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Bouyei

A language of China

ISO 639-3: pcc

Population	2,600,000 in China (2000 census). Population total all countries: 2,649,205. Ethnic population: 2,945,000.
Region	Guizhou-Yunnan plateau, mainly Buyi-Miao and Miao-Dong autonomous prefectures, Zhenning and Guanling counties, south and southwest Guizhou; Yunnan Province, Luoping County; Sichuan Province, Ningnan and Huidong counties. Also in France, United States, Viet Nam.
Language map	Southwestern China
Alternate names	Bo-I, Bui, Buyei, Buyi, Buyui, Chung-Chia, Dioi, Giay, Pu-I, Pu-Jui, Pui, Pujai, Puyi, Puyoi, Shuihu, Tujia, Zhongjia
Dialects	Qiannan (Southern Guizhou, Bouyei 1), Qianzhong (Central Guizhou, Bouyei 2), Qianxi (Western Guizhou, Bouyei 3).
Classification	Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Be-Tai, Tai-Sek, Tai, Northern
Language use	Vigorous. Rare oral use in local administration, commerce, education. All ages. Also use Chinese [cmn].
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 76%. Poetry. Newspapers. Dictionary.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	Classified as Bouyei nationality. The corresponding ethnic group in Viet Nam is called the Giay nationality. ‘Quinnan hua’ (Quinnan speech) also refers to a dialect of southwestern Mandarin spoken in Guizhou, and should not be confused with the Qiannan Bouyei dialect. SVO; modifiers follow heads; highly monosyllabic; tonal, 6 tone categories in open syllables and 4 in closed syllables. Agriculturalists: oranges; batik dyers; textiles; tung oil; kapok. Polytheist, Daoist, Buddhist.

Also spoken in:

Viet Nam

Language name	Giáy
Population	49,100 in Viet Nam (1999 census).
Region	Lao Cai, Hà Giang, Lai Chau provinces.
Language maps	Northern Viet Nam, reference number 21 Northwestern Viet Nam, reference number 21
Alternate names	Bo-I, Bo-Y, Bouyei, Buyi, Chang Chá, Chung Cha, Cùi Chu, Dang, Dioi, Giai, Giang, Nhaang, Niang, Nyang, Pau Thin, Pú Nà, Pu-I, Pu-Nam, Pui, Puyi, Sa, Trong Ggia, Tu-Dìn, Xa Chung Chá, Yai, Yay
Dialects	Tu-Dí, Nhang, Pú Nà.
Comments	An official nationality. Polytheist, Daoist.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

DABAI, Ni, author. 1997. "Front /a/ and back /a/ in Biandan Mountain Bouyei."

FINE, Cathryn, author. 2003. Extendibility in Bouyei orthography design: a multilectal approach.

JIONGBIAO, Yu; SNYDER, Wil, authors. 1995. Libo Buyi-Chinese-English glossary.

LIANG Yonghsu; SNYDER, Wil; WU Wenyi, authors. 2000. Zhongguo Buyiyu duibi yanjiu (Bouyei comparative survey).

LIANG Yonghsu; SNYDER, Wil; WU Wenyi, authors. 2007. Survey of the Guizhou Bouyei Language.  

MILLIKEN, Stuart R., editor. 1994. SIL occasional papers on the minority languages of China.

SNYDER, Donna, author. 1995. Variation in Bouyei.

SNYDER, Donna, author. 1998. "Folk wisdom in Bouyei proverbs and songs."

SNYDER, Donna, author. 2001. Variation patterns in Bouyei.

SNYDER, Donna; SNYDER, Wil; YU Jiong-Biao, authors. 1994. "Two initial grammatical discoveries in the Fucun speech of Libo Buyi."

SNYDER, Wil, author. 1996. "Libo Bouyei songs: keeping tradition in the midst of social change."

SNYDER, Wil; WU Qiangli, authors. 1995. "Qianzhong Bouyeiyu de songqi shengmu."

SOMSONGE Burusphat, author. 2007. "A comparison of general classifiers in Tai-Kadai languages."  

WANG Wei, author. 1997. "The sound system of the Bouyei language and its special features."