Bouyei

Print

Primary tabs

A language of China

ISO 639-3
pcc
Alternate Names
Bo-I, Bui, Buyei, Buyi, Buyui, Chung-Chia, Dioi, Giay, Pu-I, Pu-Jui, Pui, Pujai, Puyi, Puyoi, Shuihu, Tujia, Yay, Zhongjia
User Population

2,970,000 in China (Shearer and Sun 2017). Total users in all countries: 3,043,740.

Location

Guizhou province: Buyi-Miao and Miao-Dong autonomous prefectures, Guanling and Zhenning counties on Guizhou-Yunnan plateau; Sichuan province: Huidong and Ningnan counties; Yunnan province: Luoping county.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing). Language of recognized nationality: Bouyei.

Classification
Kra-Dai, Kam-Tai, Tai, Northern
Dialects

Qiannan (Bouyei 1, Southern Guizhou), Qianzhong (Bouyei 2, Central Guizhou), Qianxi (Bouyei 3, Western Guizhou).

Typology

SVO; modifiers follow heads; highly monosyllabic; tonal, 6 tone categories in open syllables and 4 in closed syllables.

Language Use

Vigorous. Rare oral use in local administration, commerce, education. Used by all. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn]. Also use Sui [swi]. Used as L2 by Bu-Nao Bunu [bwx], Mak [mkg], T’en [tct].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Very low. Literacy rate in L2: 76% (2000 census). Literature. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 1904.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bouyei
Writing

Han (Hanzi, Kanji, Hanja) script [Hani], dating from late Ming/early Qing dynasty, limited use in ritual texts and folk literature. Latin script [Latn], official usage since 1985.

Other Comments

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. Traditional religion, Buddhist, Daoist.

Also spoken in:

Expand All
Collapse All