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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > China > Miao, White

Miao, White

A language of China

ISO 639-3: mww

Population	233,000 in China (2004). All Miao in China: 8,949,116 (2000 census). Population total all countries: 613,400. Ethnic population: 8,949,116.
Region	South and southwest Guizhou, northwest Guangxi, southeast and southwest Yunnan. Also in France, Laos, Thailand, United States, Viet Nam.
Language map	Southwestern China
Alternate names	Bai Miao, Banded Arm Hmong, Hmong Daw, Hmong Dleu, Hmong Qua Mpa, Meo Do, Meo Kao, Mong Do, Mong Trang, Pe Miao, Peh Miao, Striped Arm Hmong, Striped Hmong, White Hmong, White Lum, White Meo
Dialects	Largely intelligible with Hmong Njua [hnj] and Hmong Daw (Mong Leng dialect) but sociolinguistic factors require separate literature for Hmong Daw.
Classification	Hmong-Mien, Hmongic, Chuanqiandian A member of macrolanguage Hmong [hmn] (China).
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: 42% in Mandarin Chinese [cmn]. Radio programs. Dictionary. Bible: 2000.
Writing system	Lao script. Latin script, primary script. Pahawh Hmong script. Miao (Pollard) script, used in China. Thai script, used in Thailand.
Comments	Part of Miao nationality. Tonal: 7 tones. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

Laos

Language name	Hmong Daw
Population	170,000 in Laos (1995 census).
Region	North.
Language map	Laos, reference number 13
Alternate names	Bai Miao, Hmonng Der, Hmoob Dawb, Meo Kao, White Lum, White Meo, White Hmong, White Miao
Dialects	Hmong Gu Mba (Hmong Qua Mba, Striped Hmong), Mong Leng.
Comments	Traditional religion.

Thailand

Language name	Hmong Daw
Population	32,400 in Thailand (2000).
Region	Petchabun, Tak, Maehongson, Chiangmai, Nan, Chiangrai, Pitsanalok, Loei, Sukhothai, Kamphaengphet, Prae, Phayao, Uttaradit, Lampang.
Language map	Northern Thailand, reference number 9
Alternate names	Bai Miao, Chuan Miao, Hmong Der, Hmoob Dawb, Meo Kao, Pe Miao, Peh Miao, White Hmong, White Lum, White Meo, White Miao
Dialects	Hmong Gu Mba (Hmong Qua Mba, Striped Hmong, Miao Lai), Mong Leng, Petchabun Miao.
Comments	Traditional religion, Christian.

Viet Nam

Language name	Hmong Daw
Population	All Hmong in Viet Nam: 787,604 (1999 census).
Region	North; others resettled in Dac Lac Province in the south.
Language map	Northwestern Viet Nam, reference number 29
Alternate names	Bai Miao, Mán Tráng, Meo Kao, White Lum, White Meo
Dialects	Hmong Xi (Meo Do).
Comments	Largely intelligible with Hmong Njua [hnj]. No significant difference between White and Striped (Thailand) Hmong. Traditional religion, Christian.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

NOMURA, Naomitsu Mikami, author. 1992. "A semantic analysis of the so-called passive verbs in some Indochinese languages."  

RATLIFF, Martha, author. 1997. "Hmong-Mien demonstratives and pattern persistence."