Bisu language

Bisu (Chinese: 毕苏语) is a Loloish language of Thailand, with a couple thousand speakers in China. Varieties are Bisu proper (Mbisu) and Laomian (Guba), considered by Pelkey to be distinct languages.

The Laomian are classified within the Lahu ethnic group; the Lahu proper call them the "Lawmeh".

Distribution

According to Bisuyu Yanjiu 毕苏语研究 (2002), there are over 5,000 Bisu speakers in Yunnan, China, and a total of nearly 10,000 Bisu speakers in all countries combined. Within Yunnan, it is spoken mostly in Pu'er Prefecture, as well as neighboring parts of Xishuangbanna.

Lancang County 澜沧县 Zhutang 竹塘乡 Dazhai 大寨, Laomian 老面 (see Laomian language) Laba 拉巴乡 Donglang 东朗乡 Fubang 富邦乡
Menghai County 勐海县 Mengzhe 勐遮乡 Laopinzhai 老品寨 (see Laopin language)
Ximeng County 西盟县 Lisuo 力锁乡
Menglian County 孟连县 Nanya 南雅乡

In Thailand, two dialects of Bisu are spoken in the following villages of Phan District, Chiang Rai Province (Bisuyu Yanjiu 2002:152).

Dialect 1: Huai Chomphu village (also called Ban Huaisan) and Doi Pui village
Dialect 2: Phadaeng village

Another variety of Bisu differing from the Phayao variety is spoken in Takɔ (Ban Thako), Mae Suai District, Chiang Rai Province.

In Laos, Bisu (pi33su44; also called Lao-Phai) is spoken in Phudokcham village, Phongxaly District. In Myanmar, Bisu is spoken in three or two villages of Shan State, and Bisu speakers live alongside Pyen speakers

Orthography

In Thailand, the Bisu language is written with the Thai script.

Consonants

Consonants
	Labial	Coronal	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
plain	sibilant
Plosive/ Affricate	unaspirated	p ⟨p, ป⟩	t ⟨t, ต⟩	ts ⟨c, จฺ⟩	t͡ɕ~t͡ʃ ⟨č, จ⟩	k ⟨k, ก⟩	ʔ ⟨-, อ⟩
aspirated	pʰ ⟨ph, พ⟩	tʰ ⟨th, ท⟩	tsʰ ⟨ch, ชฺ⟩	t͡ɕʰ~t͡ʃʰ ⟨čh, ช⟩	kʰ ⟨kh, ค⟩
voiced	b ⟨b, บ⟩	d ⟨d, ด⟩			g ⟨g, กง⟩
Fricative	f ⟨f, ฟ⟩		s ⟨s, ซ⟩	ʃ ⟨š, ซฺ⟩		h ⟨h, ฮ⟩
Nasal	plain	m ⟨m, ม⟩	n ⟨n, น⟩		ɲ ⟨ñ, ญ⟩	ŋ ⟨ŋ, ง⟩
preaspirated	m̥ ⟨hm, ฮม⟩	n̥ ⟨hn, ฮน⟩		ɲ̊ ⟨hñ, ฮญ⟩	ŋ̊ ⟨hŋ, ฮง⟩
Approximant	plain	w ⟨w, ว⟩	l ⟨l, ล⟩		j ⟨y, ย⟩
preaspirated		l̥ ⟨hl, ฮล⟩		j̊ ⟨hy, ฮย⟩

Vowels

There is no different meaning between long and short vowels. However, check syllables may sound shorter than non-checked ones when speaking. Thai standard uses only long vowels.

-า – a – [a]
-ี – i – [i]
-ือ/-ื – ɨ – [ɨ~ʉ]
-ู – u – [u]
เ- – e – [e]
แ- – ɛ – [ɛ~æ]
โ- – o – [o]
-อ – ɔ – [ɔ]
เ-อ/เ-ิ – ə – [ə]
เ-ีย – ia – [ia]

Tones

– – no mark – mid
-่ – grave accent – low
-้ – acute accent – high

Bradley, David (2007). "Language Endangerment in China and Mainland Southeast Asia". In Brenzinger, Matthias (ed.). Language Diversity Endangered. New York: Mouton de Gruyte.