The Nusu language is a Loloish language spoken by the Nu people of China and Myanmar. There are three dialects: Northern, Southern, and Central. The Central dialect of Miangu is the prestige dialect and is understood fairly well by speakers of other dialects. ^[1]

Lama (2012) observes a sound change, *r- > Ø- from Proto-Loloish, as a Nusoish innovation.

Distribution

The three Nusu dialects are spoken in the following locations (Nusuzu Nusuyu Jianzhi 怒族怒苏语简志 1986).

• Southern, also known as the Guoke-Puluo (果科-普洛) dialect: northern Lushui County 泸水县, in Guoke 果科, ^[2] Puluo 普洛, ^[3] Tongping 同坪, ^[4] Jiajia 加甲 ^[5] (3,000 speakers)
• Central, also known as the Zhizhiluo-Laomudeng (知之罗-老姆登) dialect: southern Fugong County 福贡县, in Pihe 匹河怒族乡, ^[6] Zhizhiluo 知之罗, ^{[7] [8]} Laomudeng 老姆登, ^[9] Miangu 棉古, ^[10] Shawa 沙瓦, ^[11] Zileng 子楞 ^[12] (4,000 speakers)
• Northern, also known as the Wawa-Kongtong (瓦娃-空通) dialect: Fugong County 福贡县, in Wawa 瓦娃, ^{[13] [14]} Kongtong 空通, ^{[15] [16]} Youduoluo 有夺洛 ^[17] (2,000 speakers)

The divergent Liangsu dialect (良苏话) is spoken in by about 3,000 people in the following locations of Fugong County, Yunnan. ^{[18] [19]}

• Zilijia Township 子里甲乡: Jianu 甲怒, Mazudi 马祖底, Jiada 甲打, Lamujia 腊母甲, Jiache 加车
• Jiakedi Township 架科底乡: Jiake 架科, La'anjia 腊安甲

Phonology

Consonants

Tones

Nusu has seven tones:

References

External links

• Nusu language site