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.
  • Wang & Chen covers the dialect of Pengpan 碰拚, Dafengshan Township 大凤山乡, Shuangjiang County.
  • Zhou & Yan covers the dialect of Pangpin 胖品, Yongge Township 永革乡, Shuangjiang County.
  • Yan & Zhou cover U of Gantang 甘塘, Yongde County as well as U of Pangpin 胖品.
  • Svantesson documents the U dialect of Pã Xɛp, Shahe Township 沙河乡, Shuangjiang County.
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