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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > China > Tai Nüa

Tai Nüa

A language of China

ISO 639-3: tdd

Population  540,000 in China (Zhou and Luo 2001). Population total all countries: 647,400. Ethnic population: 610,000.
Region  South central Yunnan, Dehong Prefecture, southwest of Dali near Lancang (Mekong) River. May be in north Viet Nam. Also in France, Laos, Myanmar, Switzerland, Thailand.
Language map  Southwestern China
Alternate names   Chinese Shan, Chinese Tai, Dai Kong, Dai Na, Dai Nuea, Dehong, Dehong Dai, Tai Dehong, Tai Le, Tai Mao, Tai Neua, Tai Nü, Tai Nue, Tai-Kong, Tai-Le, Yunannese Shan, Yunnan Shant’ou
Dialects  Dehong, Tai Pong (La, You, Ya, Ka, Tai Ka, Sai), Yongren. Lexical similarity: 29% with Qabiao [laq] and Lachi [lbt], 22% with Gelao [gio].
Classification  Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Be-Tai, Tai-Sek, Tai, Southwestern, Northwest
Language development  Literacy rate in L2: 84%. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1931–1948.
Writing system  Tai Le script.
Comments  Classified as Dai nationality. Northern Shan-like varieties in China are referred to collectively as Tai Na, or Dehong Dai in Chinese. SVO; modifiers follow heads. Agriculturalists: paddy rice, sugar, Pu’er tea, bananas, coconuts, papayas, rubber. Buddhist (Theravada), polytheist.

Also spoken in:

Laos

Language name   Tai Nüa
Population  35,000 in Laos (1995 L. Chazee).
Region  Northwest. Possibly in north Viet Nam.
Language map  Laos, reference number 65
Alternate names  Chinese Shan, Tai Neua, Tai Nuea
Comments  Called ‘Dehong Dai’ or ‘Shan’ in China. A different dialect from that in China. Traditional religion.
 

Myanmar

Language name   Tai Nüa
Population  72,400 in Myanmar (1983).
Region  Possibly also in northern Viet Nam.
Alternate names  Chinese Shan, Tai Kong, Tai Neua
Comments  Called ‘Dehong Dai’ in China. The Laos dialect is different from the dialect in China.
 

Thailand

Language name   Tai Nüa
Region  Possibly also in north Viet Nam.
Alternate names  Chinese Shan, Dehong Dai, Tai Man, Tai Neua
 

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

ROBINSON, Edward Raymond, author. 1994. Further classification of Southwestern Tai "P" group languages.