The Split of Proto-Tai Voiced Stop Consonants in Nung of Trang Dinh District

<p>In most modern Tai varieties, Proto-Tai voiced stops are devoiced, and one Proto-Tai voiced stop is realized as one consonant. For example, Proto-Tai *b- is realized as p- or ph-. In Trang Dinh Nung, a variety of the Nung language in Trang Dinh district, Lang Son province, Vietnam, however, Proto-Tai voiced stops split into two consonants. For example, *b- splits into p- and ph-. This presentation is aimed at showing that this phenomenon in Trang Dinh Nung is related to tone.</p>