Lisoish languages


The Lisoish languages are a branch of the Loloish languages proposed by Ziwo Lama that includes Lisu and several of the Yi languages. David Bradley considers Lisoish languages to be part of the Central Loloish branch.

Languages and classifications

Lama (2012)

David Bradley considers Lisu, Lipo, and Lamu to form a Lisoid subgroup.
Other Lisoish languages are:
The following two of the six Yi languages officially recognized by the Chinese government belong to Lama's Lisoish clade.
  • Western Yi
  • Central Yi
Names for Lolopo varieties include Enipu 厄尼蒲, Qiangyi 羌夷, Tuzu 土族, and Xiangtang 香堂.

Chen (2010)

Chen lists the following dialects for "Lolo" languages, which corresponds to Lama's Lisoish clade. The position of Lisu 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
  • Lalu, 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
  • *Lipo, 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, and Ninglang.
  • *Toloza, Tánglángràng 堂郎让 : 2,000+ speakers in Tai'an Township, Lijiang County

Hsiu (2016)

Below is a classification of the Lisoish languages by Hsiu based on a phylogenetic analysis of selected lexical isoglosses.

Other languages

The Chuxiong Prefecture Ethnic Gazetteer lists the following cognate percentages between Lolopo 罗罗濮 and other Yi languages in Chuxiong Prefecture.
Yang, et al. lists the following languages as part of the Taloid branch, whose speakers are descendants of soldiers sent by the Nanzhao Kingdom from the Dali region to be stationed in northwestern Yunnan. Taloid languages are most closely related to Lalo, Lolopo, and Lipo, all of which share the lexical innovation a¹toL for 'fire'. They are spoken primarily in Yongsheng County and Heqing County. Popei 泼佩 is spoken in Huaping County, while Gomotage is spoken in Eryuan County.
Tazhi of Puwei Township 普威镇, northern Miyi County 米易县, Sichuan may also be a Taloid language.
Cathryn Yang also suggests that Wotizo of Midu County may probably be related to Lolo.
Cathryn Yang lists the following 4 languages as peripheral Lalo languages. Hsiu suggests that Alu is also likely a peripheral Lalo language.
Bradley reports the moribund language Samatu as a Laloid language.
Tulao of Jinping County may fit in the Lisoish branch, although this is uncertain due to lack of data.
Other languages that may be Lisoish include :
Lolopo varieties:
Below are autonyms of Central Yi speakers as listed in the Yunnan Province Ethnic Minority Languages Gazetteer :
  • '
  • '
  • '
  • '
  • ''''

Innovations

Lama lists the following sound changes from Proto-Loloish as Lisoish innovations.
  • *m- > zero
  • *m- > p-