Serbi–Mongolic languages

Serbi–Mongolic^{[note 1]} is a proposed group of languages that includes the Mongolic languages as well as the Para-Mongolic languages, a proposed extinct sister branch of the Mongolic languages.^[1]

Serbi–Mongolic
Xianbei–Mongolic Mongolic–Khitan
(tentative)
Geographic distribution	Mongolia, northern China, Lake Baikal region
Linguistic classification	proposed language family
Subdivisions	Mongolic Para-Mongolic †
Language codes
Glottolog	mong1349

Names

Serbi (*serbi) is Shimunek's reconstruction for the historical ethnonym Xianbei (鮮卑).^[1]

In Glottolog 4.4, the languages are referred to as Mongolic–Khitan.^[2]

Languages

Below is a preliminary classification of the Serbi–Mongolic languages in Shimunek (2017:35):^[1]

• Serbi–Mongolic
  • Mongolic^[3][4]
    • Central Mongolic languages
      • Eastern Central Mongolic
        • Khalkha Mongolian
        • Khorchin Mongolian
        • Chakhar Mongolian
      • Oirat
        • Kalmyk
      • Ordos Mongolian
    • Southern Mongolic languages
      • Shirongolic
        • Mongour
        • Dongxiang
        • Bonan
        • Santa
        • Kangjia
      • Shira Yugur
    • Daur
    • Moghol
  • Serbi–Awar (= Juha Janhunen's "Para-Mongolic"^[5])
    • Awar (Avar) (Wuhuan 烏桓 or Wuwan 烏丸)
    • Old Serbi (Common Serbi)
      • Ch’i-fu/Qifu 乞伏 (northern Early Middle Chinese/NEMC *kʰɨrbuwk)
      • Tuan/Duan 段 (NEMC *dɔr̃)
      • Tabghach
      • Tuyuhun/T’u-yü-hun (Mu-jung/Murong 慕容)
      • Kitanic (Yü-wen/Yuwen 宇文)
        • Old Kitan
        • Qay 奚 (NEMC *ɣay)
        • Shirwi proper 室韋 (*širwi/*širβi < *serbi 鮮卑 'Xianbei')

Sound changes

Phonological innovations from Common Serbi–Mongolic (i.e., Proto-Serbi–Mongolic) to Proto-Mongolic and Proto-Serbi are (Shimunek 2017:415):^[1]

Proto-Mongolic innovations	Proto-Serbi innovations
*p > *h	*ɔ > *a / _C[dorsal]
*#ñ > *#n	*ze > *ži
*Vñ# > *Vi#	*se > *ši
*z > *s	*VbV > *Vw(V)
*wə > *ə	*wə > *ɔ

See also

• Xianbei

Notes

1. also known as Mongolic–Khitan, Mongolo-Khitanic, Khitano-Mongolic and Macro-Mongolic