The Southeastern Loloish languages, also known as Southeastern Ngwi, are a branch of the Loloish languages. In Lama's (2012) classification, it is called Axi-Puoid, which forms the Nisoish branch together with the Nisoid (Nisu–Lope) (Northern Loloish) languages.

Languages

Southeastern Yi is one of the six Yi languages (fangyan 方言) officially recognized by the Chinese government. Sani 撒尼 is the officially recognized literary standard for Southeastern Yi. Pelkey (2011) considers Southern Yi (Nisu 尼苏) to be another officially recognized Yi fangyan 方言 that belongs to Southeastern Loloish.

Pelkey (2011)

Jamin Pelkey (2011) lists the following languages in Southeastern Ngwi (Southeastern Loloish). Four branches of Southeastern Loloish are recognized, namely Nisu, Sani–Azha, Highland Phula, and Riverine Phula.

Pelkey (2011b) contains a comparative word list of Phola (Upriver Phula), Phuza (Downriver Phula), Muji (Highland Phula), Phowa (Highland Phula), and Azha.

Bradley (2007) had classified Sani, Axi, Azhe, and Azha as forming a Southeastern Central subgroup of Central Loloish, but Pelkey (2011) reclassified them as Southeastern Loloish rather than Central Loloish languages.

Also, Pelkey (2011) notes that Southeastern Ngwi may be most closely related to Northern Ngwi (including Nosu and Nasu), which is in line with Lama's (2012) proposal of a Nisoish clade.

Other languages

Pelkey (2011:353) specifically excludes Pholo, noting that although it has been closely associated with speakers of Southeastern Ngwi languages historically, it does not share the defining features of the branch.

Pelkey (2011) classifies Nyisu of Shilin County as belonging to the Nisu language cluster, but notes that this classification is in need of further formal evidence. Bradley (2007), however, classifies Nyisu of Kunming as being most closely related to Suondi Yi. It is not known whether Nyisu of Kunming and Nyisu of Shilin County are related or not.

Ethnologue classifies Ache as a Southeastern Loloish language. However, Ache has not been analyzed in classifications of Southeastern Loloish by Pelkey (2011) and Lama (2012), and hence remains unclassified within the Southeastern Loloish branch.

Pelkey (2011:431) suggests that the Xiqi, Ati, and Long languages of Huaning County may be Southeastern Loloish languages.

It is uncertain if Zhayipo 扎依颇 (dza21ʑi21pʰo21) of Mile County is a Southeastern Loloish language or not.

Glottolog and ISO 639 (2007) also add the "Nisi (China)" language (code: yso), previously named "Southeastern Lolo Yi", and still unclassified within branches of Southeastern Loloish.

Innovations

Pelkey (2011:356-365) lists the following four mergers from Proto-Ngwi as Southeastern Ngwi innovations.

  1. Proto-Ngwi *ʔ-k and *ʔ-ɡl > Proto-Southeastern Ngwi *tɬ (modern reflexes: tɬ, kɬ, k, t, ɬ, etc. in words such as to load)
  2. Proto-Ngwi *pl/pj and *ʔ-kl > Proto-Southeastern Ngwi *tɬʰ (modern reflexes: tɬʰ, kɬʰ, kʰ, tʰ, ɬ, etc. in words such as bee, taro, destroy, change, excrement)
  3. Proto-Ngwi *bl/bj and *ɡl > Proto-Southeastern Ngwi *dɮ (modern reflexes: dɮ, ɡɮ, ɡ, d, etc. in words such as silver, face, pus, full, to fly, lightning, four)
  4. Proto-Ngwi *m-pl/m-plj and *m-bl/m-blj > Proto-Southeastern Ngwi *ndɮ (modern reflexes: ndɮ, ŋɡɮ, nd, etc.)

Another Southeastern Ngwi lexical innovation is that of ‘bat’, which is compounded from *b-yam¹ (‘to fly’) and *wa² (‘person’), literally meaning ‘flyer’ (Pelkey 2011:375).

Chen (1985)

Chen, et al. (1985) also recognizes a similar group called Southeastern Yi (彝语东南部方言), which includes the following dialects.

  • Yiliang 宜良土语: spoken in Yiliang (including the Shilin border area), Qiubei, Luxi, Mile, and Luliang counties
  • Mile 弥勒土语: spoken in Mile, Huaning, Kunming, Luxi, and Yiliang counties
  • Huami 华弥土语 (Huaning-Mile): spoken in Mile, Huaning, and Jianshui counties
  • Wenxi 文西土语 (Wenshan-Xichou): spoken in Wenshan, Xichou, Yanshan, Malipo, Maguan, Funing, Guangnan, and Qiubei counties. Internal variation is greatest within the Wenxi lect.

Chen (2010)

In Chen (2010), Southeastern Loloish called Nesu (聂苏方言). Also listed are the counties where each respective dialect is spoken.

  • Nesu 聂苏方言 Nesu, Nièsū 聂苏次方言 Nesu, Nièsū 聂苏 (ne̠33su55): 500,000 speakers in Honghe, Mojiang, Yuanjiang, Yuanyang, Luchun, Jiangcheng, Jinping, Hekou, Pu'er, Jinghong, Mengla, etc. Narsu, Nuósū 娜苏 (na33su55): 500,000 speakers in Shiping, Eshan, Tonghai, Jianshui, Kaiyuan, Gejiu, Mengzi, Pingbian, etc. Zoko, Zuòkuò 作括 (dzo21kʰo44): 100,000 speakers in Wenshan, Yanshan, Xichou, Maguan, Malipo, etc. Sani, Sǎní 撒尼次方言 Sani, Sǎní 撒尼 (nɪ21): 200,000 speakers in Lunan, Yiliang, Luliang, Mile, Luxi, Shizong, Malong, Luquan, Qiubei, etc. Asi, Āxì 阿细 (a21ɕi55pʰo21): 200,000 speakers in Mile, Lunan, Chengjiang, Kunming, Huaning, etc. Nise, Nísài 尼赛 (ni55sɛ21pʰu55): 100,000 speakers in Lunan Azi, Āzhé 阿哲次方言 Azi, Āzhé 阿哲 (a21dʐɛ̠21pʰo21): 100,000 speakers in Mile, Huaning, Kaiyuan, Jianshui, etc. Neshu, Nièshū 聂舒: (nɪ̠33ʂu55pʰo21): 500,000 speakers in Xinping, Yuxi, Jiangchuan, Yimen, Puning, etc. Lopo, Luópō 罗泼 (lo21pʰɯ21): 100,000 speakers in Mile Kopo, Gépō 格泼 (ko55pʰo21): 100,000 speakers in Fuyuan, Luoping, Zhanyi, Qujing, Shizong, Huize, Lunan, Luliang, Mile, etc. Sanni, Sāngní 桑尼 (ʂɛ21ni51): 100,000 speakers in Kunming

Demographics

The following demographics of Southeastern Loloish languages are from Pelkey (2011).

Demographics of Phula languages
LanguageAutonym(s)SpeakersEthnic populationVillagesDialectsISO-639
Phalapʰa31la33/pʰa31la5512,00013,000335+ypa
Pholapʰo31la5513,00013,000427+ypg
Alo Pholapʰo31la5550050011ypo
Qila Mujim̩13dʑi331,5001,50033ymq
Southern Mujim̩13dʑi3326,00028,0001046+ymc
Northern Mujimɯ21dʑi339,00015,000613+ymx
Muzim̩13dzɨ3310,00016,000425+ymz
Bokhapo21kʰo5510,00012,000313+ybk
Phumapʰɯ55ma218,0008,000232ypm
Alugua55lɯ33gɯ33χa213,5003,500112aub
Phupapʰɯ33pa213,0004,000133ypp
Phuphapʰɯ55pʰa331,3001,50053yph
Phuzapʰɯ55za316,0008,000282+ypz
Ani Phowapʰo21 va3310,00010,000303+ypn
Labo Phowapʰo21va3317,00021,00070Dialect chainypb
Hlepho Phowapʰo21va3336,00050,000187Dialect chainyhl
Azhaa33tsa21, a55tʂa3353,00054,000985+aza
Zokhuotso21kʰuo5513,00017,000562yzk
Khlulakɬʰu21la3321,00034,0001143+ykl
Moji2,0007,000452+ymi
Phukha10,00014,00041?Unknownphh
Laghuula21ɣɯ445001,5007Unknownlgh
Pholopʰo55lo5530,00034,0001123+yip
Thophotʰo21pʰo3320050021ytp

The following datapoints (i.e., sample locations) for Phula languages are from Pelkey (2011:26-27).

Datapoints for Phula languages (Pelkey 2011)
LanguageCountyTownshipVillageDatapoint Code
AluguGejiuManhao 蔓耗镇Chongtianling 冲天岭CTL
AzhaYanshan CountyGanhe 干河彝族乡Faduke Dazhai 法都可大寨 ("Dafa 大法")DFC
AzhaWenshan CountyDongshan 东山彝族乡Huangzhai 荒寨HZC
AzhaWenshan CountyBinglie 秉烈彝族乡Luojiayi 倮家邑LJY
AzhaWenshan CountyBinglie 秉烈彝族乡Xiaopingba 小平坝XPB
BokhaPingbian CountyDishuiceng 滴水层乡Yibaizu 邑佰租YBZ
BokhoJinping CountyMa'andi 马鞍底乡Dixibei 地西北DXB
KhlulaWenshan CountyLiujing 柳井彝族乡Laozhai 老寨LZC
KhlulaMaguan CountyMuchang 木厂镇Maxi 马西MXC
MujiPingbian CountyXinxian 新现乡Luoshuidong 落水洞LSD
MujiJinping CountyAdibo 阿德博乡Pujiazhai 普家寨PJZ
MujiJinping CountyJinshuihe 金水河镇Qila 期腊QLC
MujiMengzi CountyShuitian 水田乡Xiepo 斜坡XPC
MuziGejiuLaochang 老厂镇Malutang 马鹿塘MLT
MuziGejiuKafang 卡房镇Nuoguzhai 糯谷寨NGZ
MuziJinping CountyTongchang 铜厂乡Shizitou 狮子头SZT
PhalaHonghe CountyBaohua 宝华乡Beishe 碑赊BSC
PhalaHonghe CountyYisa 迤萨镇Feinishao 斐尼哨FNS
PholaHonghe CountyMenglong 勐龙傣族乡Adipo 阿底坡ADP
PholaYuanjiang CountyWadie 洼垤乡Luodie 罗垤LDC
PholaYuanjiang CountyLijiang 澧江镇Natang 那塘NTC
PholeWenshan CountyDehou 德厚镇Chekabai 扯卡白CKB
PholoGuangnan CountyWuzhu 五珠乡Fayi Xiazhai 法衣下寨FYX
PholoYanshan CountyGanhe 干河彝族乡Shangxinzhai 上新寨SXZ
PholoGuangnan CountyZhulin 珠琳镇Xiji 西吉XJC
PhowaPingbian CountyXinhua 新华乡Feizuke 菲租克FZK
PhowaKaiyuan CountyBeige 碑格乡Jiaji 架吉JJC
PhowaMengzi CountyMingjiu 鸣鹫镇Meizichong 梅子冲MZC
PhowaMengzi CountyBeige 碑格乡Weibazhu Xiaozhai 尾巴猪小寨WBZ
PhowaKaiyuan CountyMazheshao 马者哨乡Wudupi 乌都皮WDP
PhowaMengzi CountyXibeile 西北勒乡Daheineng 大黑能DHN
PhowaKaiyuan CountyBeige 碑格乡Lugumu 鲁姑母LGM
PhowaWenshan CountyBaxin 坝心彝族乡Suozhiwan 所支弯SZW
PhowaMengzi CountyXibeile 西北勒乡Xibeile 西北勒XBL
PhumaPingbian CountyBaihe 白河乡Yanzitou 岩子头YZT
PhupaMengzi CountyShuitian 水田乡Gamadi 嘎马底GMD
PhuphaGejiuJiasha 贾沙乡Fengkou 风口FKC
PhuzaMengzi CountyLengquan 冷泉镇Bujibai 补鸡白BJB
ThophoGuangnan CountyZhetu 者兔乡Xinzhaicun 新寨村XZC
ZokhuoWenshan CountyZhuiligai 追栗街镇Daxingzhai 大兴寨DXZ
MojiXichou CountyLianhuatang 莲花塘乡Luchaichong 芦差冲LCC

Bibliography

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