Bit language


Bit is an Austroasiatic language spoken by around 2,000 people in Phongsaly Province, northern Laos and in Mengla County, Yunnan, China.

Names

In China, the Buxing people are also called Kami or Kabi.
Yan & Zhou list the following names for Khabit.
  • ', '
  • '
  • '
  • Kami
The Khabit name for Khmu is ta mɔi.

Classification

Paul Sidwell and Svantesson classify Bit as Palaungic. It is most closely related to Kháng and Quang Lam.

Distribution

Laos

In Laos, Bit is spoken by 2,000 people in the following villages. The speakers call themselves "Laubit".
  • Nam Lie
  • Nam Lan
  • Nam Liaŋ
  • Nam Pauk
  • Bɔn Tsɛm Mɑi
  • Nam Tha
  • Bɔn Hui Huo
  • Bɔn Bɔm Phiŋ
  • Nam Nɔi
Kingsada covers the Khabit language of Nale village, Bun Neua District, Phongsaly Province, Laos.

China

In Mengla County, Yunnan, China, Bit is spoken by 539 people as of 2000, in the following villages.
  • Nanqian, Manzhuang Village, Mohan Township
  • Kami, Huiluo Village, Kami Township / Mengban
In Menghai County, Yunnan, China, there is a group of people known as the Bajia of Menghun, not to be confused with the Tai-speaking Bajia of Meng'a Township, which is close to the border with Shan State, Myanmar. They live in Manbi Village, Menghun Town, Menghai County, Yunnan, and have recently been classified by the Chinese government as ethnic Bulang people. Their autonym is Manbi or Bi. The Bajia of Menghun believe that their ancestors had migrated from Laos. They are variously referred to by other ethnic groups as Kabi, Laos Bulang, and Manbi people. They do not consider themselves to be Bajia, which is a name given to them by government officials, since they do not believe they are related to the Tai-speaking Bajia of Meng'a. Yunnan considers Bajia to be a dialect of Tai Lue based on the group's autonym and language, with 225 Bajia people counted as of 1960. The Bajia had originally migrated from Bajia 八甲, Laojian Mountain 老肩山, Jinggu County. Yunnan documents the location of Bajia as Jingbo Township, Meng'a District, Menghai County.
Yunnan reports that in Mengla County, the Khabit have close relations with a group called the Bubeng, who numbered 15 households with about 100 people as of 1960, and speak a Hani language. Yunnan classifies both the Kabie and Bubeng as ethnic Hani people.