Naxi
A language of China
| Population | 309,000 (2000 census). 100,000 monolinguals. |
| Region | Northwest Yunnan, Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County; scattered in Weixi, Zhongdian, Ninglang, Deqing, Yongsheng, Heqing, Jianchuan, and Lanping counties; Sichuan Province, Yanyuan, Yanbian, and Muli counties; southeast Tibet, a few in Mangkang County. Possibly in Myanmar. |
| Language map |
Southwestern China |
| Alternate names | Lomi, “Mo-Su” , “Moso” , “Mosso” , Mu, Nahsi, Nakhi, Nasi |
| Dialects | Lichiang (Lijiang), Lapao, Lutien. The western dialect is reportedly fairly uniform and considered the standard (from Dayan town in Lijiang County). Eastern has some internal differences, and intelligibility may be low within it. |
| Classification | Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Lolo-Burmese, Naxi |
| Language use | Vigorous. Some speakers of other languages in the area use Naxi in local government offices, markets, gatherings, and when visiting Naxi families. All domains. All ages. Positive attitude. 170,000 also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn], Tibetan [bod], Bai [bca], or English. Written Chinese in common use. |
| Language development | Literacy rate in L1: 75,000 can read and write. Literacy rate in L2: 62%. Taught in primary schools. Poetry. Newspapers. Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1932. |
| Writing system | Latin script, developed in the 1950s and revised in 1984. |
| Comments | An official nationality. Most Naxi are patriarchal, but 8,000 or so ‘Eastern’ Naxi in Lugu Lake area are matriarchal. SOV; no checked syllables; tonal, 4 tones. Agriculturalists; animal husbandry; hunters. Buddhist (Lamaist), Chinese Buddhist, Daoist, Confucianist, traditional religion, Christian. |
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