Ethnologue 14 report for language code:BLR

BLANG: a language of China

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: BLR

ISO 639-2: mkh

Population

24,000 in China (1990 J-O Svantesson), out of an official nationality of 82,280 (1990 census). Population total all countries 37,200.

Region

Southwestern Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, and the Simao and Lincang regions. Most live in Menghai and Shuangjiang counties. Some are scattered, living among Va (Wa). Also spoken in Myanmar, Thailand.

Alternate names

BULANG, PULANG, PULA, PLANG, KAWA, K'ALA, KONTOI

Dialects

PHANG, KEM DEGNE.

Classification

Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Northern Mon-Khmer, Palaungic, Western Palaungic, Waic, Bulang.

Comments

Dialects listed may be separate languages. K'ala may be a separate language. Chinese sources list two dialects: Bulang (Blang Proper) and Awa (A'erwa). It is not known how these relate to the dialects listed above. Dai, Wa, and Chinese are in common use. An official nationality in China; it officially includes Blang, Lawa, and Angkuic languages, Puman, U, and 3 to 7 others. SVO; modifiers follow heads; voiceless nasal initials; 4 tones; singular-dual-plural pronoun distinction; rich in morphophonemic processes. 2 alphabetic scripts used: 'Totham' in the Xishuangbanna area, 'Tolek' from Dehong to Lincang. Agriculturalists. 1,500 meters and over. Hinayana Buddhist, some Christian.

Also spoken in:

Myanmar

Language name	BLANG
Population	12,000 in Myanmar (1994).
Alternate names	BULANG, PULANG, PULA, KAWA, K'ALA, PLANG, KONTOI
Comments	Some are becoming urbanized in Myanmar, Thailand, and China. An official nationality in China. Agriculturalists. Hinayana Buddhist, some Christian. See main entry under China.

Thailand

Language name	BLANG
Population	1,200 in Thailand (1998 SIL).
Alternate names	SEN CHUN, HKAWA, KAWA, K'WA, K'ALA, BULANG, PULANG, PULA, PLANG, WA, KHON DOI, KONTOI
Comments	Close to Wa. The group from Mae Sai came from Sipsongpanna, Yunnan, China, stayed in Myanmar for a while, and have been in Thailand since 1974. There are 6 to 10 dialects represented in one refugee village in Thailand. Samtao of Myanmar and China is not intelligible with Blang, but is closely related to Blang and Wa. Literacy rate in first language: Below 1%. Literacy rate in second language: Below 10%. Horticulturalists. Hinayana Buddhist, some Christian. See main entry under China.