U language


The U language, or P'uman, is spoken by 40,000 people in the Yunnan Province of China and possibly Myanmar. It is classified as an Austroasiatic language in the Palaungic branch. In China, U speakers are classified as ethnic Bulang.

Locations

U is spoken in Shuangjiang County of Yunnan and other nearby counties.
There two main dialects of U in Shuangjiang County: one spoken in Gongnong and one spoken in Bangbing and Dawen Mangga ; the Dawen dialect is reportedly mutually intelligible with that of Shidian County.
Avala is spoken in Bangliu, Manghuai Township, Yun County, Yunnan, China.

Phonology

U has four tones, high, low, rising, falling, which developed from vowel length and the nature of final consonants.
FrontCentralBack
High
Mid
Low