l(j) | l |
| | | | | | | | |
| *k(ʷ) | k(ʷ) | k ( / Xg) | k(h) | k / kh | k | k, g, (kh) | k, g |
| | g(ʷ) | g | k(h) | k / kh | k | | |
| *kh(ʷ) | kh(ʷ) | k ( / Xg) | k(h) | kh | k | k, kh | kh, gh |
| | gh(ʷ) | g | k(h) | kh | k | | |
| *g(ʷ) | k(ʷ) | g | k(h) | kh | kh | k | kh, gh |
| | g(ʷ) | k | k(h) | kh | kh | | |
| *gh(ʷ) | kh(ʷ) | k ( / Xg) | k(h) | kh | kh | k | kh, gh |
| *x | x | k | ? | ? | k(h) | ? | ? |
| *ɣ | ʔ | k( /Ẋ0) | ʔ | kh | h | ? | g |
| *ɣʷ | ʔʷ | k | ? | kh | v / 0 | ? | ? |
| *ŋ(ʷ) | ŋ(h)(ʷ) | ŋ | ŋ(h) | ŋ | (h)ŋ | ŋ, (nj) | ŋ |
| | | | | | | | |
| *q | k | k ( / Xg) | ʔ ( / kh) | k | 0 | k(h), h | ʔ, k(h) |
| | g | k ( / Xg) | ʔ ( / kh) | k | 0 | | |
| *qʷ | kʷ | k | w | w | v ( / 0) | | h, x |
| | w | k | w | w | v ( / 0) | | |
| *qh | kh | k | ʔ ( / kh) | kh | 0 | k(h), g | h, kh |
| | gh | ? | ʔ ( / kh) | kh | 0 | | |
| *qhʷ | khʷ | k | w ( / kh) | g (?) / w | v ( / 0) | | w |
| | wh | k | w ( / kh) | g (?) / w | v ( / 0) | | |
| *G | k | k ( / Xg) | kh | kh | h | k, g | k(h) |
| | g | g | kh | kh | h | | |
| *Gʷ | kʷ | k | ʔ ( / w) | w | h | k, f | w |
| | | | | | | | |
| *Gh | kh | k | ʔ | kh | h | ? | h |
| | | | | | | | |
| *Ghʷ | wh | k | ʔ | kh | h | | ? |
| *χ | x | h | h | kh | h | h | k(h) |
| | | | | | | | |
| *ʔ | ʔ | ʔ ( / Xk) | ʔ | ʔ | 0 | 0 | |
| *ʔʷ | wh | ʔ | w | w | v / 0 | v / 0 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| *i | ij | i, e | i | i | i | | |
| *e | e | i, e | i | i | i | | |
| *ia | e | a, e | a(j) / i | ai | e, ai | | |
| *ɨ | ǝ | o, a, u, e | aw, ǝw | au/u, o | u | | |
| *ǝ | ǝ | a, o | a | a | a | | |
| *iǝ | ǝ | i, e | a(j) / i | ai | e, ai | | |
| *u | u | o / u | u / ǝw | au/u, o | u (/o) | | |
| *o | o | o / u | u / ǝw | u | u | | |
| *a | a | a, o | a | a | a | | |
| *iP | iP | iP | iP | aP | iP | | |
| *ep | eP | iP, eP, (aP) | jaP | eP, iP, aP | eP, iaP, iP | | |
| *iǝP | ǝP | iP, eP, (aP) | jaP | eP, iP, aP | eP, iaP, iP | | |
| *ǝP | ǝP | aP | aP | aP | aP | | |
| *aP | aP | aP | aP | aP | aP | | |
| *ɨP | ǝP | uP | uP | uP, oP | uP, oP | | |
| *ɨaP | aP | uP, oP | uP | uP | uaP, uP | | |
| *uaP | ǝP | oP, uP, aP | uP, (w)aP | oP, uP | (u)aP, oP | | |
| *uP | ǝP (um > uŋ) | uP, oP | uP | uP, oP | uP | | |
| *oP | aP (om > oŋ) | oP, uP, aP | uP, waP | oP | oP, uaP | | |
| *iT | iT | iT | aĆ, iT | iT, eT, aT | iT, eT, (iaT) | | |
| *eT | eT | (j)aT, eT | aĆ, iT | iT, eT, aT | iaT, aT, eT | | |
| *iǝT | ǝT | iT, eT | aĆ, iT | iT, eT | iT, eT | | |
| *ǝT | ǝT | aT, oT, (e) | aT, (ij) | aT, (i) | aT, (i) | | |
| *aT | aT | aT, oT, eT | aT, (ij) | aT, eT | aT, (ej) | | |
| *ɨT | ǝT | oT, eT | uT, (wij) | oT | oT, uT, ? iT | | |
| *ɨaT | aT | uT, oT | waT | aT | oT | | |
| *uaT | oT, PǝT | uT, aT | waT | uT, oT | uaT | | |
| *uT | uT | uT, oT, (ji) | uT, waT, (wij, ǝw) | uT, oT, (i) | uT, oT | | |
| *oT | oT | uT, oT | uT, waT, (wij) | oT, uT | uT, oT | | |
| *iK | iT | iK | aĆ | iK | iK (iT) | | |
| *eK | eK | iK | aĆ | iK | iK, eK | | |
| *iaK | eK | (j)aK/eK | (j)aK | iŋ/aŋ/eŋ,aK | (i)aŋ/iŋ, ik | | |
| *ɨK | ǝK | oŋ/aŋ,og/ug | auK/ǝuK | ɔK/uK | ɔŋ, uk | | |
| *ǝK | ǝK | aK | aK | aK | aK | | |
| *aK | aK | aK | aK | aK | aŋ/eŋ, ak/iak | | |
| *ɨaK | aK | oK / aK | auK/ǝuK | ɔK, uŋ | uŋ, ɔk | | |
| *uK | uK | oK / uK | auK/ǝuK/waK | uK | uK | | |
| *oK | oK | oK / uK | auK/ǝuK | uK | uK | | |
| *uaK | oK | oK / uK | auK/ǝuK | ɔK | ɔK, uaŋ | | |
NB.
1. Consonant correspondences with Lepcha (provisional) were provided by O. Mazo.
2. In the consonant system the main unknown factor is the one causing voice alternations in different subbranches - apparently a prefix (like *a-) which has itself been lost in the vast majority of cases.
3. The vocalic correspondences so far are very tentative. Although the general system was probably like the one outlined above, much more work in individual subbranches of Sino-Tibetan is needed to make the correspondences more precise. In particular, all languages reveal very frequent variation between the reflexes of high (*i, *u) and mid (*e, *o) vowels, so that many reconstructions are unsecure in this respect. The vocalic correspondences between Lepcha, Kiranti and the other languages so far were not yet dealt with.