Zhaba

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A language of China

ISO 639-3
zhb
Alternate Names
Bazi, Bozi, Draba, nDrapa, Zaba, Zha
Population

7,800 (Genxia Wengmu and Hu Shujin 2008), decreasing. Many young monolingual speakers in Zhaba and Zhamai districts. Most can speak the language (Bradley 2007). Ethnic population: 9,000 (Gong 2007).

Location

Sichuan Province, Ganzi (Garzê) Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Yajiang (Nyagquka) county, Zhamai district; Daofu (Dawu) county, Zhaba district.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Northeastern Tibeto-Burman, Qiangic
Dialects

Drame (Zhami/Southern nDrapa), Drate (Zhaba/Northern nDrapa). Similar to Stau (Horpa [ero]) and Queyu [qvy], but no mutual intelligibility. Many loanwords from Tibetan and Chinese varieties.

Typology

Verb-final; agglutinating; suffixes and prefixes, case-marking employs postpositions, case system nominative-accusative; tonal

Language Use

Most use Chinese or Tibetan varieties even when they speak with other Zhaba people. Personal communication among themselves. All ages. Negative attitudes. Regarded as useless. Users strongly desire to learn/improve Chinese varieties.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: Low. Many in elder generation illiterate. No written tradition. Poetry. Dictionary.
Other Comments

Officially classified within Tibetan nationality. Different from Queyu [qvy]. Buddhist (Lamaist).