Moken as a Mainland Southeast Asian language

The Moken language shows phonological characteristics strikingly similar to other mainland SEA languages but absent from insular AN. While previous researchers (particularly Larish 1999) have recognized the importance of Mainland SEA languages, especially Mon-Khmer influence in the diachronic development of Moken, in many cases the exact processes by which these developments took place have not been systematically explored. Larish (1999) hypothesizes that Moken may have adopted word-final stress under MK influence, triggering a complete typological shift. I argue that attributing the mainland features found in Moken to Mon-Khmer influence is too hasty and that the stress shift is not necessarily responsible for the drastic typological shift.