Tujia, Northern
PrintA language of China
70,000 (Brassett and Brassett 2005). 100 monolinguals. Regularly used but increasingly the young prefer to speak Chinese and are encouraged by their parents. In most areas children acquire a passive knowledge only. No longer used in southeastern Sichuan, northeastern Guizhou, and southwestern Hubei provinces. No longer used or moribund in northwestern Hunan and severely endangered in the remaining areas (Bradley 2007). Ethnic population: 8,030,000 (2000 census).
Northwest Hunan Province, Yingjiang and Yanhe counties, Hubei and Guizhou provinces, Wuling mountain range.
8a (Moribund).
SOV; tonal, 4 tones; no voiced stops or affricates
Regularly used but increasingly the young prefer to speak Chinese and are encouraged by their parents. In most areas children acquire a passive knowledge only. No longer used in southeastern Sichuan, northeastern Guizhou and southwestern Hubei provinces. No longer used or moribund in northwestern Hunan and severely endangered in the remaining areas (Bradley 2007). All domains. 60% older than 50 years, 30% between 20 and 50, 10% under 25. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn] or Hmong Njua [hnj]. Written Chinese in use and used in schools.
Officially classified within Tujia nationality. Traditional religion, Buddhist.