Larong or Zlarong (autonym: '; Tibetan name: ') is a recently documented Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Zogang and Markam counties of southeastern
Chamdo,
Tibet. It was recently documented by Zhao (2018) and Suzuki & Nyima (2018).
[Suzuki, Hiroyuki and Tashi Nyima. 2018]
Historical relationship among three non-Tibetic languages in Chamdo, TAR
''Proceedings of the 51st International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (2018)''. Kyoto: Kyoto University. Zhao (2018) tentatively classifies Zlarong as a
Qiangic
Qiangic (''Ch'iang, Kyang, Tsiang'', Chinese: 羌語支, "''Qiang'' language group"; formerly known as Dzorgaic) is a group of related languages within the Sino-Tibetan language family. They are spoken mainly in Southwest China, including Sichuan ...
language.
Names
Larong is referred to by the ''Changdu Gazetteer'' (2005)
[Xizang Changdu Diqu Difangzhi Bianzuan Weiyuanhui 西藏昌都地区地方志编纂委员会 (2005). Changdu Diquzhi 昌都地区志. Beijing: Fangzhi Chubanshe 方志出版社.] as ''Rumei'' 如美话, as it is spoken in Rumei Township 如美乡,
Markam County
Markam County, (; ) is a county under the jurisdiction of the Chamdo in the Tibet Autonomous Region, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the east and Yunnan to the south. It is the easternmost county-level division of the Tibet A.R.
Clima ...
.
Zhao (2018) reports the autonym ' and the Tibetan exonym ' for the speakers. Their language is referred to as ' by speakers, and by Tibetans as ' (Zhao 2018).
Nyina & Suzuki (2019) report the autonym ''m̥a55'', which is identical to the
Drag-yab autonym also reported by them (''m̥a55'' ~ ''ma55'').
Locations
*
Renguo Township 仁果乡,
Mdzo sgang County 左贡县 (Suzuki & Nyima 2018; Zhao 2018), including the village of Phagpa 坝巴村
*
Cuowa Township 措瓦乡,
Markam County
Markam County, (; ) is a county under the jurisdiction of the Chamdo in the Tibet Autonomous Region, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the east and Yunnan to the south. It is the easternmost county-level division of the Tibet A.R.
Clima ...
芒康县
*
Rumei Township 如美镇,
Markam County
Markam County, (; ) is a county under the jurisdiction of the Chamdo in the Tibet Autonomous Region, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the east and Yunnan to the south. It is the easternmost county-level division of the Tibet A.R.
Clima ...
芒康县 (''Changdu Gazetteer'' 2005), including the village of Tangre Chaya 达日村
*
Qudeng Township 曲登乡,
Markam County
Markam County, (; ) is a county under the jurisdiction of the Chamdo in the Tibet Autonomous Region, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the east and Yunnan to the south. It is the easternmost county-level division of the Tibet A.R.
Clima ...
芒康县 (two villages)
Larong villages by township:
Dialects
Larong is spoken in four townships in the Larong valley, along the Lancang River (also known as the ''Zla chu'' or ''Lachu'' River in Tibetan). The four townships are:
*Ringo (Chinese: Renguo)
*Tshonga (Chinese: Cuowa): Larong villages are Tshonga, Rushul, Thosa, Thaya, Drori, and Kuze
*Rongsmad (Chinese: Rumei): Larong speakers in entire town
*Choedan (Chinese: Qudeng): Dempa (Chinese: Dengba) and Choedan village clusters, both Larong-speaking
The dialect spoken in Ringo and Tshonga differs from that of the dialect spoken in Rongsmad and Choedan.
Classification
Suzuki & Nyima (2018)
note that Zlarong (Larong) is closely related to two other recently documented Sino-Tibetan languages of
Chamdo, eastern
Tibet, namely
Lamo and
Drag-yab (spoken in southern
Zhag'yab County).
Vocabulary
Zhao (2018: 1-3) lists the following Zlarong words.
References
*Zhao, Haoliang. 2018
A brief introduction to Zlarong, a newly recognized language in Mdzo sgang, TAR ''Proceedings of the 51st International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (2018)''. Kyoto: Kyoto University.
{{Na-Qiangic languages
Unclassified Sino-Tibetan languages
Languages of China
Languages of Tibet