Bisu | |
---|---|
Native to | Thailand, China |
Ethnicity | 700 in Thailand (2007)[1] |
Native speakers | 240 in China (2005)[1] |
Thai script, Latin script | |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | bzi |
Glottolog | bisu1244 |
ELP | Bisu |
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".[2]
Distribution
[edit]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[3] (see Laomian language)
- Laba 拉巴乡
- Donglang 东朗乡
- Fubang 富邦乡
- Zhutang 竹塘乡
- Menghai County 勐海县
- Mengzhe 勐遮乡
- Laopinzhai 老品寨[4] (see Laopin language)
- Mengzhe 勐遮乡
- 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 (pi33 su44; also called Lao-Phai) is spoken in Phudokcham village, Phongxaly District.[5] In Myanmar, Bisu is spoken in three or two villages of Shan State, and Bisu speakers live alongside Pyen speakers
Orthography
[edit]In Thailand, the Bisu language is written with the Thai script.
Consonants
[edit]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
[edit]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][6][7]
Tones
[edit]- – – no mark – mid
- -่ – grave accent – low
- -้ – acute accent – high
References
[edit]- ^ a b Bisu at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013)
- ^ Bradley (2007)
- ^ "Láncāng Lāhùzú Zìzhìxiàn Zhútáng Xiāng Lǎotànshān Lǎomiǎnzhài" 澜沧拉祜族自治县竹塘乡老炭山老缅寨 [Laomianzhai, Laotanshan, Zhutang Township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County]. ynszxc.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2013-03-02.
- ^ "Měnghǎi Xiàn Měngzhē Zhèn Mànhóng Cūnwěihuì Lǎopǐn Zìráncūn" 勐海县勐遮镇曼洪村委会老品自然村 [Laopin Natural Village, Manhong Village Committee, Mengzhe Town, Menghai County]. ynszxc.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2013-03-02.
- ^ Kingsadā, Thō̜ngphet; Shintani, Tadahiko (1999). Basic Vocabularies of the Languages Spoken in Phongxaly, Lao P.D.R. Tokyo: Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA).
- ^ a b "Bisu". Omniglot. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05.
- ^ a b สำนักงานราชบัณฑิตยสภา. คู่มือระบบเขียนภาษาบีซูอักษรไทย ฉบับราชบัณฑิตยสภา. กรุงเทพฯ : สำนักงานราชบัณฑิตยสภา, 2563, หน้า 32.
- Bradley, David (2007). "Language Endangerment in China and Mainland Southeast Asia". In Brenzinger, Matthias (ed.). Language Diversity Endangered. New York: Mouton de Gruyte.