The West Hmongic languages, also known as Chuanqiandian Miao (川黔滇苗:
Sichuan–
Guizhou–
Yunnan Miao) and Western Miao, is the major branch of the
Hmongic languages of China and Southeast Asia.
The name ''Chuanqiandian'' is used both for West Hmongic as a whole and for one of its branches, the ''Chuanqiandian cluster'' Hmong.
Writing
The Miao languages were traditionally written with various adaptations of
Chinese characters. Around 1905,
Samuel Pollard introduced a Romanized script, the
Pollard script, for the
A-Hmao language, and this came to be used for
Hmong Daw
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand, ...
(
Chuanqiandian) as well. In the
United States, the
Romanized Popular Alphabet
The Romanized Popular Alphabet (RPA) or Hmong RPA (also Roman Popular Alphabet), is a system of romanization for the various dialects of the Hmong language. Created in Laos between 1951 and 1953 by a group of missionaries and Hmong people, Hmong ad ...
is often used for
White and Green Hmong (also Chuanqiandian). In China, pinyin-based Latin alphabets have been devised for Chuanqiandian (variety of Dananshan 大南山, Yanzikou 燕子口镇,
Bijie
Bijie () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Guizhou Province, China, bordering Sichuan to the north and Yunnan to the west.
The Daotianhe Reservoir, located to the north of the town was commissioned in 1965 with a rated annual capacity o ...
) and A-Hmao. Wu and Yang (2010) report attempts at writing Mashan in 1985 and an improvement by them; they recommend that standards should be developed for each of the six other primary varieties of West Hmongic.
Autonyms
Autonyms include (''Miaoyu Jianzhi'' 苗语简志 1985):
*''
'' in
Bijie Prefecture and
Wenshan Prefecture
*''
'' in
Huishui County,
Guizhou
*''
'' in
Ziyun County,
Guizhou
*''
'' in
Fuquan County,
Guizhou
*''
'' in the prefectures of
Weining,
Zhaotong, and
Chuxiong
Classification
West Hmongic is the most diverse branch of the
Hmong (Miao) language family. There are nine primary branches in Chinese sources, though the unity of these are not accepted in all Western sources. Items marked "§" have been split into individual languages (and not kept together) by either Matisoff or Strecker; all of these are branches of Miao listed with subbranches in Chinese sources. The other three (A-Hmao, A-Hmyo, Gejia) are not so divided in either Chinese or Western sources.
*Chuanqiandian cluster
**§
Hmong
**
Gha-Mu (Small Flowery Miao)
**
Xixiu Miao
**
Gejia (Chong'an River Miao)
*§
Bu-Nao
*
A-Hmao A-Hmao (''Big Flowery Miao'') are an Hmongic ethnic group in China. They are from Yunnan and Sichuan and also live in Guizhou. The number of persons within this group likely exceeds 400,000. They are speakers of the A-Hmao language
The A-Hmao la ...
(Big Flowery Miao; Northeast Yunnan Miao)
*
A-Hmyo (Luobohe Miao)
*§
Guiyang Miao
*§
Huishui Miao
Huishui Miao, a.k.a. Huishui Hmong, is a Miao language of China. It is named after Huishui County, Guizhou, though not all varieties are spoken there. The endonym is ''Mhong'', though it shares this with Gejia and it is simply a variant spelling ...
*§
Mashan Miao (Mang, Hmang)
*§
Pingtang Miao
Pingtang Miao, named after Pingtang County (平塘 ''píngtáng'') in which it is spoken, is a group of Miao language varieties of China.
Classification
The four varieties of Pingtang were listed as unclassified branches of Chuanqiandian Miao ( ...
The three divisions of the Chuanqiandian cluster are only as divergent as the divisions of the other branches marked "§", but are listed separately due to the internal complexity of Hmong.
The various varieties of Pingtang, new branches of Guiyang and Mashan, and Matisoff's
Raojia and
Pa Na are not listed in ''Ethnologue'' 16, and have no ISO codes. Matisoff (2006) gives very different names, and it's not clear how these correspond to the branches listed here.
Ratliff (2010)
Ratliff (2010)
[Ratliff, Martha. 2010. ''Hmong–Mien language history''. Canberra, Australia: Pacific Linguistics.] includes three languages specifically:
*
Hmong (Chuanqiandian in the narrow sense)
*
A-Hmao A-Hmao (''Big Flowery Miao'') are an Hmongic ethnic group in China. They are from Yunnan and Sichuan and also live in Guizhou. The number of persons within this group likely exceeds 400,000. They are speakers of the A-Hmao language
The A-Hmao la ...
(Big Flowery Miao)
*
Bunu Bunu can refer to:
* Bu-Nao language, a Hmong–Mien language
*Bunu languages, an putative branch of the Hmongic languages
*Bunu language (Nigeria), an East Kainji language of Nigeria
*Kabba/Bunu, a Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria
...
The last contradicts Matisoff (2001), who had posited a Bunu branch of Hmongic with Bu-Nao in it, but recapitulates Strecker (1987). The other Western varieties were not addressed, though some were included in her reconstruction of
Proto-Hmong–Mien.
Wang (1985)
Wang Fushi (1985) groups the Western Miao languages into eight primary divisions. Datapoint locations of representative dialects are from Li Yunbing (2000:237), all of which are located in
Guizhou province, China.
*
Chuanqiandian Miao
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand ...
**Lect 1: 1,100,000 speakers in the following counties. ''Representative dialect'': Dananshan 大南山寨, Xiaoshao township 小哨苗族乡,
Bijie
Bijie () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Guizhou Province, China, bordering Sichuan to the north and Yunnan to the west.
The Daotianhe Reservoir, located to the north of the town was commissioned in 1965 with a rated annual capacity o ...
city
***''
Sichuan'': Gulin, Xuyong, Xingyong, Gongxian, Junlian, Gaoxian, Changning, Muli, Yanbian, etc.
***''
Guizhou'': Jinsha, Chishui, Renhuai, Zunyi, Xifeng, Bijie, Nayong, Qianxi, Dafang, Zhijin, Puding, Pu'an, Xingyi, Anlong, Wangmo, Zhenning, Anshun Prefecture, Liupanshui Prefecture, etc. The Tuhe 土河 dialect is spoken in
Xishui County, Guizhou.
***''
Yunnan'': Zhenxiong, Weixing, Yiliang, Shizong, Luoping, Wenshan Prefecture, Mengzi, Pingbian, Kaiyuan, Jinping, Gejiu, Mile, Luxi, Lunan (Shilin), Yuanyang, Baoshan, Changning, Lijiang, Huaping, Fengqin, Heqin, Weishan, Yongping, Yangbi, Nanjian, Xiangyun, Zhongdian, Binchuan, Huaning, Chengjiang, Yiliang, Zhenkang, Zhenyuan, Mengla, etc.
***''
Guangxi
Guangxi (; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the People's Republic ...
'': Longlin, Xilin, Napo, etc.
**Lect 2: 70,000+ speakers in the counties of
Nayong,
Hezhang, and
Shuicheng
Shuicheng () is a district in the west of Guizhou province, China, bordering 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 mi ...
. ''Representative dialect'': Xingfa township 兴发乡,
Hezhang County
**Lect 3. ''Representative dialect'': Zhuchang township 猪场乡,
Zhijin County
*
Northeast Yunnan Miao: 250,000 speakers in the counties of
Yiliang of Zhaotong, Daguan, Zhaotong, Yongshan, Qiaojia, Wudin, Lufeng, Luquan, Chuxiong, Dayao, Yuanmou, Kunming, Anning, Fumin,
Yiliang of Kunming, Yimen, Songming, Qujing, Dongchuan, Huize, Xundian, Xuanwei, Zhanyi, Malong, Weining, Hezhang, Zhijin, Puding, Wangmo, Shuicheng, etc. ''Representative dialect'': Shimenkan 石门坎寨, Zhongshui district 中水区,
Weining County
*
Guiyang Miao
**Northern: 80,000 speakers in
Guiyang
Guiyang (; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), historically rendered as Kweiyang, is the capital of Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, ...
suburbs; Linka 林卡,
Pingba; Chongxin 重新 and Shiping 石平 of
Qianxi;
Jinsha (in Musha 木沙, Bijia 笔架, Zongping 宗平, Dayuan 大员, Xinxi 新西, Anmin 安民, and Taoyuan 桃园); parts of the counties of
Kaiyang,
Xifeng,
Xiuwen, and
Guiding. ''Representative dialect'': Baituo 摆托寨, Qingyan township 青岩乡,
Huaxi District
Huaxi District () is one of 6 urban districts of the prefecture-level city of Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, Southwest China.
Huaxi has an area of and a population of 328,700. Its GDP was 4.35 billion RMB in 2006.
It is named afte ...
花溪区,
Guiyang
Guiyang (; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), historically rendered as Kweiyang, is the capital of Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, ...
city
**Southwestern: 65,000 speakers in
Pingba (in Machang 马场, Malu 马路, Gayun 嘎云, Baiyun 白云, Huolong 活龙, and Changhe 昌河),
Qingzhen :''The term ''Qingzhen'' can also refer to Chinese Muslims, Chinese Islamic cuisine or the Hui ethnic group.''
Qingzhen () is a county-level city under the administration of Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, China. It is located to the west ...
(in Houliu 后六 and Lusheng 芦笙),
Anshun (in Zhangjiatun 张家屯, Pingzhai 平寨, Jiuzhou 旧州, Baolong 鲍隆, and Liugong 刘宫),
Changshun (in Guangshun 广顺),
Guiyang
Guiyang (; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), historically rendered as Kweiyang, is the capital of Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, ...
suburbs. ''Representative dialect'': Kaisa village 凯洒村, Machang township 马场乡,
Pingba County
**Southern: 25,000 speakers in
Anshun and parts of
Zhenning. ''Representative dialect'': Wangjiashan 汪家山, Huayan township 华严乡,
Anshun city
**Northwestern: 7,000 speakers in Tieshi 铁石苗族彝族乡,
Qianxi (in Molaoba 磨老坝 and Tiaonian 跳年); Tiekui 铁盔乡,
Qianxi (in Xinchang 新场, Xinzhai 新寨, Bazi 坝子); others parts of
Qianxi (in Baihua 百花, Malu 马路, Lanhua 兰花, Wuli 五里, Hongshui 洪水, Pingzhai 平寨, Guanzhai 关寨, Gantang 甘塘, Guiqing 桂箐, Wuzhen 五镇, Tangxin 塘新, Dasan 大三, and Liming 黎明);
Pingba (in Datun 大屯, Leping 乐平 and Gaofeng 高峰); Weicheng 卫城 of
Qingzhen :''The term ''Qingzhen'' can also refer to Chinese Muslims, Chinese Islamic cuisine or the Hui ethnic group.''
Qingzhen () is a county-level city under the administration of Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, China. It is located to the west ...
; Ertang 二塘 of
Liuzhi; Shechang 蛇场 of
Longlin. ''Representative dialect'': Tieshi township 铁石苗族彝族乡,
Qianxi County
**Central: 5,000 speakers in Jiepai 界牌, Chengguan 城关镇,
Ziyun; Tuanpo 团坡, Songshan 松山镇,
Ziyun; Baiyun 白云,
Ziyun (in Malong 骂龙 and Maga 骂嘎); Baiyan 白岩 (in Tianba 田坝, Banbi 板比, Mokai 磨开, Mozhu 磨竺); Qinghai 青海乡 (Lanba 滥坝, Fengxianglin 枫香林, Suancaopo 酸草坡); Dazhai 大寨, Jianglang 江朗,
Zhenning. ''Representative dialect'' (South-central Guiyang Miao): Hongyanzhai 红岩寨, Baiyun township 白云乡,
Ziyun County
*
Huishui Miao
Huishui Miao, a.k.a. Huishui Hmong, is a Miao language of China. It is named after Huishui County, Guizhou, though not all varieties are spoken there. The endonym is ''Mhong'', though it shares this with Gejia and it is simply a variant spelling ...
**Northern: 64,000 speakers in Gaopo 高坡,
Guiyang
Guiyang (; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), historically rendered as Kweiyang, is the capital of Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, ...
; Yangchang 羊场,
Huishui; Tangbao 塘堡 and Pingfa 平伐,
Guiding. ''Representative dialect'': Jiading 甲定寨, Gaopo township 高坡苗族乡,
Guiyang
Guiyang (; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), historically rendered as Kweiyang, is the capital of Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, ...
city
**Western: 52,000 speakers in Yashui 雅水, Sandu 三都, Doudi 斗底, and Duansan 断杉 of
Huishui; Baitang 摆塘 and Zhongguo 中果,
Changshun. ''Representative dialect'': Yarong Township 鸭绒乡,
Huishui County
**Central: 41,000 speakers in
Huishui (in Chengguan 城关 and Baijin 摆金); parts of
Changshun and
Ziyun. ''Representative dialect'': Baijin township 摆金乡,
Huishui County
**Eastern: 13,000 speakers in Xiguan 西关 of
Pingtang
Pingtang County () is a county in the Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou province, China, bordering Guangxi to the south. It is a high mountain valley and is inhabited mainly by members of the Buyei and Miao ethnic minorities, ...
; Gaobaibang 高摆榜 of
Huishui, etc. ''Representative dialect'': Xiguan township 西关乡,
Pingtang County
*
Mashan Miao
**Central: 60,000 speakers in
Ziyun (in Zongdi 宗地, Dayi 打易, Gejing 格井, Kehun 克混, Meichang 妹场, and Baihua 百花),
Luodian
Luodian County () is a county under the administration of Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in the south of Guizhou province, China, bordering Guangxi to the south.
The climate in the area is humid subtropical, with strong monsoon inf ...
(Fengting 逢亭 and Bianyang 边阳, etc.). ''Representative dialect'': Jiaotuo 绞坨寨, Zongdi township 宗地乡,
Ziyun County
**Northern: 30,000 speakers in Daihua 代化 of
Changshun; Bianyang 边阳 of
Luodian
Luodian County () is a county under the administration of Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in the south of Guizhou province, China, bordering Guangxi to the south.
The climate in the area is humid subtropical, with strong monsoon inf ...
; Dongshang 董上 of
Huishui, etc. ''Representative dialect'': Baisuo township 摆梭乡,
Changshun County
**Western: 12,000 speakers in Houchang 猴场, Sidazhai 四大寨, etc. of
Ziyun. ''Representative dialect'': Sidazhai 四大寨, Houchang Township 猴场乡,
Ziyun County
**Southern: 9,000 speakers in Mashan 麻山, Lekuan 乐宽, etc. of
Wangmo. ''Representative dialect'': Youquan village 油全村, Lekuan township 乐宽乡,
Wangmo County
**Southwestern: 5,000 speakers in Dalang 打狼乡, Sanglang 桑朗乡, and Lewang 乐旺乡 of
Wangmo. ''Representative dialect'': Babangzhai 岜棒寨, Dalang township 打狼乡,
Ziyun County
**Southeastern: 6,000 speakers in Moyin 模引乡 and Fengting 逢亭镇 of
Wangmo. ''Representative dialect'': Babazhai 把坝寨, Moyin 模引乡,
Wangmo County
*
Luobohe Miao: 43,000 speakers in the counties of Fuquan, Guiding, Longli, Kaiyang, Kaili (in Laojunzhai 老君寨, Daxiaopaomu 大小泡木, etc.). ''Representative dialect'': Yejipo 野鸡坡寨, Ganba township 甘坝乡,
Fuquan County
*
Chong'anjiang Miao: 44,000 speakers in the following counties. ''Representative dialect'': Fengxiang 枫香寨, Chong'an township 重安乡,
Huangping County
Huangping County (; Hmu: ''Wangx Zangx'') is a county in the east of Guizhou province, China. It is under the administration of the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture
Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (; Hmu language: ...
**
Huangping (in Fengtang 枫塘, Chongxin 重新, Chongren 崇人)
**
Kaili (in Longchang 龙场, Gouchang 狗场, Ganba 甘坝, Longshan 龙山, Longchang 隆昌, Bibo 碧波)
*
Pingtang Miao
Pingtang Miao, named after Pingtang County (平塘 ''píngtáng'') in which it is spoken, is a group of Miao language varieties of China.
Classification
The four varieties of Pingtang were listed as unclassified branches of Chuanqiandian Miao ( ...
**Northern: 15,000 speakers in
Pingtang County. ''Representative dialect'': Shanglin village 上林村, Yuanjiatong township 原甲桐乡,
Pingtang County
***Kaluo 卡罗乡 (in Shanglin 上林, Shangjialang 上甲浪, Xiajialang 下甲浪, Lamiguan 拉米冠)
***Yazhou 牙舟镇 (in Kongzhai 孔寨, Yanzhai 岩寨, Gusong 故松, Wangsong 王宋, Kala 卡腊, Gaozhai 高寨, Danpiao 单票, Chengyoupo 承友坡)
***Gudong 谷洞乡 (Gudong 谷洞, Shuichong 水冲, Shangge 上格, Baikua 摆垮, Xiaoguang 小广, Daguang 大广, Jichang 鸡场, Kuangjiu 旷九, Kundan 坤丹, Bailiang 摆两, Wengpian 翁片, etc.)
**Eastern: 5,000 speakers in Xinmin 新民乡, Wengqiao 翁桥乡, and Shangdao 上道乡 of
Dushan County. ''Representative dialect'': Caozhai 草寨, Xinmin township 新民乡,
Dushan County
**Southern: 7,000 speakers in the following counties. ''Representative dialect'': Pingyan 平岩乡,
Luodian County
***
Luodian
Luodian County () is a county under the administration of Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in the south of Guizhou province, China, bordering Guangxi to the south.
The climate in the area is humid subtropical, with strong monsoon inf ...
(in Pingyan 平岩乡)
***
Pingtang
Pingtang County () is a county in the Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou province, China, bordering Guangxi to the south. It is a high mountain valley and is inhabited mainly by members of the Buyei and Miao ethnic minorities, ...
(in Wengtun 翁屯, Kongqiong 孔穹, Mingtong 明通, Kongwangzhai 孔王寨, Baibiao 摆表)
***
Nandan (in Lala 拉拉, Zhongbao 钟堡, Youyuan 尤元, Yuege 约各, Jiuli 九里, Youshao 油召, etc.)
**Western: 3,500 speakers in Youmai 油迈 of
Wangmo (in Shangyoumai 上油迈, Xiayoumai 下油迈); parts of
Luodian
Luodian County () is a county under the administration of Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in the south of Guizhou province, China, bordering Guangxi to the south.
The climate in the area is humid subtropical, with strong monsoon inf ...
. ''Representative dialect'': Youmai village 油迈村, Youmai township 油迈乡,
Wangmo County
The above classification was later revised by Li Jinping & Li Tianyi (2012:285) to include 7 dialects instead of the 8 given in Wang (1985);
Pingtang Miao
Pingtang Miao, named after Pingtang County (平塘 ''píngtáng'') in which it is spoken, is a group of Miao language varieties of China.
Classification
The four varieties of Pingtang were listed as unclassified branches of Chuanqiandian Miao ( ...
is excluded.
*Western Miao (representative dialect: Dananshan, Yanzikou, Bijie 贵州毕节燕子口镇大南山)
**
Chuanqiandian Miao
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand ...
(representative dialect: Damiaozhai, Jichang, Bijie 贵州毕节吉场大苗寨)
***Lect 1
***Lect 2
**
Guiyang Miao (representative dialect: Guankou, Machang, Pingba 贵州平坝马场关口)
***Northern
***Western
***Southern
**
Huishui Miao
Huishui Miao, a.k.a. Huishui Hmong, is a Miao language of China. It is named after Huishui County, Guizhou, though not all varieties are spoken there. The endonym is ''Mhong'', though it shares this with Gejia and it is simply a variant spelling ...
(representative dialect: Jiading, Gaopo, Huaxi, Guiyang 贵州贵阳花溪高坡甲定)
***Northern
***Western
***Central
***Eastern
**
Mashan Miao (representative dialect: Dalong, Dayun, Ziyun 贵州紫云大云大龙)
***Central
***Northern
***Western
***Southern
**
Northeast Yunnan Miao (representative dialect: Shimenkan, Weining 贵州威宁石门砍)
**
Luobohe Miao (representative dialect: Yejipo, Xinqiao, Fuquan 贵州福泉新桥野鸡坡)
**
Chong'anjiang Miao (representative dialect: Fengxiang, Chongxing, Huangping 贵州黄平重兴枫香)
Li (2000)
Li Yunbing (2000) classified those varieties left unclassified in Wang, grouping four of them together as an eighth branch of West Hmongic, ''Pingtang''. He identified Luodian Muyin and Wangmo (using Strecker's names) as varieties of
Mashan. Wang (1994) had already established Qianxi and Ziyun as varieties of Guiyang. This classification is repeated in Wu and Yang (2010):
*Chuanqiandian cluster (川黔滇 ''Chuānqiándiān'')
*
A-Hmao A-Hmao (''Big Flowery Miao'') are an Hmongic ethnic group in China. They are from Yunnan and Sichuan and also live in Guizhou. The number of persons within this group likely exceeds 400,000. They are speakers of the A-Hmao language
The A-Hmao la ...
(滇东北 ''Diāndōngběi'')
*
Guiyang Miao (贵阳 ''Guìyáng'')
*
Huishui Miao
Huishui Miao, a.k.a. Huishui Hmong, is a Miao language of China. It is named after Huishui County, Guizhou, though not all varieties are spoken there. The endonym is ''Mhong'', though it shares this with Gejia and it is simply a variant spelling ...
(惠水 ''Huìshuǐ'')
*
Mashan Miao (麻山 ''Máshān'')
*
A-Hmyo (罗泊河 ''Luóbóhé'')
*
Gejia (重安江 ''Chóng'ānjiāng'')
*
Pingtang Miao
Pingtang Miao, named after Pingtang County (平塘 ''píngtáng'') in which it is spoken, is a group of Miao language varieties of China.
Classification
The four varieties of Pingtang were listed as unclassified branches of Chuanqiandian Miao ( ...
(平塘 ''Píngtáng'')
The varieties analyzed by Li Yunbing (2000) are:
*
Guiyang Miao
**' (autonym; also called Jiucai Miao 韭菜苗), in Hongyan, Baiyun township,
Ziyun County 紫云县白云乡红岩寨; 4,000 speakers
**' (autonym) in Tieshi township,
Qianxi County 黔西县铁石苗族彝族乡
*
Pingtang Miao
Pingtang Miao, named after Pingtang County (平塘 ''píngtáng'') in which it is spoken, is a group of Miao language varieties of China.
Classification
The four varieties of Pingtang were listed as unclassified branches of Chuanqiandian Miao ( ...
**' (autonym) in Jiatong township,
Pingtang County 平塘县甲桐乡 (currently Kaluo 卡罗乡); 11,000 speakers
**' (autonym) in Xinmin township,
Dushan County 独山县新民乡; 4,000+ speakers
**' (autonym; also called Red Miao 红苗) in Pingyan,
Luodian County 罗甸县平岩乡; 6,000 speakers
**' (autonym) in Youmai,
Wangmo County 望谟县油迈乡; 3,000 speakers
*
Mashan Miao
**' (autonym; also called Cotton Miao 棉花苗; Bouyei exonym ') in Dalang,
Ziyun County 紫云县打狼乡; 4,000 speakers
**' (autonym) in Moyin,
Luodian County 罗甸县模引乡; 4,000+ speakers
Li (2000) considers ' (autonym;
Raojia) of Heba,
Majiang County
Majiang County () is a county of southeast-central Guizhou province, China. It is the westernmost county-level division of the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture
Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (; Hmu language: ''Qee ...
麻江县河坝乡 to be a separate dialect of
Hmu
The Hmu language (''hveb Hmub''), also known as Qiandong Miao (黔东, Eastern Guizhou Miao), Central Miao, East Hmongic, or (somewhat ambiguously) Black Miao, is a dialect cluster of Hmongic languages of China. The best studied dialect is that ...
(East Hmongic). It has 5,000 speakers in Majiang County, and 10,000 speakers total (including in the counties of Kaili, Duyun, Sandu, Rongjiang, Nandan, etc.)
Bu-Nao may not be included simply because speakers are ethnically Yao rather than Miao.
Mortensen (2004)
David Mortensen (2004) argues for the following classification of Western Hmongic based on shared tonal innovations, including
tone sandhi.
Pingtang
Pingtang County () is a county in the Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou province, China, bordering Guangxi to the south. It is a high mountain valley and is inhabited mainly by members of the Buyei and Miao ethnic minorities, ...
,
Luobohe, and
Chong'anjiang are not addressed.
;Western Hmongic
*Guiyang-Huishui
**
Guiyang
Guiyang (; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), historically rendered as Kweiyang, is the capital of Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, ...
***Baituo 摆托 (in Qingyan 青岩镇,
Huaxi District
Huaxi District () is one of 6 urban districts of the prefecture-level city of Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, Southwest China.
Huaxi has an area of and a population of 328,700. Its GDP was 4.35 billion RMB in 2006.
It is named afte ...
)
***Tieshi 铁石
***Zhongba 中坝
**
Huishui
***Jiading 甲定
*Core Western Hmongic
**
Mashan
***Jiaotuo 绞坨 (in Zongdi 宗地乡,
Ziyun County), Shuijingping 水井坪
***Xinzhai 新寨
**Far Western Hmongic
***
A-Hmao A-Hmao (''Big Flowery Miao'') are an Hmongic ethnic group in China. They are from Yunnan and Sichuan and also live in Guizhou. The number of persons within this group likely exceeds 400,000. They are speakers of the A-Hmao language
The A-Hmao la ...
(Diandongbei)
****Western
****Eastern
***
Hmong (Chuanqiandian)
Castro & Gu (2010): Wenshan
Castro & Gu (2010) divide the Hmong dialects of
Wenshan Prefecture,
Yunnan into four subdivisions, listed from east to west.
*Shuat (most divergent)
*Dleub
*Shib-Nzhuab
*Soud-Bes-Buak
The dialects given above are named after the groups they are spoken by. Some townships where they are spoken in are given as well.
*''Hmongb Shuat'' (偏苗: Lopsided Miao)
**Yangliujing, Guangnan county 广南县杨柳井乡
**Muyang, Funing county 富宁县木央镇
*''Hmongb Dleub'' (白苗: White Miao)
**Zhulin, Guangnan county 广南县珠琳镇
**Badaoshao, Qiubei county 丘北县八道哨乡
**Muyang, Funing county 富宁木央镇
**Babu, Malipo county 麻栗坡县八布乡
*''Hmongb Shib'' (青苗: Green Miao)
**Xingjie, Xichou county 西畴县兴街镇
**Zhuilijie, Wenshan county 文山县追栗街镇
*''Hmongb Nzhuab'' (绿苗, 青苗: Green Miao)
**Babu, Malipo county 麻栗坡县八布乡
**Jiahanqing, Maguan county 马关县夹寒箐镇
*''Hmongb Soud'' (花苗: Flowery Miao)
**Nijiao, Qiubei county 丘北县腻脚乡
**Pingyuan, Yanshan county 砚山县平远镇
*''Hmongb Bes'' (花苗: Flowery Miao)
**Jiahanqing, Maguan county 马关县夹寒箐镇
**Bazhai, Maguan county 马关县八寨镇
*''Hmongb Buak'' (花苗: Flowery Miao)
**Gulinqing, Maguan county 马关县古林箐乡
**Gumu, Wenshan county 文山县古木镇
Castro, Flaming, & Luo (2012): Honghe
Castro, Flaming, & Luo (2012) found that there are 4 different West Hmongic languages in
Honghe Prefecture
Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture (; Hani: ; Yi: ꉼꉸꉳꆃꁈꆃꁈꊨꏦꍓ) is an autonomous prefecture in Southeast-Central Yunnan Province, China, bordering Vietnam's Lào Cai and Lai Châu provinces to the south. Its nam ...
, Yunnan.
[Andy Castro, Royce Flaming, Luo Youliang. 2012]
''A Phonological and Lexical Comparison of Western Miao Dialects in Honghe''
SIL International.
*Northern Hua Miao, comprising ''Bes'', ''Soud'', ''Ndrous'', ''Buak'', and ''Dlob''
*Southern Hua Miao, comprising ''Shib'', ''Lens'', ''Nzhuab'', and ''Dlex Nchab''
*White Miao, comprising ''Dleub''
*Sinicised Miao, comprising ''Sat'' and ''Shuat''
Castro, Flaming, & Luo (2012)
propose the following classification for the Western Miao dialects of southeastern Yunnan, which is based on Michael Johnson's 1998 classification of Western Miao dialects.
;Western Miao
mongic*Sinicised Miao
**''Sat'' (汉苗)
**''Shuat'' (偏苗、汉苗)
*Farwestern Miao
**White Miao
***''Dleub'' (白苗)
**Northern Hua Miao
***Standard Western Miao
***''Bes'' (花苗)
***''Soud'' (花苗)
***''Ndrous'' (花苗)
***Black Miao
****''Dlob'' (黑苗)
****''Buak'' (黑苗)
**Southern Hua Miao
***''Shib'' (青苗)
***''Lens'' (花苗、红头苗)
***''Nzhuab'' (绿苗、花苗)
***''Dlex Nchab'' (清水苗)
Matisoff (2006)
Matisoff 2006 outlined the following. Not all languages are necessarily listed.
Western Hmong
* Libo Miao (= ?, maybe
Bu-Nao)
* Weining Miao (= A-Hmao / Large Flowery Miao?)
* Guangshun Miao (Yi Miao) (= ?)
* Sichuan–Guizhou–Yunnan (=
Chuanqiandian Cluster)
** Petchabun (
White Hmong
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand, ...
)
** Green Hmong (
Blue Hmong
Gha-Mu, also known as Small Flowery Miao () and Blue Hmong, are a Miao ethnic group in China. They are from Guizhou and belong to the Hmong people. Many of them are Christians. The number of persons within this group likely exceeds 100,000. They ar ...
)
** Suyong Miao (
Magpie Miao
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand, an ...
)
** Chuan Miao (
Western Sichuan Miao)
** Huajie Miao (= ?)
Matisoff (2001)
Matisoff 2001 removed Bu-Nao from Strecker (1987), broke up several of the remaining groups, and does not mention the unclassified languages, unless they are covered by ''Raojia'' or ''Pa Na''. Apart from those, this is basically the classification of ''Ethnologue'' 16.
;Chuanqiangdian Miao
*
Chuanqiandian Cluster Miao
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand ...
GY* ''White Miao (
Hmong Daw)''
GY* ''
Hmong Njua (Green Miao)''
GY*
Small Flowery Miao
Small Flowery Miao () is a Miao language of China spoken by the Gha-Mu people. It is closely related to the Hmong dialects of China and Laos. Hmong and Small Flowery Miao are listed as the first and second local dialects of the ''Chuanqiandian ...
GY*
Horned Miao
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand, an ...
GY*
Hmong Dô
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand, an ...
GY*
Hmong Don
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand, ...
GY*
Large Flowery Miao
The A-Hmao language, also known as Large Flowery Miao () or Northeast Yunnan Miao (), is a Hmongic language spoken in China. It is the language the Pollard script was designed for, and displays extensive tone sandhi. There is a high degree of ...
(Northeastern Dian Miao, = A-Hmau)
* Northern
Guiyang Miao
* Southern Guiyang Miao
* Southwestern Guiyang Miao
* Central
Huishui Miao
Huishui Miao, a.k.a. Huishui Hmong, is a Miao language of China. It is named after Huishui County, Guizhou, though not all varieties are spoken there. The endonym is ''Mhong'', though it shares this with Gejia and it is simply a variant spelling ...
* Eastern Huishui Miao
* Northern Huishui Miao
* Southwestern Huishui Miao
* Central
Mashan Miao
* Northern Mashan Miao
* Southern Mashan Miao
* Western Mashan Miao
*
Luopohe Miao (= Luobo River Miao, Hmjo)
*
Ge (Chonganjiang Miao, = Gejia, Zhong'an River Miao)
*
Sinicized Miao
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thail ...
(
Hmong Shua
Hmong / Mong (; RPA: ''Hmoob,'' ; Nyiakeng Puachue: ; Pahawh: , ) is a dialect continuum of the West Hmongic branch of the Hmongic languages spoken by the Hmong people of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hainan, northern Vietnam, Thailand, ...
)
*
Raojia (= ?)
*
Pa Na (= ?)
Wang (1983)
Wang (1983), summarized in English in Strecker 1987
[Strecker, David. 1987.]
The Hmong-Mien Languages
" In ''Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area'', 10 , no. 2: 1–11. emphasized the diversity of Western Hmongic. The names below are from Strecker; Wang did not assign names, but identified the districts where the varieties were spoken.
Chuanqiandian (Sichuan–Guizhou–Yunnan)
*Chuanqiandian subgroup
**
Hmong (Chuanqiandian "cluster": White Hmong, Green Mong, etc.)
**
Small Flowery Miao
Small Flowery Miao () is a Miao language of China spoken by the Gha-Mu people. It is closely related to the Hmong dialects of China and Laos. Hmong and Small Flowery Miao are listed as the first and second local dialects of the ''Chuanqiandian ...
**
Xixiu Miao
*
Northeastern Yunnan = Diandongbei (A-Hmau, = Large Flowery Miao)
*
Guiyang
Guiyang (; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), historically rendered as Kweiyang, is the capital of Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, ...
(Hmong)
*
Huishui (Mhong)
*
Mashan (Mang)
*
Luobo River (A-Hmyo)
*
Eastern or Zhong'an River (Mhong, Gedou)
*?
Pingtang
Pingtang County () is a county in the Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou province, China, bordering Guangxi to the south. It is a high mountain valley and is inhabited mainly by members of the Buyei and Miao ethnic minorities, ...
*?
Qianxi–Pingba–Qingzhen–Liuzhi (= Li Yunbing's Qianxi)
*?
Luodian Muyin ("Moyin")
*?
Dushan
*?
Luodian Pingyan
*?
Ziyun–Zhenning (= Li Yunbing's Ziyun)
*?
Wangmo
*?
Wangmo–Luodian (Mhang)
*
Pu–Nao (= Bu-Nao)
**Pu Nu
ung Nu(= Bunu, Dongnu)
**Nu Nu
**Pu No (= Bunuo)
**Nao Klao (= Baonao)
**Nu Mhou (=Numao)
These are not all established as unitary branches, however. In a follow-up to that paper in the same publication,
[http://sealang.net/sala/archives/pdf8/strecker1987some.pdf ] Strecker broke up Bu-Nao on the basis of newly accessible data, and noted that several of the languages listed in Wang
arked "?" abovewere unclassified due to lack of data, and had not been demonstrated to be West Hmongic.
The other groups are then listed as unclassified within Hmongic, and not specifically West Hmongic. However, Wang (1994) identified two as varieties of Guiyang.
The eight unclassified languages are all spoken in a small area of south-central Guizhou, along with Guiyang, Huishui, Mashan, and Luobo River Miao. These were later addressed by Li Yunbing (2000).
References
*Li Jinping, Li Tianyi
锦平, 李天翼 2012. ''A comparative study of Miao dialects''
语方言比较研究 Chengdu: Southwest Jiaotong University Press.
{{Hmong-Mien languages
Languages of China