Kam language
| Kam | |
|---|---|
| Gaeml | |
| Native to | China |
| Region | Guizhou, Hunan, Guangxi |
| Ethnicity | Kam people |
|
Native speakers
|
1.5 million (2003) |
| Kam alphabet (Latin script) | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Variously: doc – Northern Dong kmc – Southern Dong cov – Cao Miao |
| Glottolog | kami1255 |
The Kam language, also known as Gam (autonym: lix Gaeml), or in Chinese, Dong or Tung-Chia, is the language of the Dong people. Ethnologue distinguishes three Kam varieties as separate but closely related languages.
The Kam language can be divided into two major subdivisions, Southern Kam and Northern Kam (Yang & Edmondson 2008). Northern Kam displays more Chinese influence and lacks vowel length contrast, while Southern Kam is more conservative. Language varieties closely related to or part of Kam include Cao Miao and Naxi Yao. A northern Pinghua variety called Bendihua, spoken in Tongdao County, Hunan, has also been significantly influenced by Kam.
Long (2012:19-20) classifies the Kam lectal areas (dialects) as follows.
In Congjiang County, Dong consists of three dialects: Jiudong 九洞 (similar to Chejiang 车江 Dong), Liudong 六洞 (similar to Liping 黎平 Dong), and another dialect spoken in Xishan 西山, Bingmei 丙梅, and Guandong 贯洞 (similar to Sanjiang 三江 Dong) (Congjiang County Almanac 1999:109).
In Suining County, Hunan, Dong is spoken in Lianfeng 联丰 (including Duolong 多龙村), Huangsangping 黄桑坪, Le'anpu 乐安铺, and other nearby locations. In Chengbu County, Hunan, Dong is spoken in Yanzhai 岩寨, Chang'anying 长安营, and Jiangtousi 江头司.
Kam is also spoken in the single village of Đồng Mộc, Trung Sơn Commune, Yên Sơn District, Tuyên Quang Province, northern Vietnam, where there are about 35 Kam people (Edmondson & Gregerson 2001). The Kam of Đồng Mộc had migrated to Vietnam from China about 150 years ago. The Kam variety spoken in Đồng Mộc is most similar to that of Lípíng Shuǐkǒu (黎平县水口镇) in southeastern Guizhou, China.
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