A Database of Person Marking in South-Central Trans-Himalayan

This paper introduces the PMST (Person Marking in South-Central Trans-Himalayan) database, a structured collection of datasets on person marking in the South-Central branch of Trans-Himalayan. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the design principles of PMST and the reasoning behind them. It also contributes to the field of comparative studies more broadly by documenting a modular database. The first release of PMST covers eight South-Central languages. For each language, the database includes paradigms for intransitive and transitive verbs across four tense–polarity configurations (non-future/future × affirmative/negative) and pronouns. Special attention is given to variation within languages. We provide an overview of the procedures for data collection, validation, and standardization. Data are drawn from fieldwork, published and unpublished sources, and consultation with language experts. All forms are normalized into a standardized version of the IPA, and variation is explicitly retained through a system of tags. Each language is curated as an independent set following the Paralex standard. We also outline two use cases demonstrating how the database supports descriptive, comparative, and microtypological analyses of person marking patterns.