A contribution to the discussion on kinship terms in Vietnamese

This paper is an investigation of kinship terms in Vietnamese, including varieties used nation-wide and those preserved in dialects. With an approach based mainly on language databases, especially the Mon-Khmer Etymological Database, combined with cultural and historical knowledge, this study aims to discuss and provide additional evidence with respect to the development of the kinship term system in the Vietnamese language. Historical linguistic evidence supplemented by anthropological information supports the Austroasiatic origin of some terms designated after-ego generations. The study also proposes some hypotheses to explain the diversity of the female kinship terms among Vietnamese dialects, in which terms referring to mothers can be assumed less likely to be the consequence of any language contact and therefore unlikely to be borrowed. Meanwhile, the origin of terms referring to fathers cannot be determined with certainty, so further research should be done to investigate those terms