Dai Zhuang language


Dai Zhuang or Thu Lao is a Tai language spoken in Yunnan, China and northern Vietnam. In China is it spoken in Yanshan, Wenshan, Maguan, Malipo, Guangnan counties of Wenshan Prefecture. It is also spoken in Honghe Prefecture. The largest concentrations are in Wenshan and Yanshan counties.

Names

Below are various names for speakers of Dai Zhuang.
  • Pu Dai
  • *
  • Tuliao, Tulao
  • Tuzu
  • Pulao, Puliao

Subdivisions and distribution

Johnson splits Dai Zhuang into 4 dialects according to tonal splitting patterns: Northern, Central, Southern, and Northeastern. They roughly correspond with the following ethnic subdivisions.
  • Northern: Piled Headdress Tu. Spoken in northern Wenshan and western Yanshan counties.
  • Central: Flat Headdress Tu. Spoken around the city of Wenshan, and in central Wenshan County's Panzhihua Township.
  • Southern: Pointed Headdress Tu. Spoken in Malipo and Maguan counties.
  • Northeastern: Slanted Headdress Tu. Spoken in Guangnan and eastern Yanshan counties.
In Vietnam, Thu Lao is spoken in the following 7 villages.
Jerold Edmondson describes Thu Lao as a Central Tai language with about 200 speakers that retains voiced initial consonants in low tones, like Tay of Trùng Khánh District, Cao Bằng Province.
Yunnan reports that a Tai-speaking group called the Baiyi 摆彝 live in Wenshan City, Maguan County, and Qiaotou Township 桥头苗族壮族乡 of Hekou Yao Autonomous County. Yunnan suggests that it may be similar to Tai Lue. The Baiyi are classified as ethnic Dai in Hekou, and as Zhuang in Wenshan and Maguan. In 1960, the Baiyi had a population of 6,958.

Phonology

Many Dai Zhuang dialects preserve voiced stops inherited from Proto-Tai. L-Thongkum calls the dialects with the voiced stops "Dai Tho," and the dialects without any voiced stops "Tai Tho."

Consonants

BilabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
Plosive
Nasal
Liquid

Tones

Thu Lao has five tones:
  1. mid-high-falling
  2. low
  3. high/high-rising
  4. mid
  5. mid-low-rising