The Lisoish languages are a branch of the

Loloish languages The Loloish languages, also known as Yi in China and occasionally Ngwi or Nisoic, are a family of fifty to a hundred Sino-Tibetan languages spoken primarily in the Yunnan province of China. They are most closely related to Burmese and its relat ...

proposed by Ziwo Lama (2012) that includes

Lisu Lisu may refer to: *Lisu people, an ethnic group of Southeast Asia *Lisu language, spoken by the Lisu people * Old Lisu Alphabet or Fraser Alphabet *Lisu syllabary * Lisu (Unicode block), the block of Unicode characters for the Lisu language. *Lisu ...

and several of the Yi languages. David Bradley (1997) considers Lisoish languages to be part of the

Central Loloish The Central Loloish languages, also known as Central Ngwi, is a branch of Loloish languages in Bradley (1997). It is not used in Lama's (2012) classification. Central Loloish is also not supported in Satterthwaite-Phillips' (2011) computational p ...

branch.

Languages and classifications

Lama (2012)

David Bradley (2007)Bradley, David. 2007. East and Southeast Asia. In Moseley, Christopher (ed.), ''Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages'', 349-424. London & New York: Routledge. considers

Lipo A lithium polymer battery, or more correctly lithium-ion polymer battery (abbreviated as LiPo, LIP, Li-poly, lithium-poly and others), is a rechargeable battery of lithium-ion technology using a polymer electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyt ...

, and Lamu to form a ''Lisoid'' subgroup. Other Lisoish languages are: * Miqie (Micha) * Lamu *

Limi Limi Valley is a high-altitude valley that forms the northernmost part of the Humla District of north-western Nepal. To its north, the Limi valley borders the Purang County of Tibet, China. Administrative Limi is a ward council of the Namkha ru ...

*''Lalo languages'': Lalo,

Yangliu Yangliu (autonym: ') is a Loloish language of Yunnan, China. There are 7,000 speakers in Yangliu, Longyang District Longyang District () is a district of the city of Baoshan, Yunnan province, China. Administrative divisions Longyang District ...

, Eka, Mangdi, Xuzhang *''

Taloid languages Taloid is a cluster of languages in the Lisoish branch of Lolo–Burmese. Languages Yang, et al. (2017)Yang, Cathryn; Kwok Wailing 范秀琳 Zhou Decai 周德才; Yang Wenjing 杨文静. 2017. ''The Taloid Cluster of Northwestern Yunnan: Loyal S ...

'': Talu, Lavu, Lang'e,

Tagu Tagu ( my, တန်ခူး; mnw, ဂိတု စဲ) is the first month of the traditional Burmese calendar. Holidays and observances *Thingyan *Pagoda festivals **Shwemawdaw Pagoda Festival, Bago Tagu symbols *Flower: ''Mesua ferrea'' *As ...

, Popei, Naruo, Kua-nsi, Kuamasi, Laizisi, Zibusi, Sonaga, Gomotage The following two of the six Yi languages (''fangyan'' 方言) officially recognized by the Chinese government belong to Lama's Lisoish clade. (The remaining four are Nisoish.) *Western Yi ( Lalo 腊罗) *Central Yi ( Lolopo 倮倮泼) Names for Lolopo varieties include Enipu 厄尼蒲, Qiangyi 羌夷, Tuzu 土族, and Xiangtang 香堂.Yang, Cathryn. 2011. ''Assessment of the Lolo languages: Current understanding and recommended next steps''. m.s.

Chen (2010)

Chen (2010) lists the following dialects for "Lolo" (倮倮) languages, which corresponds to Lama's (2012) Lisoish clade. The position of

is not addressed. Also listed are the counties where each respective dialect is spoken. ;Lolo 倮倮方言 * Lolo, Luóluó 倮倮次方言 ('): 600,000 speakers in all counties of

Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture (; Chuxiong Yi script: ，IPA: ; Yi script: ꊉꇑꆑꌠꑼꂰ; Yi Pinyin: wop lup nut su yuop mi) is an autonomous prefecture located in central Yunnan Province, China. Chuxiong has an area of . The capital of t ...

Lalu Lalu may refer to: People * Lalu Muhammad Zohri, an Indonesian sprinter *Lalu Prasad Yadav, an Indian politician * Shahidul Islam (Lalu), the youngest Bangladeshi to receive the Bir Pratik award * Polly Bemis, born Lalu Nathoy, a Chinese American p ...

, Làlǔ 腊鲁次方言 **Lalu, Làlǔ 腊鲁 ('): 250,000 speakers in Dali, Weishan, Midu, Yongping, Baoshan, etc. **Lalo, Làluó 腊罗 ('): 250,000 speakers in Dali, Weishan, Yunxian, Changning, Nanjian, Lincang, Shuangjiang, Midu, Jingdong, Jinggu, etc. *Lipo, Lǐpō 里泼次方言 **

, Lǐpō 里泼 ('): 200,000 speakers in Luquan, Wuding, Yongsheng, Huaping, etc. ** Lavu, Lāwù 拉务 ('): 50,000 speakers in Yongsheng ** Talu, Tǎlǔ 塔鲁 ('): 50,000 speakers in Yongsheng, Huaping, etc. ** Toloza, Tánglángràng 堂郎让 ('): 2,000+ speakers in Tai'an Township, Lijiang County

Other languages

The ''Chuxiong Prefecture Ethnic Gazetteer'' (2013:364) lists the following cognate percentages between Lolopo 罗罗濮 and other Yi languages in Chuxiong Prefecture. *

Ache Ache or Aches may refer to: Ethnography * Aché, an indigenous people of eastern Paraguay * Aché language, the language of the Aché people * Ache language (China) * Aṣẹ (Cuban spelling: ''aché''), a concept in Orisha belief People * Ach ...

阿车: 74.86% (211/282) * Chesu 车苏: 55% (155/282) * Luowu 罗武: 75.89% (214/282) * Shansu 山苏: 78.4% (221/282) *

里濮: 93.36% (253/271) Yang, et al. (2017)Yang, Cathryn; Kwok Wailing 范秀琳 Zhou Decai 周德才; Yang Wenjing 杨文静. 2017. ''The Taloid Cluster of Northwestern Yunnan: Loyal Soldiers of the Nanzhao Kingdom'' / 滇西北彝语他留土群：忠诚的南诏战士. Presented at ICSTLL 50, Beijing, China. lists the following languages as part of the Taloid branch, whose speakers are descendants of soldiers sent by the

Nanzhao Kingdom Nanzhao (, also spelled Nanchao, ) was a dynastic kingdom that flourished in what is now southern China and northern Southeast Asia during the 8th and 9th centuries. It was centered on present-day Yunnan in China. History Origins Nanzha ...

from the Dali region to be stationed in northwestern Yunnan. Taloid languages are most closely related to Lalo, Lolopo, and

, all of which share the lexical innovation a¹to^L for 'fire'. They are spoken primarily in

Yongsheng County Yongsheng County () is located in the northwest of Yunnan province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Lijiang. In 2019 the county had a population of 406,757 including 34.42% ethnic minorities. The Chenghai Lak ...

and

Heqing County Heqing County () is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in the northwest of Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The provinc ...

. Popei 泼佩 is spoken in

Huaping County Huaping County () is a county of Lijiang City, in the north of Yunnan province, China, bordering Sichuan province to the east. Located at the northwestern of Yunnan, it covers an area of and had a population of 159,695 in 2020 statistics. Huaping ...

, while Gomotage is spoken in

Eryuan County Eryuan () is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in southern Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 ...

. * Talu 他留, Nazan 纳咱 * Lang'e 崀峨,

Lawu The Lawu ( jv, ꦭꦮꦸ), or Mount Lawu ( jv, ꦒꦸꦤꦸꦁꦭꦮꦸ, Gunung Lawu) is a massive compound stratovolcano straddling the border between East Java and Central Java, Indonesia. The north side is deeply eroded and the eastern ...

拉务 *

塔古 * Popei 泼佩 (Shuitian 水田) * Naruo 纳若 (Shuitian 水田) * Kua-nsi 跨恩斯 * Kuamasi 跨玛斯 * Laizisi 莱兹斯 * Zibusi 子逋斯 * Sonaga 锁内嘎 * Gomotage 俄毛柔 Tazhi of Puwei Township 普威镇, northern

Miyi County Miyi County () is a county in the far south of Sichuan Province, China. It is under the administration of Panzhihua Panzhihua (), formerly Dukou (), is a prefecture-level city located in the far south of Sichuan province, People's Republic of C ...

米易县,

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

may also be a Taloid language. Cathryn Yang (2010:7) also suggests that Wotizo (''wɔ21 ti33 zɔ21'') of

Midu County Midu County () is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in west-central Yunnan province, China. Administrative divisions Midu County has 6 towns, 1 township and 1 ethnic township. ;6 towns ;1 township * Deju () ;1 ethnic towns ...

may probably be related to Lolo (Lolopo). Cathryn Yang (2010)Yang, Cathryn. 2010. ''Lalo regional varieties: Phylogeny, dialectometry, and sociolinguistics''. Melbourne: La Trobe University PhD dissertation. http://arrow.latrobe.edu.au:8080/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.9/153015. lists the following 4 languages as peripheral Lalo languages. Hsiu (2017)Hsiu, Andrew. 2017.
The Lawu languages: footprints along the Red River valley corridor
'. suggests that Alu is also likely a peripheral Lalo language. *

* Eka * Mangdi * Xuzhang Bradley (2007) reports the moribund language Samatu as a ''Laloid'' language. Tulao () of Jinping County (spoken in the 2 villages of Yugadi 鱼嘎底, Xinzhai Village 新寨村, Mengqiao Township ; and Laowangzhai 老王寨,http://www.ynszxc.net/villagePage/vIndex.aspx?departmentid=188477 Qingjiao Village 箐脚村, Dazhai Township ) may fit in the Lisoish branch, although this is uncertain due to lack of data. Other languages that may be Lisoish include (''see also List of lesser-known Loloish languages''): *Gaiji 改积 of central Yun County *Gaisu, Western 改苏(西) (Luoren) of northeastern

Yongde County Yongde County () is a county in the west of Yunnan province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Lincang. Administrative divisions Yongde County has 3 towns, 5 townships and 2 ethnic townships. ;3 towns * Dedan ...

*Gepo, Western 葛泼(西) of Liuhe Township 六合彝族乡,

*Pengzi 棚子 of Wumulong Township 乌木龙彝族乡 (and possibly also Mengban Township 勐板乡),

*Suan 蒜 of Wumulong Township 乌木龙彝族乡 and Mengban Township 勐板乡,

*Western Samadu 撒马堵(西) of

Zhenkang County Zhenkang County () is located in the west of Yunnan province, China, bordering Burma's Shan State to the west. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Lincang. Ethnic groups Ethnic Bulang are found in the following village ...

(pop. 6,000),

(pop. 1,500) Lolopo varieties: *Enipu 厄尼蒲 of

Nanjian County Nanjian Yi Autonomous County () is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in the west central part of Yunnan province, China. Administrative divisions Nanjian Yi Autonomous County has 5 towns and 3 townships. ;5 towns ;3 townsh ...

(pop. 11,000) and Weishan County (pop. 5,000) *Maci 骂池 of Maci village 骂池, Taipingdi Village Cluster 太平地村, Yongding City 永定镇, northeastern

Yongren County Yongren County (; Chuxiong Yi script: , IPA: ) is a county under the administration of the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, in the north of Yunnan province, China, bordering Sichuan province to the northeast. Administrative divisions Yongren Co ...

*Qiangyi 羌夷 of Xiangyun County (pop. 9,000) and

Binchuan County Binchuan County () is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in the west of Yunnan Province, China. Mount Jizu Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer t ...

(pop. 1,000) *Tusu 土族 of Xiangyun County *Xiangtang 香堂 of southwestern Yunnan *Xijima 洗期麻 of central Yun County Below are autonyms of ''Central Yi'' (彝语中部方言) speakers as listed in the ''Yunnan Province Ethnic Minority Languages Gazetteer'' (1997) (云南省志：少数民族语言文字志; p. 57): *' (

Lolopo language Lolopo (autonyms: ', '; ; Central Yi) is a Loloish language spoken by half a million Yi people of China. Chinese linguists call it "Central Yi" as well, which is one of the six Yi languages recognized by the government of China. Names Lolo spea ...

) *' (

Lipo language Lipo (autonym: '; ), or Eastern Lisu, is a language of the Lisu people of China, similar to but not intelligible with Lisu proper. Some Lipo are classified by the government as Lisu, others as Yi. In some areas, the people prefer the name ''Lo ...

) *' (

Micha language Micha, or Miqie (; autonym: '), is a Loloish language of Yunnan. Its usage is declining. Classification Micha (' or ') is most closely related to Lipo, Lolopo, and Lisu.Gao 2014 The autonym ' is used by Lalo speakers, and should not be conf ...

) *' *' (

Shansu language Hlersu (Lesu 勒苏), or Sansu (Shansu 散苏), is a Loloish language of Yunnan Province, China. It is spoken in Xinping, Jinping, Zhenyuan, Eshan (as Shansu 山苏), and (as Sansu) Yuanjiang County Yuanjiang Hani, Yi and Dai Autonomous Cou ...

)

Innovations

Lama (2012) lists the following sound changes from

Proto-Loloish Proto-Loloish is the reconstructed ancestor of the Loloish languages. Reconstructions include those of David Bradley (1979), James Matisoff (2003), and Ziwo Lama (2012). In later publications, in place of ''Loloish'', David Bradley instead uses ...

as Lisoish innovations. * *m- > zero * *m- > p-

References

*Chen Kang ��康 2010. ''A study of Yi dialects'' ��语方言研究 Beijing: China Minzu University Press. *Lama, Ziwo Qiu-Fuyuan (2012), ''Subgrouping of Nisoic (Yi) Languages'', thesis, University of Texas at Arlington
archived
{{Lolo-Burmese languages