Dong, Southern
A language of China
| Population | 1,000,000. 68% of 1,463,000 speak Southern Dong. |
| Region | Area where west Hunan and north Guangxi provinces meet, southeast Guizhou (Yuping Autonomous County); Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. 20 contiguous counties. |
| Language map |
Southern China, reference number 37 |
| Alternate names | Gam, Kam, Tong, Tung, Tung-Chia |
| Dialects | Similar to Mulam [mlm]. Lexical similarity: 93% with Southern Dong dialects, 71% with Northern Dong [doc], 46% with Lakkia [lbc], 29% with Qabiao [laq], 26% with Hlai [lic], 24% with Gelao [gio], 22% with Lachi [lbt], 6% with Hmong Djua [hnj], 4% with Iu Mien [ium]. |
| Classification | Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Kam-Sui |
| Language use | Northern Dong [doc] users are more bilingual than Southern Dong. Use Mandarin [cmn] for literature. All domains. All ages. Neutral attitude. Northern Dong [doc] users are more bilingual than Southern Dong. Use Mandarin for literature. |
| Language development | Magazines. Dictionary. |
| Comments | Part of Dong nationality. ‘Kam’ is their own name, ‘Dong’ is Chinese name. Traditional way of life is relatively undisturbed. Tonal, 9 tones. Agriculturalists: wet rice, rape, wheat, maize, tung oil, tea oil; forestry. Polytheist. |
Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:
Academic Publications
GEARY, D. Norman; GEARY, Ruth B.; LONG Yaohong, authors. 2000. "Kam singing."
GEARY, D. Norman; LONG Yaohong, authors. 2000. "The Kam orthography."
GEARY, D. Norman; PAN, Yongrong, authors. 2003. "A bilingual education pilot project among the Kam people in Guizhou Province, China."
![]()
LONG Yaohong; ZHENG, Guoqiao, authors; GEARY, D. Norman, translator. 1998. The Dong Language in Guizhou Province, China.
![]()
QUAM, Yang; ZHENG, Guoqiao, authors. 1988. "The sounds of Rongjiang Kam."
SOMSONGE Burusphat, author. 1996. "Surface indicators of storyline in the Kam origin myth."
![]()
STRECKER, David, author. 1988. "Gedney’s puzzle in Kam-Sui."
THURGOOD, Graham, author. 1988. "Notes on the reconstruction of Proto-Kam-Sui."
WANG, Dewen, author. 1988. "A comparative study of Kam and Sui initial consonants."
YANG Quan, author. 1988. "Developmental tendencies in Kam phonology."
Vernacular Publications
Al gaeml: yic nyeenc jic. 2002.
Dos xap leec gaem: cenc dul 2:1-2. 2001.
Dos xap leec gaeml: Cenc dul 1:1-2. 2000.
Nuv tuc dos leec gaeml: cenc dul 2: 1-4. 2001.
Nuv tuc dos leec gaeml:cenc dul 1: 1-4. 2000.
Nyenc gaeml; Dos leec gaeml. 2005.
Nyonc bux kuagp; Liix mienc cenh xup daengv; zongh senh hox wak tuc. 2005.
Nyonc wail gueec: bens jih 1. 2005.
Nyonc wail gueec: bens jih 2. 2005.
Sih pienx daengh seep feip. 2007.
Sih pienx daengh seep feip: luc nyeenc jic bens jih edl. 2007.
Sih pienx daengh seep feip: luc nyeenc jic bens jih nyih. 2008.
Sih pienx seep feip: sil nyeenc jic bens jih edl. 2005.
Sih Pienx: eel nyeenc jic 2:1-2. 2003.
Sih pienx: sanh nyeenc jic benh jih nyih. 2005.
Sih pienx: yic nyeenc jic 1:1-2. 2002.
Sup xoc: eel nyeenc jic. 2003.
Xoc wah sungp xoc wak xeenl: xoc qeenc banh uns. 2003.
Yeih yeih sonk sonk: cenc dul 2:1-2. 2003.
Yeih yeih sonk sonk: cenk dul 1:1-2. 2000.
Yeih Yeih sonk sonk: yic nyeenc jic 1:1-2. 2002.
Yix wenc: eel nyeenc jic 2:1-2. 2003.
Yix wenc: luc nyeec jic bens jih edl. 2007.
Yix wenc: luc nyeenc jic bens jih nyih. 2008.
Yix wenc: sanh nyeenc bens jih nyih. 2005.
Yix wenc: sil nyeenc jic bens jih edl. 2005.

