Blang

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A language of China

ISO 639-3
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Alternate Names
Bulang, Bulang Yu, K’ala, Kawa, Kontoi, Plang, Pula, Pulang
User Population

42,000 in China (2000 census). Ethnic population: 120,000 (2010 census). Total users in all countries: 55,200.

Location

Yunnan province: Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Jinghong county, Damengnong district; Menghai county, Bada, Bulangshan, Daluo, and Xiding districts.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous). Language of recognized nationality: Blang.

Classification
Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Northern Mon-Khmer, Palaungic, Eastern Palaungic, Waic, Bulang
Dialects

Phang, Kem Degne. In Thailand, the group from Mae Sai came from Sipsongpanna, Yunnan, China, stayed in Myanmar for a while, and have been in Thailand since 1974. 6 to 10 dialects represented in one refugee village in Thailand. Samtao [stu] of Myanmar and China is not intelligible with Blang, but is closely related to Blang and Wa [wbm]. Lexical similarity: 60% with U [uuu] (Shearer and Sun 2017).

Typology

SVO; modifiers follow noun heads; voiceless nasal initials; singular-dual-plural pronoun distinction; rich in morphophonemic processes; tonal, 4 tones.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Lü [khb]. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn]. Also use Vo Wa [wbm]. Used as L2 by Lahu [lhu].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 77% (2000 census). Literature. Grammar. NT: 2020.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Blang
Writing

Latin script [Latn]. Tai Le script [Tale], used in Dehong and Lincang, Yunnan, China. Tai Tham (Lanna) script [Lana], used in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. Thai script [Thai].

Other Comments

Buddhist, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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