Hainan Cham and the Chamic noun classifiers: New data on an old system

Abstract

A comparison of the Hainan Cham classifiers with the systems in the other Chamic languages makes it clear that the various noun class system are not just typologically similar but are of common descent, dating from proto-Chamic.This paper sketches the noun classifier system of Hainan Cham, compares it with the known cognate systems in the Chamic languages, and speculates briefly on the likelihood that the Chamic noun class system developed under Mon-Khmer influence.