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Nuosu

A language of China

ISO 639-3: iii

Population	2,000,000 (2000 census), increasing. 60% monolinguals (Jiafa 1994).
Region	North Yunnan, south Sichuan, mainly in Greater and Lesser Liangshan mountains. Spoken in over 40 counties.
Language map	Southwestern China
Alternate names	Black Yi, Liangshan Yi, Northern Yi, Nosu Yi, Sichuan Yi
Dialects	Northern Shypnra, Southern Shypnra, Yynuo, Suondi (Adu).
Classification	Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Burmic, Ngwi, Northern
Language use	Where Han culture and urban life impinge on Nuosu people, many Chinese loan words are appearing. Written Nuosu is used in rituals by shamans in every community. Some educated Nuosu use standardized syllabary in academic contexts. The culture is orally oriented so most would not think of writing a letter or a set of procedures in Nuosu, nor would they think of reading written instructions. The educated prefer to write in Chinese for these tasks. All domains. All ages. Positive attitude. Also use Chinese [cmn].
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Moderate in central Liangshan. Low elsewhere. Literacy rate in L2: Moderate. Nearly all literate Nuosu are literate in Chinese; some are also literate in Nuosu. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Poetry. Magazines. Newspapers. Dictionary. NT: 2005.
Writing system	Latin script. Yi script.
Comments	Classified as Yi nationality. When applied to the Nuosu, terms ‘Black Yi’ (Hei Yi) and ‘White Yi’ (Bai Yi) refer to caste distinctions rather than to ethnic or linguistic distinctions. However, the same terms often do refer to ethnic and linguistic distinctions when applied to Yi groups in Yunnan. Also, some outsiders refer to Nuosu as ‘Black Yi’. Chinese linguists recognize 3 primary dialects: Shengzha (Standard), Northern (Lindimu-Yinuo), Southern (Adur-Suondi)-cf. Map (Bradley 2007). Some dialects, such as Lindimu, are likely distinct languages. Swidden agriculturalists and animal husbandry. Polytheist, Christian.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

EATOUGH, Andrew, author. 1996. Meigu County Yi tone.

EATOUGH, Andrew, author. 1997. Proceeding from syllable inventory to phonemic inventory in the analysis of Liangshan Yi.  

EDMONDSON, Jerold A.; ESLING, John H.; HARRIS, Jimmy G.; LI Shaoni; ZIWO, Lama, authors. 2001. "The aryepiglottic folds and voice quality in the Yi and Bai languages: laryngoscopic case studies."  

MA Linying; WALTERS, Dennis; WALTERS, Susan G., editors. 2008. 彝汉英常用词词汇 Nuosu Yi-Chinese-English glossary.

NDAXIT Atqi; WALTERS, Susan G., authors. 2005. Existential clauses in Nosu Yi.