Ethnologue 14 report for language code:IUM

IU MIEN: 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It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005).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: IUM

ISO 639-2: mis

Population

884,000 speakers in China (1999), out of 2,134,013 in the official nationality (1990 census). Population total all countries 1,329,000.

Region

Dayao Mountains, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangdong, Yunnan, Hunan, and Guizhou provinces. In Guizhou Province Mien are in Rongjiang, Congjiang, and Libo counties; in Guangdong Province, in Ruyuan County. Also spoken in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Laos, Myanmar, New Zealand, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Viet Nam.

Alternate names

YOUMIAN, YIU MIEN, YAO, MIEN, MIAN, MYEN, HIGHLAND YAO, PAN YAO, BAN YAO

Classification

Hmong-Mien, Mienic, Mian-Jin.

Comments

Differences from other Mienic languages are in the tone system, consonants, vowel quality, vowel length. Chinese linguists consider the Iu Mien spoken in Changdong, Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, Guangxi to be the standard. 78% lexical similarity with Kim Mun, 70% with Biao-Jiao Mien, 61% with Ba Pai. Spoken and written Chinese are also in use. The largest language in the Yao nationality. Ethnic groups: Hua Lan, Hua, Hung, Cao Long, Coc, Khoc, Quan Coc, Quan Trang, Son Trang, Sung, Tien (Tiao Tchaine), Yaya. The Laka, Mun, Bunu languages, plus speakers of other Mienic and Hmongic languages, and ethnic Yao who speak Chinese, are officially included under the Yao nationality in China. 'Pingdi Yao' (Piongtuojo, Piongtoajeu) is a variety of Chinese with 1,000,000 speakers, half of whom are members of the Yao nationality, in Hunan-Guangxi border and Guangdong Province. It has 7 tones, and may be closest to Mandarin. Dictionary. Grammar. Roman orthography agreed on in 1984. Minor differences with orthography used in China and western countries. Trial use limited and possibly discontinued. Mountain slope and plains. Peasant agriculturalists: paddy rice; hunters, lumbermen, weavers, embroiderers. Daoist, ancestor veneration, traditional religion. NT 1975-1991.

Also spoken in:

Laos

Language name	IU MIEN
Population	30,000 in Laos (1999 H. Purnell).
Alternate names	MIEN, MAN, YAO, MYEN, HIGHLAND YAO
Comments	The language is the same as Thailand and Viet Nam Mien. Not all ethnic Yao speak the language. Almost all refugees in the West have come from Laos. Daoist, ancestor veneration, traditional religion. NT 1975-1991. See main entry under China.

Thailand

Language name	IU MIEN
Population	40,000 in Thailand (1999).
Alternate names	MIEN, YAO, MIAN, MYEN, YIU MIEN, YOUMIAN, HIGHLAND YAO, PAN YAO
Dialects	CHIANGRAI.
Comments	Relatively little dialect variation. All 'Yao' and 'Mien' in Thailand are Iu Mien. Bilingualism in Northern Tai. Swidden agriculturalists: rice; hunters, weavers, embroiderers. Daoist, ancestor veneration, traditional religion. NT 1975-1991. See main entry under China.

Viet Nam

Language name	IU MIEN
Population	350,000 in Viet Nam (1999 H. Purnell). All Mien in Viet Nam: 474,000 (1993 Dang Nghiem Van).
Alternate names	YU MIEN, MIEN, MÁN, YAO, MYEN, HIGHLAND YAO, DAO, DONG, TRAI, XÁ, DÌU
Dialects	MAN DO, DEO TIEN, CHAM, QUAN CHET, QUAN TRANG.
Comments	The language is the same as in Thailand and Laos. Not all ethnic Yao speak Mien; many speak Chinese. Part of the population figure given for Viet Nam may be for Kim Mun. An official ethnic community in Viet Nam. Daoist, ancestor veneration, traditional religion. NT 1975-1991. See main entry under China.