Shompen Language - Classification

Classification

Although traditionally lumped in with the Nicobarese languages, which form a branch of the Austroasiatic (Mon–Khmer) language family, there was little evidence to support this assumption during the 20th century. Man (1886) notes that there are very few Shompen words which "bear any resemblance" to Nicobarese, and also that "in most instances" words differ between the two Shompen groups he worked with. For example, the word for "back (of the body)" is given as gikau, tamnōi, and hokōa in different sources; "to bathe" as pu(g)oihoɔp and hōhōm; and "head" as koi and fiāu. In some of these cases, this may be a matter of borrowed versus native vocabulary, as koi appears to be Nicobarese, but it also suggests that Shompen may not be a single language.

Based on the 1997 data, however, van Driem concluded that Shompen was a Nicobarese language.

Blench and Sidwell note many cognates with both Nicobarese and with North Aslian in the 2003 data, including many words found only in Nicobarese or only in North Aslian (or sometimes North and Central Aslian), and also note that Shompen shares historical phonological developments with North Aslian. Given the likelihood of borrowing from Nicobarese, this suggests that Shompen may be a North Aslian or at least Aslian language, or perhaps is a third branch of a Southern Mon–Khmer family alongside Aslian and Nicobarese.