The Bahengic (Pahungic) languages are a divergent branch of the
Miao (Hmongic) languages. Speakers are among the ethnic ''Bunu'': Miao-speaking
Yao people
The Yao people (its majority branch is also known as Mien; ; vi, người Dao) is a government classification for various minorities in China and Vietnam. They are one of the 55 officially recognised ethnic minorities in China and reside in ...
of China.
Pa-Hng (Baheng) has long been recognized as a divergent language. Benedict (1986) argued that one of its dialects constituted a separate branch of the Miao–Yao family, and Ratliff (2010) found it to be the most divergent Hmongic language that she analyzed.
[Ratliff, Martha. 2010. ''Hmong–Mien language history''. Canberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics.] Mao & Li (1997) determined that two poorly known languages are closely related to Pa-Hng, though none are mutually intelligible:
[毛宗武, 李云兵 / Mao Zongwu, Li Yunbing. 1997. 巴哼语研究 / Baheng yu yan jiu (A Study of Baheng a-Hng. Shanghai: 上海远东出版社 / Shanghai yuan dong chu ban she.]
;Bahengic
*?
Yuno (Younuo)
*Baheng–Wunai
**
Hm-Nai (Wunai)
**
Pa-Hng (Baheng)
Yuno has also been classified as
Sheic.
References
Hmongic languages
Languages of China
Languages of Thailand
{{HmongMien-lang-stub