| Loloish | |
|---|---|
| Ngwi, Yi | |
| Ethnicity: | Yi people |
| Geographic distribution: |
Southern China and Southeast Asia |
| Linguistic classification: | Sino-Tibetan
|
| Subdivisions: | |
| Ethnologue codes: | Loloish, Ngwi |
The Loloish languages, also known as Ngwi or in China as Yi, are a family of fifty to a hundred Tibeto-Burman languages. They are most closely related to Burmese and its relatives. Both the Loloish and Burmish branches are well defined, as is their superior node, Lolo–Burmese. However, subclassification is more contentious. All Loloish languages show significant Mon–Khmer influence.[1]
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Loloish is the traditional name for the family. Some publications avoid the term under the misapprehension that Lolo is pejorative. Lolo is the Chinese name for the Yi people, but it is only pejorative when written with a particular Chinese character (one that uses a beast rather than human radical), and that practice has been stopped in China.[2] (See Yi people.)
Loloish is traditionally divided into a northern branch, with Lisu and the numerous Yi languages, and a southern branch, with everything else. However, per Thurgood (2003:8) there is also a central branch, with languages from both northern and southern. Bradley (2002) adds a fourth, southeastern branch:
The Tujia language is difficult to classify due to massive influence from both Yi and Chinese. However, it may turn out to be a Loloish language. Bai also has numerous connections to Loloish, but its oldest core of vocabulary appears to be Old Chinese, and so it may be a Sinitic rather than Loloish language. Other unclassified Loloish languages are Gokhy (Gɔkhý) and Zauzou.