| States | Thailand, China |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | 700 in Thailand (2007)[1] |
| Speakers | 240 in China |
| Date | 2005 |
| Ref | e17 |
| Familycolor | Sino-Tibetan |
| Fam 2 | Tibeto-Burman |
| Fam 3 | Lolo–Burmese |
| Fam 4 | Loloish |
| Fam 5 | Southern |
| Fam 6 | Bisoid |
| Fam 7 | Phunoi–Bisu |
| Script | Thai script, Latin script |
| Iso 3 | bzi |
| Glotto | bisu1244 |
| Glottorefname | Bisu |
Bisu () 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
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
In Thailand, the Bisu language is written with the Thai script.
Consonants
| Labial | Coronal | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| plain | sibilant | ||||||
| Plosive/ Affricate | unaspirated | p | t | ts | t͡ɕ~t͡ʃ | k | ʔ |
| aspirated | pʰ | tʰ | tsʰ | t͡ɕʰ~t͡ʃʰ | kʰ | ||
| voiced | b | d | g | ||||
| Fricative | f | s | ʃ | h | |||
| Nasal | plain | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | ||
| preaspirated | m̥ | n̥ | ɲ̊ | ŋ̊ | |||
| Approximant | plain | w | l | j | |||
| preaspirated | l̥ | j̊ | |||||
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][6][7]
Tones
- – – no mark – mid
- -่ – grave accent – low
- -้ – acute accent – high
References
- ^ e17
- ^ (Bradley 2007)
- ^ "Láncāng Lāhùzú Zìzhìxiàn Zhútáng Xiāng Lǎotànshān Lǎomiǎnzhài" [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" [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)
- ^ "Bisu". Omniglot. Archived 2019-07-05 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ สำนักงานราชบัณฑิตยสภา. คู่มือระบบเขียนภาษาบีซูอักษรไทย ฉบับราชบัณฑิตยสภา. กรุงเทพฯ : สำนักงานราชบัณฑิตยสภา, 2563, หน้า 32.
- Bradley, David (2007). "Language Endangerment in China and Mainland Southeast Asia". Language Diversity Endangered. Brenzinger, Matthias (ed.). New York: Mouton de Gruyte.