The Most Similar Languages to Hmong

The Hmong language, part of the Hmong-Mien language family, is spoken by millions of people, particularly in China, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. However, the language is extremely unique. Still, three of the five most similar languages to it are part of the Austronesian language family. According to the eLinguistics.net analysis using specific software modules to assess linguistic relationships, the five languages most similar to Hmong are Sundanese, Javanese, Japanese, Mongolian, and Malagasy.

1. Sundanese (22.4)
   Sundanese, spoken primarily in western Java, Indonesia, belongs to the Austronesian language family. Despite their distinct origins, Sundanese and Hmong share some phonetic similarities. Migration patterns and trade interactions between Southeast Asia and mainland Asia may have contributed to minor lexical influences between them.
2. Javanese (16.6)
   Like Sundanese, Javanese is an Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia. It has some similarities with Hmong in its use of tonal variations to distinguish meaning. Again, historical interactions and migration across Southeast Asia likely facilitated some minor phonetic overlaps.
3. Japanese (16.1)
   Although Japanese is not directly related to Hmong, there are some phonological similarities. The distant but potential Austroasiatic influence on Japanese through ancient migration theories might explain some of these resemblances.
4. Mongolian (15.9)
   Mongolian shares some distant similarities with Hmong. This does not come as a surprise given that the Hmong tribe originated in Mongolia. Therefore, ancient interactions between Mongolic and Hmong-speaking peoples may have led to some subtle linguistic exchanges.
5. Malagasy (14.4)
   Malagasy is yet another Austronesian language on this list. It is spoken in Madagascar, so it might seem like an unexpected inclusion, as it is the only language on this list not primarily spoken in Asia. The speakers of Austronesian languages traveled across the Indian Ocean.

(to be considered for the list, the language must be spoken by at least one million people)