Zuojiang Zhuang languages

Zuojiang Zhuang (Chinese: 左江壮语; pinyin: Zuǒjiāng Zhuàngyǔ) is a dialect-bund in Zhuang languages spoken along the Zuo River, including the counties of Tiandeng, Daxin, Chongzuo, Ningming, Longzhou, and Pingxiang in Guangxi,[2] some villages in Funing in Yunnan, and Vietnam, and is a putative branch of Tai languages of China and Vietnam. Also known as Tho (a name shared with Tày and Cuoi of Vietnam).

Zuojiang Zhuang
Tho
Native toChina, Vietnam
RegionGuangxi, Yunnan, Lạng Sơn
Native speakers
1.8 million (2000 censuses)[1]
Kra–Dai
  • Tai
    • various
      • Zuojiang Zhuang
Language codes
ISO 639-3zzj
Glottologzuoj1238

Classification edit

In the 1950s as part of the classification of Zhuang languages, Zuojiang Zhuang was recognised as a dialect, or language, in Guangxi, China. In 2007, ISO 639-3 also included speakers Vietnam as the Zuojiang river goes into there. The classification of Phittiyaporn (2009) suggests Zuojiang is not a single branch, but part of two main branches of the Tai language family (clades B, F, and H). See Tai languages for details.

References edit

  1. ^ Zuojiang Zhuang at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ 张均如 / Zhang Junru, et al. 壮语方言研究 / Zhuang yu fang yan yan jiu [A Study of Zhuang dialects]. Chengdu: 四川民族出版社 / Sichuan min zu chu ban she, 1999. page 300
  • Pittayaporn, Pittayawat. 2009. The Phonology of Proto-Tai. Ph.D. dissertation. Department of Linguistics, Cornell University.