Derung language

Derung, Dulong (simplified Chinese: 独龙; traditional Chinese: 獨龍; pinyin: Dúlóng) or Trung is a Tibeto-Burman language of the Derung people of China. The Derung have no written language. It is believed that the Derung and Nu (Anung) people are of the same origin and speak somewhat the same language. They share the same kinship terminology as well as other cultural features.

Melam, Metu, Tamalu, and Tukiumu may be Derung dialects. They are not included in the speaker total above.

Dulongyu Jianzhi 独龙语简志 (1986) lists two main dialects of Dulong.

• Dulong River dialect 独龙河方言: Dulong River 独龙河 watershed, primarily in Dulongjiang Township 独龙江乡, Gongshan County, Yunnan, including in villages 1-4 (一村, 二村, 三村, 四村), District 4 四区; the dialect spoken in village 4 四村 is much different from the dialect spoken in villagees 1-3^[3]. 4,700 speakers.
• Nujiang dialect 怒江方言: Gongshan County, Yunnan (including in Bingzhongluo 丙中洛, District 1 一区, Nujiang 怒江^[3]) and Chawalong Township 察瓦龙乡, Zayü County, Tibet. 6,000 speakers.

References

• Duo Ji [多吉] & Sun Hongkai [孙宏开]. 2009. "Sketch on basic characteristics and dialectology of the Dulong language" [独龙语的基本特点和方言土语概况]. In Studies on Dulong society and history, vol. 2 [独龙族社会历史调查（二）], 160-183. Beijing: Ethnic Publishing House [民族出版社]. ISBN 9787105087983