Ethnologue 14 report for language code:KKF

GELAO: a language of Viet Nam

Between the 14th and 15th editions this language code was retired from use.
Reason: The speech varieties denoted by the code were split into two or more distinct languages.
Remedy: Change each instance of KKF to one of:

Interim SIL code: GLY > Gelao [gio]
Interim SIL code: GLX > Gelao, Green [giq]
Interim SIL code: GLZ > Gelao, Red [gir]
Interim SIL code: GLW > Gelao, White [giw]

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).

SIL code: KKF

ISO 639-2: mis

Population

1,500 in Viet Nam (1993 Dang Nghiem Van). Population total both countries 7,900.

Region

North, Hà Tuyen Province. Also spoken in China.

Alternate names

CO LAO, KELAO, KELEO, KEH-LAO, GELO, CHILAO, LAO, ILAO, QUÔC LAO, CÁC LAO, THU, THIL

Dialects

WHITE GELAO (TÚ DU, SOUTHWESTERN GELAO), RED GELAO (VOA DÊ), GREEN GELAO (HO KI, NORTH CENTRAL GELAO), CAPE DRAPING GELAO (KLAU, QAU, CENTRAL GELAO), MOUNTAIN GELAO (PUYUI, WESTERN GELAO).

Classification

Tai-Kadai, Kadai, Ge-Chi.

Comments

The three dialect groups of Viet Nam are distinguished by the color of their dress. An official nationality in Viet Nam and China. The Red Gelao are shifting to Mandarin. Sororate. Agriculturalists: rice. Polytheistic.

Also spoken in:

China

Language name	GELAO
Population	6,400 speakers out of an ethnic group of 437,997 in China (1990 census), including 3,000 Qau, 1,500 A'ou, 1,700 Hagei, 1,200 Duoluo.
Alternate names	GELO, KELAO, KELEO, KEHLAO, KLAU, KLO, ILAO, KHI, CHILAO, LAO
Dialects	QAU (GAO), A'OU, HAGEI (HAKEI), DUOLUO.
Comments	Phonologically close to Hmong, grammatically to Northern Zhuang and Bouyei. Anshun Gelo (Guizhou Anshun) and Sanchong Gelo (Guangxi Longlin) have 54% lexical similarity, and should be considered separate languages. 45% lexical similarity with Southern Zhuang and Dai, 40% with Dong, 36% with Lati, 32% with Laqua, 29% with Buyang, 24% with Northern Zhuang, 24% with Dong, 22% with Laka, 27% to 40% with Hlai, 10% to 15% with Hmong, 5% to 15% with Mien. The White Gelo retain their language. The Flowery Gelo have shifted to Chinese. An official nationality in China and Viet Nam. Called 'Gelo' in China. SVO; adjectives follow noun head; negative follows predicate but other adverbials precede predicate; 6 tones; only final consonants are alveolar and velar nasals; nasal-stop and some obstruent-lateral onset clusters. Agriculturalists. Polytheistic. See main entry under Viet Nam.