Tujia, Southern

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A language of China

ISO 639-3
tjs
Alternate Names
Mong Tsi, Tuchia
User Population

1,500 (Brassett and Brassett 2005), decreasing. Monolinguals are mainly women, children, and older adults. Ethnic population: 8,030,000 (2000 census). Includes 70,000 in Northern Tujia.

Location

Northwest Hunan Province, Luxi county, 3 villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

8a (Moribund). Language of recognized nationality: Tujia.

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Northeastern Tibeto-Burman, Tujia
Dialects

None known. Northern [tji] and Southern Tujia are not mutually intelligible. Lexical similarity: 40% with Northern Tujia [tji], but with phonological and grammatical differences.

Typology

SOV; voiced stops and affricates; tonal, 5 tones.

Language Use

In Boluozhai, all speak the language; in Puzhu, some children can speak it; in Xiaqieji, only adults speak it (Bradley 2007a). Home, village. Older adults only. Positive attitudes. Shifted to Mandarin Chinese [cmn].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 88% in Chinese (2000 census, Tujia nationality).

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Tujia, Southern
Other Comments

Traditional religion, Buddhist.