Smith (2017)[1] uses the term Central Sarawak, and puts it as an independent branch within the
Greater North Borneo subgroup. He classifies the languages as follows.
Kaufman (2018) notes that many Proto-Central Sarawak words (Smith 2017) are of likely
Austroasiatic origin, including the following (Note: The Austroasiatic branch reconstructions are from
Paul Sidwell's reconstructions; Proto-Pearic is from Headley (1985)[2]).[3]
Proto-Kajang words of likely Austroasiatic origin:
*diə̯k ‘chicken’ (cf. Proto-Pearic *hlɛːk)
*(u)bəl ‘mute’ (cf. Proto-Bahnaric *kmlɔː)
Proto-Müller-Schwaner words of likely Austroasiatic origin:
*ənap ‘fish scale’
References
^Smith, Alexander. 2017. The Languages of Borneo: A Comprehensive Classification. PhD Dissertation: University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
^Headley, Robert K. 1985. "
Proto-Pearic and the classification of Pearic." In Suriya Ratanakult et al. (eds.), Southeast Asian Linguistic Studies Presented to Andre-G. Haudricourt. Institute of Language and Culture for Rural Development, Mahidol University. pp. 428-478.
^Kaufman, Daniel. 2018. Between mainland and island Southeast Asia: Evidence for a Mon-Khmer presence in Borneo. Ronald and Janette Gatty Lecture Series. Kahin Center for Advanced Research on Southeast Asia, Cornell University. (
handout /
slides)