Lachi language
| Lachi | |
|---|---|
| Region | Vietnam |
| Ethnicity | Lachi |
|
Native speakers
|
(7,000 cited 1990–2007) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either: lbt – Lachi lwh – White Lachi |
| Glottolog | lach1247 |
The Lachi language (Chinese: Laji 拉基, Vietnamese: La Chí; autonym in China: li˧˥pu˦ljo˦; autonym in Vietnam: qu˧˨ te˦˥˧, where qu˧˨ means "person") is a Kra language spoken in Yunnan, China and in northern Vietnam. There were 9,500 Lachi speakers in Vietnam in 1990. Edmondson (2008) reports another 2,500 in Maguan County, Yunnan, China for 1995, but Li Yunbing (2000) reports 60 speakers in Maguan out of an ethnic population of 1,600.
Weera Ostapirat proposed three major subdivisions for the Lachi language.
Jerold A. Edmondson notes that Vietnamese researchers recently have not been able to locate White (Central) Lachi speakers. It is also the least studied variety of Lachi.
The Maguan County Gazetteer 马关县志 (1996) lists the following Lachi ethnic subdivisions.
The Maguan County Gazetteer 马关县志 (1996) also lists the following autonyms for the Lachi.
The Republic of China-era Maguan County Gazetteer 马关县志 gives the names Labo 剌僰 (with a dog radical 犭for La 剌) and Laji 拉鸡.
Kosaka (2000) reports 6,000–8,000 Lachi speakers in Vietnam, and 2,000 in China. The Lachi of Maguan County, China are currently classified as Zhuang (Li 2000), while the Lachi of Malipo County, China, along with the Qabiao, are classified as Yi. The Lachi of Vietnam have official status as a separate ethnic group.
The Lachi of China live in various locations in Maguan County (马关县), Yunnan, which is located in Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州) near the border with Hà Giang Province, Vietnam. According to American linguist Jerold A. Edmondson, the Lachi of China are thought to have moved to their present location during the Qing Dynasty from places in Vietnam called Maibu 麥布, Maidu 麥督, and Maiha 麥哈. Other Lachis are also found scattered in Yanshan, Qiubei, Xichou, and Malipo counties.
...
Wikipedia