Sani

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A language of China

ISO 639-3
ysn
Population

100,000 (2007).

Location

Southeast Yunnan Province, Shilin, Yilang, Mile, Luxi, and Qiubei counties.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Ngwi-Burmese, Ngwi, Central
Dialects

Northern Sani, Southern Sani.

Typology

SOV

Language Use

Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].

Language Development
Dictionary.
Writing
Yi script, traditional, limited usage.
Other Comments

Officially classified within Yi nationality, population 7,762,300 (2000 census). The Samei, an Eastern Yi group east of Kunming in the Guandu region, call themselves Sani, but are not part of the Sani in Shilin. Tones differ on the 2 names, sa21 ni53 versus sa21 ni21. An Eastern Yi group with a similar name call themselves Sanie, immediately west of Kunming in Xishan region and in Anning and Fumin counties. For the Samei, Sani is their autonym. For the Sani in Shilin, Sani is an exonym. The Sani of Shilin call themselves ni21, but outsiders know them by the Chinese name Sani. Traditional religion, Christian.