A subgrouping of the Sino-Tibetan languages: the interaction between language contact, change, and inheritance / Graham Thurgood -- Overview of Sino-Tibetan morphosyntax / Randy J. LaPolla -- Word order in Sino-Tibetan languages from a typological and geographical perspective / Matthew S. Dryer -- A sketch of late Zhou Chinese grammar / Derek Herforth -- The Chinese dialects: phonology / Jerry Norman -- Chinese dialects: grammar / Anne O. Yue -- The characteristics of Mandarin dialects / Dah-an Ho -- Shanghai / Eric Zee and Liejiong Xu -- Cantonese / Robert S. Bauer and Stephen Matthews -- Chinese writing / Mark Hansell -- The Tibeto-Burman languages of Northeastern India / Robbins Burling -- Burmese / Julian K. Wheatley -- Lahu / James A. Matisoff -- Lisu / David Bradley -- Akha / Inga-Lill Hansson -- Classical Tibetan / Scott DeLancey -- Lhasa Tibetan / Scott DeLancey -- Tamang / Martine Mazaudon -- Chantyal / Michael Noonan -- Nar-Phu / Michael Noonan -- Dolakh?a New?ar / Carol Genetti -- Kathmandu Newar )Nep?al Bh?aط│عa( / David Hargreaves -- Garo / Robbins Burling -- Jinghpo / Dai Qingxia and Lon Diehl -- Hakha Lai / David A. Peterson -- Meithei / Shobhana L. Chelliah -- Tshangla / Erik Andvik -- Tani languages / Jackson T.-S. Sun -- Cogtse Gyarong / Yasuhiko Nagano -- Caodeng rGyalrong / Jackson T.-S. Sun -- Kiranti languages: an overview / Karen H. Ebert -- Hayu / Boyd Michailovsky -- Camling / Karen H. Ebert -- Belhare / Balthasar Bickel -- Qiang / Randy J. LaPolla -- Prinmi / Picus Sizhi Ding -- Tangut / Gong Hwang-Cherng -- Eastern Kayah Li / David Solnit -- Pwo Karen / Atsuhiko Kato -- Yunnan Bai / Grace Wiersma -- Dulong / Randy J. LaPolla -- Kham / David E. Watters -- Lepcha / Heleen Plaisier