Which Tibeto-Burman languages have complex verb agreement systems?

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Within the Tibeto-Burman language family, complex verb agreement systems—where the person and number of the subject and/or object are marked on the verb—are primarily found in what are known as pronominalized languages.

Notable examples include:

  • Jingpo: This language exhibits conjugation patterns that reflect the person and number of the subject, such as in the variations for "I will go," "you will go," and "he will go."1
  • Kiranti group: Located in eastern Nepal, these languages feature agreement systems that can rival the complexity of those found in the Algonquian language family, incorporating distinctions such as first- and second-person inclusive and exclusive, as well as dual number.1

While these systems are highly intricate, it remains a subject of linguistic debate whether they were present in Proto-Tibeto-Burman or if they developed independently across different branches of the family.1