汉藏语系语言分类在很大程度上用的是语言类型学的标准, 但是语法类型的作用并没有被充分强调。本文以汉藏民族语言三类开放的实词类——名词、动词、形容词为语法单位, 从语言类型学、语料库语言学和语法化、语言接触等不同角度描述它们最基本的词法、句法类型。汉藏民族语言的语法类型大体可按语序分为使用OV语序的综合-粘着型语言(藏缅语), 和使用VO语序的分析-融合型语言(侗台语、苗瑶语)。由于汉藏语系内部存在形态类型和语序类型的巨大差异, 因此需要重新审视传统上认为虚词和语序是汉藏语系语言主要语法手段的说法, 以及汉藏语系语言历史分类的观点。

The languages in the Han- Tibet language family have been classified according to the criteria of linguistic typology, but in this effort the role of grammatical types has not been fully acknowledged. The author challenges the conventional understanding that function word and word order are the main grammatical means of Han - Tibet languages. He examines three open notional words, i. e., nouns, verbs and adjectives, and concludes that Han - Tibet languages fall under the following two grammatical types: the synthetic - cohesive language and the analytic - integrative language.