William Johnston

William Johnston

Postdoctoral researcher

Hmong Linguistics Resources

The resources collected here are intended to serve as a starting point for anyone interested in learning more about Hmong linguistics. Many more sources can be found via the links in the “Linguistic Research” and “Archives” sections below.

Grammars

All the grammars presented here are specific to either White Hmong or Green Mong. Given the high degree of grammatical similarity between the two dialects, much of the discussion in these books is likely applicable to both.

  • The most widely cited Hmong grammar is Eléments de grammaire hmong blanc by Jean Mottin. It’s a thorough sketch of White Hmong, developed in consultation with native speakers in Laos, and written by an author deeply familiar with the language. It is only available in French, but a reader with a working knowledge of French (or access to an online translator) may find it useful.

  • A description of White Hmong grammar can be found in Chapter 1 of Serial Verbs in White Hmong by Nerida Jarkey. The remainder of the book discusses serial verb constructions in Hmong (and is probably the most thorough resource available on the subject).

  • A description of Green Mong grammar is provided by David Mortensen in the collection The Mainland Southeast Asia Linguistic Area. (This book also contains similarly-detailed descriptions of twelve other languages.)

Dictionaries

  • Hmong Dictionary Online is a useful online dictionary compiled by James B. Xiong. It includes entries for both White Hmong and Green Mong, though definitions are provided in Hmong only. Requires a (free) account to access.

  • The White Hmong - English Dictionary compiled by Ernest E. Heimbach is quite useful (despite its age) and provides definitions in English.

  • For Green Mong, the English-Mong-English dictionary (Phoo txhais lug Aakiv-Moob-Aakiv) compiled by Lang Xiong, Joua Xiong, and Nao Leng Xiong may be a good print resource (though I have not used this myself).

Linguistic research

  • I maintain an in-progress annotated bibliography of papers on Hmong syntax and semantics that I have read over the course of my research. This is relatively small, but growing.

  • A much broader collection of linguistic research (including sources on phonetics and phonology, sociolinguistics, and historical linguistics) can be found at the Oxford Bibliographies page on Hmong-Mien languages, written and maintained by David Mortensen. (pdf)

Archives