Austroasiatic languages

Austroasiatic is a language family of South and Southeast Asia that includes Vietnamese, Khmer, and the Munda languages of eastern India.

Vietic languages: A branch of Austroasiatic that includes Vietnamese and several smaller languages of Vietnam and Laos. Vietnamese belongs to this branch, which anchors Austroasiatic’s eastern mainland range.
Proto-Austroasiatic: The reconstructed common ancestor of the Austroasiatic languages. Comparative reconstruction identifies shared features from which the family’s branches developed.
Comparative method: A method for reconstructing ancestral languages by comparing systematic similarities among related languages. It underlies the reconstruction of Proto-Austroasiatic and the family’s internal relationships.
Vietnamese language: The national language of Vietnam and the largest language in the Vietic branch. Vietnamese is the family’s most widely spoken language and a major national language.
Khasic languages: Austroasiatic languages spoken chiefly in Meghalaya and nearby parts of India and Bangladesh. They form a distinct northeastern Indian branch between Munda and Southeast Asian Austroasiatic languages.
Mekong River: A major river flowing through China, mainland Southeast Asia, and Vietnam. Some homeland proposals place early Austroasiatic speakers near the Mekong basin.
Monosyllabic languages: Languages in which words generally consist of a single syllable. Many Austroasiatic languages have substantial multisyllabic vocabulary, unlike common stereotypes of Southeast Asian languages.
Khmer language: The national language of Cambodia and the largest language in the Khmeric branch. Khmer is a major state language whose speakers form a large Austroasiatic community.
Munda languages: A branch of Austroasiatic spoken mainly in eastern and central India, including Santali and Mundari. Munda is the family’s major South Asian branch, geographically separated from most other members.
Neolithic Revolution: The transition in many societies from foraging toward farming and settled life. Proposals linking Austroasiatic dispersal with early farming remain central to debates over its origins.

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