Lisoish languages

Lisoish
Central Loloish
Geographic distribution:	Southern China, Vietnam
Linguistic classification:	Sino-Tibetan (Tibeto-Burman) Lolo–Burmese Loloish Lisoish
Subdivisions:	—

The Lisoish languages, also known in broader scope as the Central Loloish or Central Ngwi languages, are a branch of the Loloish languages that includes several of the Yi languages

Scope

Central Loloish was proposed by Bradley (1997) and Thurgood (2003). Thurgood removed the Sani–Azha languages. Lama (2012) removed Lahu and Jinuo, and did not address Micha, calling the remaining core Lisoish.

There is no single phonological innovation that defines Lisoish.

Languages and classifications

Lama (2012)

Lisoish	Lipo, Lolopo, Hlersu (Shansu) Toloza (Tanglang) Lisu Lalo (Laluba), Lavu (Talu)

Close to Lisu within Central Loloish, but not addressed directly by Lama (2012), are the Micha languages:

• Miqie (Micha), Lamu

Another Central Loloish language, possibly Lisoish, is Lang’e (La’u), as apparently is Naluo. Yang (2011) reports Lawu, which is closest to Lavu/Talu.

Two of the six Yi languages (fangyan 方言) officially recognized by the Chinese government belong to Lama's Lisoish clade:

• Western Yi (Lalo 腊罗)
• Central Yi (Lolopo 倮倮泼)

The remaining four are Nisoish.

Chen (2010)

Chen (2010) lists the following dialects for "Lolo" (倮倮) languages, which corresponds to part of Lama's Lisoish clade, but in a narrower scope. The position of Lisu is not addressed. Also listed are the counties where each respective dialect is spoken.

Lolo 倮倮方言

• Lolo, Luóluó 倮倮次方言 (lo̱˨˩lo̱˧pʰo˨˩): 600,000 speakers in all counties of Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture
• Lalu, Làlǔ 腊鲁次方言
  • Lalu, Làlǔ 腊鲁 (la˨˩lu̱˧pa˨˩): 250,000 speakers in Dali, Weishan, Midu, Yongping, Baoshan, etc.
  • Lalo, Làluó 腊罗 (la˨˩lo̱˨˩ɣɑ˥ly˥): 250,000 speakers in Dali, Weishan, Yunxian, Changning, Nanjian, Lincang, Shuangjiang, Midu, Jingdong, Jinggu, etc.
• Lipo, Lǐpō 里泼次方言
  • Lipo, Lǐpō 里泼 (li˧pʰo˨˩): 200,000 speakers in Luquan, Wuding, Yongsheng, Huaping, etc.
  • Lavu, Lāwù 拉务 (la˨˩u˨˩): 50,000 speakers in Yongsheng
  • Talu, Tǎlǔ 塔鲁 (tʰa˨˩lu˥): 50,000 speakers in Yongsheng, Huaping, etc.
  • Toloza, Tánglángràng 堂郎让 (tʰo˧lo˧za˧): 2,000+ speakers in Tai'an Township, Lijiang County

Other languages

Cathryn Yang (2010) lists the following 4 languages as peripheral Lalo languages.

• Yangliu
• Eka
• Mangdi
• Xuzhang

Andy Castro, et al. (2010) have reported the discovery of 5 languages in Heqing County, Yunnan that are most closely related to Talu (他留话) of Yongsheng County.

• Kua-nsi (跨恩斯话): 5,000+ speakers
• Kuamasi (跨玛斯话)
• Laizisi (莱兹斯话)
• Zibusi (子逋斯话)
• Sonaga (锁内嘎话): 2,000+ speakers

The languages at top are closest; Sonaga is the most distinct.

Innovations

Lama (2012) lists the following sound changes from Proto-Loloish as Lisoish innovations.

• *m- > ø-
• *m- > p-

Pelkey (2011) lists the following as Central Ngwi innovations.

• Proto-Ngwi tone categories 1 and 2: tone splitting that is widespread
• Proto-Ngwi tone category 2 splits to *glottal-prefixed initials (higher-pitched reflexes) and *non-glottal-prefixed initials (lower-pitched reflexes; with a subsequent flip-flop in Lahu)
• Proto-Ngwi tone category L prefixed stop initials > high/rising pitch reflexes
• Family group classifiers paradigmatized with disyllabic forms, vowel leveling, and other systemic changes
• Burmic extentive paradigm is moderately grammaticalized; more than Southern Ngwi, but fewer than Northern Ngwi

References

• Chen Kang [陈康]. 2010. A study of Yi dialects [彝语方言研究]. Beijing: China Minzu University Press.
• Lama, Ziwo Qiu-Fuyuan (2012), Subgrouping of Nisoic (Yi) Languages, thesis, University of Texas at Arlington (archived)