A phonological and lexical profile of Sastod

Abstract Sastod is a previously undescribed form of Tibetic located in the far-western corner of Khrochu County in northern Sichuan. This first publication on the language features a detailed treatment of the Sastod sound system and its evolution, drawing on primary fieldwork data. The special phonological and lexical traits of Sastod presented here bear out its distinct identity from the regionally dominant Amdo language. The diagnostic Sastod sound changes shared across varieties of Khrochu Tibetan further reveal Sastod’s close affinity with its Tibetic neighbors inside the county.