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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > China > Bonan

Bonan

A language of China

ISO 639-3: peh

Population  6,000 (1999 Junast). Ethnic population: 24,500, including 16,500 Jishishan and 8000 Tongren.
Region  Southwest Gansu Province, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Jishishan Bao’an-Dongxiang-Sala Autonomous County; east Qinghai Province, Bonan-speaking Tu in Tongren.
Language map  China
Alternate names   Bao’an, Baonan, Boan, Paoan, Paongan
Dialects  Jishishan (Dahejia, Dajiahe, Dakheczjha), Tongren (Tungyen). Jishishan subdialects are Ganhetan and Dadun; Tongren subdialects are Nianduhu, Guomari, Gajiuri, and Lower Bao’an village. Jishishan dialect has been influenced by Mandarin Chinese [cmn], Tongren by Tibetan [bod]. There are phonological and grammatical differences between them, and inherent intelligibility may be low.
Classification  Altaic, Mongolic, Eastern, Mongour
Language use  Religion, local administration. Positive attitude. Written Chinese in common use.
Language development  Literacy rate in L2: 44%. Dictionary. Grammar.
Comments  The Jishishan Bonan in Gansu are classified as Baoan (Bao’an) nationality, while Tongren Bonan in Qinghai are classified as Tu nationality. They moved into Jishishan from Tongren in 1858–1863. SOV; stress on final syllable; modifiers precede noun heads; Tongren dialect allows onset consonant clusters which resemble Tibetan; Jishishan dialect has Chinese-type syllable structure. Agriculturalists; forestry; crafts. Muslim (Sunni), Buddhist (Lamaist).

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

FRIED, Robert Wayne, author. 2010. A grammar of Baoˀan tu, a Mongolic language of northwest China.