Wa, Vo

Primary tabs

A language of China

ISO 639-3

wbm

Alternate Names

Ban, K’awa, Kawa, La, Pan, Pinyin, Pun, Va, Vo, Wa Pwi, Wakut

Autonym

Vax

User Population

40,000 in China (Zhou Zhizhi et al 2004). Many monolinguals. Ethnic population: 430,000 (2010 census). Includes Awa [vwa] (2010 census). Total users in all countries: 40,700.

Location

Southwest Yunnan Province, Lincang prefecture, Yongde and Zhenkang counties; Simao prefecture, Lancang Lahu autonomous county.

Language Maps

Southwestern China

Eastern Central Myanmar

Language Status

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

Classification

Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Northern Mon-Khmer, Palaungic, Eastern Palaungic, Waic, Wa

Dialects

None known. Lexical similarity: 59% with Parauk Wa, 50% with Awa [vwa] (Shearer and Sun 2017).

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Lahu [lhu]. Also use Lü [khb]. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn]. Used as L2 by Blang [blr], Lahu [lhu].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 76% in any language (2000 census, Va nationality). Bible: 2016.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Wa, Vo

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Buddhist, Christian.