Nisu (Southern Yi, Classical Yi script: ) is a language cluster spoken by half a million Yi people of China. It is one of six Yi languages recognized by the government of China. The Yi script was traditionally used, though few can still read it.[1] According to Lama (2012),[3] Nisu (Nishu) autonyms include ne̠33su55, ne̠33su55pʰo21, and ɲe̠33ʂu55.
The position of Nisu within Nisoish is debated. Nisu is classified as Southeastern Loloish by Pelkey (2011),[4] but is traditionally classified as a Northern Loloish language, including by Lama (2012).[3]
Internal classification
Chen et al. (1985)
Chen et al. (1985:114)[5] recognizes three major varieties of Southern Yi (i.e., Nisu) spoken in Yunnan province: Shijian (石建; Shiping-Jianshui), Yuanjin (元金; Yuanjiang-Jinping), and Exin (峨新; Eshan-Xinping). Autonyms include na̠33 su55 and na̠33 su55 pho21 (alternatively ne̠33 su55 pho21). Chen (1985) reported a speaker population of nearly 1.6 million.
Shijian 石建土语: spoken in Shiping, Jianshui, Tonghai, Gejiu, Kaiyuan, Mengzi, and Hekou counties
Yuanjin 元金土语: spoken in Yuanyang, Jinping, Mojiang, Yuanjiang, Pu'er, Jiangcheng, and Honghe counties
Exin 峨新土语: spoken in Eshan, Xinping, Jiangchuan, Yuxi, Yimen, and Kunming counties
Yang (2009)
Yang (2009)[6] classifies the Nisu dialects as follows.[7]
Northern Nisu
North-central (Shijian 石建): spoken in Shiping, Xinping, Jiangcheng, Mojiang, and Lüchun counties
Northwestern (Exin 峨新): spoken in Eshan and Jinning counties
Southern Nisu (Yuanjin 元金): spoken in Honghe, Yuanyang, Jinping, Yuanjiang, Shiping, and perhaps also Jianshui counties
Far Northwestern Nisu: spoken in Beidou Township (北斗彝族乡), Yongping County (descendants of Nisu soldiers who migrated to Yongping during the early Ming Dynasty; most divergent Nisu variety)[8]
The Jiangcheng, Mojiang, and Lüchun varieties were grouped by Chen (1985) to be southern varieties, but Yang (2009)[6] found that they actually belonged to the Northern Nisu group.
Other varieties
Other Nisu or Southern Yi groups with similar autonyms or language varieties are:
Ache 阿车: Autonym in Xinping County (population 100+ as of 1955) is nei˧su˧pʰɯ˨˩.[9]
A variety of Southern Nisu (autonym: ɲe33su55pʰo21) spoken in Aka Luoduo (阿卡洛多) village (also called Taiping village; 太平村),[11] Tianfang Village (田房村), Jiangcheng County is covered in Lu Yan (2008).[12]
In Tonghai County, Southern Yi (Nisu) is spoken by all generations only in Xiangping (象平), Bajiao (芭蕉), Sizhai (四寨), Shikan (石坎), Pingba (平坝), Shangzhuangke (上庄科), and Xiazhuangke (下庄科) villages.[13]
Lexicography
Pu wrote a Nisu-Chinese dictionary in 2021, with Nisu words transcribed in both IPA and Yi script. It is based on the Nisu dialect of Renhou Village 仁厚村 and Yongning Village 永宁村, both of which are located several kilometers north of Mengzi City, Yunnan.[14]
Diphthongs /iɛ,i̱ɛ̱/ occur with alveolo-palatal consonants /t͡ɕ,t͡ɕʰ,d͡ʑ,ɕ,ʑ/ in complementary distribution, in the Laochang dialect.
Open-mid sounds /ɛ,ɛ̱/ only occur in the Shaochong dialect.
Rhotic vowels /ə˞,ə̱˞/ occur mainly in the Northwestern dialects.[15]
Sounds /i,i̱/ are heard as syllabic consonants [z̩,ẕ̩] when following alveolar sibilants or affricates, and as syllabic retroflex [ʐ̩,ʐ̱̩] when following retroflex ones.[6]
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) is a language cluster spoken by half a million Yi people of China. It is one of six Yi languages recognized by the government of China. The Yi script was traditionally used, though few can still read it. [1] According to Lama (2012), [3] Nisu (Nishu) autonyms include ne̠33su55, ne̠33su55pʰo21, and ɲe̠33ʂu55.
