Qiangic languages
| Qiangic | |
|---|---|
| Dzorgaic | |
| Geographic distribution: |
China |
| Linguistic classification: |
Sino-Tibetan
|
| Glottolog: |
naqi1236 (Na–Qiangic) qian1263 (Qiangic) |
Qiangic (Ch'iang, Kyang, Tsiang), formerly known as Dzorgaic, is a group of related languages within the Sino-Tibetan language family. They are spoken mainly in Southwest China, including Sichuan, Tibet and Yunnan. Most Qiangic languages are distributed in the prefectures of Ngawa, Garzê, Ya'an, and Liangshan in Sichuan with some in northern Yunnan as well.
Qiangic speakers are variously classified as part of the Qiang, Tibetan, Pumi, Nakhi and Mongol ethnic groups by the Chinese government.
The extinct Tangut language, the official language of the Western Xia, has been determined to be a Qiangic language.
Sun Hongkai (1983) proposes two branches, northern and southern:
Sun groups other, poorly described Qiangic languages as:
Matisoff (2004) states that Jiarongic is an additional branch:
Thurgood and La Polla (2003) state that the inclusion of Qiang, Prinmi, and Muya is well supported, but that they do not follow Sun's argument for the inclusion of Tangut. Matisoff (2004), however, claims Tangut demonstrates a clear relationship. The unclassified language Baima may also be Qiangic or may retain a Qiangic substratum after speakers shifted to Tibetan.
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