the four-way contrast of Aheu augmented with pitch. Maleng (Bo, Pakatan): Tones as in Ruc-Sach. Pong, Hung, Tum, Khong-Kheng Việt–Mường: Vietnamese and Mường. These two dialect chains share 75% of their basic vocabulary, and have similar systems of 5–6 contour tones. These are regular reflexes of other Vietic languages: The three low and three high tones correspond to voiced and voiceless initial consonants in the ancestral language; these then split depending on the original final consonants: Level tones correspond to open syllables or final nasal consonants; high rising and low falling tones correspond to final stops, which have since disappeared; dipping tones to final fricatives, which have also disappeared; and glottalized tones to final glottalized consonants, which have deglottalized. Classification Sidwell & Alves (2021) Sidwell & Alves (2021) propose the following classification of the Vietic languages, which was first proposed in Sidwell (2021). Below, the most divergent (basal) branches listed first. Vietic is split into two primary branches, Western (corresponding to the Thavung–Malieng branch) and Eastern (all of the non-Thavung–Malieng languages). Thavung–Malieng (Western Vietic): Kri, Maleng, Malieng; Ahao/Ahlao, Thavung Eastern Vietic Chut: Arem; Sach, Ruc, May Phong–Liha (Pong–Toum): Phong, Toum, Liha Cuoi–Tho: Cuoi, Tho Viet–Muong: Vietnamese, Muong, Nguon The Thavung-Malieng group retains the most archaic lexicon and phonological features, while the Chut group merges *-r and *-l finals to *-l with the northern languages. Sidwell & Alves (2021) propose that the Vietic languages had dispersed from the Red River Delta, based on evidence from loanwords from early Sinitic and extensive Tai-Vietic contact possibly dating back to the Dong Son period. Chamberlain (2018) Chamberlain (2018:9) uses the term Kri-Mol to refer to the Vietic languages, and considers there to be two primary splits, namely Mol-Toum and Nrong-Theun. Chamberlain (2018:12) provides the following phylogenetic classification for the Vietic languages. Kri-Mol Mol-Toum Việt-Mường Vietnamese Mường, Nguồn Toum-Ruc Toum, Phong, Liha Ruc, Cheut, May, Sach, Malieng Nrong-Theun Kri-Phoong Kri, Phoong Mlengbrou Ahlao-Atel Ahoe-Ahlao Ahoe Ahlao, Ahao Atel-Maleng Thémarou Atel, Atop, (Makang), Arao, Maleng, Malang, To-e (Pakatan) Sidwell (2015) Based on comparative studies by Ferlus (1982, 1992, 1997, 2001) and new studies in Muong languages by Phan (2012), Sidwell (2015) pointed out that Muong is a paraphyletic taxon and subgroups with Vietnamese. Sidwell's (2015) proposed internal classification for the Vietic languages is as follows. Vietic Viet-Muong: Vietnamese, Mường Muốt, Mường Nàbái, Mường Chỏi, etc. Pong-Toum: Đan Lai, Hung, Toum, Cuôi, etc. Chut East: Mãliềng, Maleng,