View source for Zhuang languages

{{short description|Various Tai languages used by the Zhuang people of southern China}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Zhuang
| nativename       = {{lang|za|Vahcuengh}} ("Zhuang"), {{lang|zyb|Hauqcuengh}} (Yongbei)<BR>{{lang|zhn|Kauqnuangz}} (Nong), {{lang|zgn|Kauqnoangz}}<BR>{{lang|zgn|Hoedyaej}} (Guibian), {{lang|zqe|Hauƽyəiч}} (Qiubei)<BR>{{lang|mul|Hauqraeuz}}, {{lang|mul|Gangjdoj}} (Yongbei, Nong, Qiubei)<BR>{{lang|mul|Kauqraeuz}}, {{lang|mul|Gangjtoj}} (Nong, Yang, Dai)
| states           = [[China]]
| ethnicity        = [[Zhuang people]]
| speakers         = {{sigfig|15.9|2}} million, all Northern Zhuang languages
| date             = 2007
| ref              = ne2007
| familycolor      = Kradai
| fam2             = [[Kam–Tai]]
| fam3             = Be–Tai ?
| stand1           = [[Standard Zhuang]]
| script           = Zhuang, Old Zhuang, [[Sawndip]], [[Sawgoek]]
| iso1             = za
| iso2             = zha
| iso3             = zha
| lc1              = zch
| ld1              = Central Hongshuihe Zhuang
| lc2              = zhd
| ld2              = [[Dai Zhuang]] (Wenma)
| lc3              = zeh
| ld3              = [[Eastern Hongshuihe Zhuang]]
| lc4              = zgb
| ld4              = Guibei Zhuang
| lc5              = zgn
| ld5              = [[Guibian Zhuang]]
| lc6              = zln
| ld6              = Lianshan Zhuang
| lc7              = zlj
| ld7              = Liujiang Zhuang
| lc8              = zlq
| ld8              = Liuqian Zhuang
| lc9              = zgm
| ld9              = [[Minz Zhuang]]
| lc10             = zhn
| ld10             = [[Nong Zhuang]] (Yanguang)
| lc11             = zqe
| ld11             = [[Qiubei Zhuang]]
| lc12             = zyg
| ld12             = [[Yang Zhuang]] (Dejing)
| lc13             = zyb
| ld13             = [[Yongbei Zhuang]]
| lc14             = zyn
| ld14             = [[Yongnan Zhuang]]
| lc15             = zyj
| ld15             = [[Youjiang Zhuang]]
| lc16             = zzj
| ld16             = [[Zuojiang Zhuang]]
| glotto           = none
| glotto2          = daic1237
| glottoname2      = = Daic; Zhuang is not a valid group
| glottorefname2   = Daic
| notice           = IPA
| map              = Zhuang-dialects-map.png
| mapcaption       = Geographic distribution of Zhuang dialects in Guangxi and related languages in Northern Vietnam and Guizhou
| fam4             = [[Tai languages|Tai]]
| fam5             = [[Northern Tai languages|Northern Tai]] and [[Central Tai languages|Central Tai]]
}}

[[Image:Zhuang books.jpg|thumb|220px|Books of Zhuang language]]

The '''Zhuang languages''' ({{IPAc-en|'|dʒ<!--adjusted from word-medial form per US entry-->|w|æ|ŋ|,_|'|dʒ|w|ɒ|ŋ}};<ref>{{Cite dictionary |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Guangxi_Zhuang |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420052520/https://www.lexico.com/definition/guangxi_zhuang |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 20, 2021 |title=Guangxi Zhuang |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref> [[exonym and endonym|autonym]]: {{Lang|za|Vahcuengh}}, {{IPA|za|βa˧ɕuːŋ˧}}, pre-1982: {{Lang|za|Vaƅcueŋƅ}}, [[Sawndip]]: 話僮, from ''vah'', 'language' and ''Cuengh'', 'Zhuang'; {{zh|s=壮语|t=壯語|p=Zhuàngyǔ}}) are the more than a dozen [[Tai languages]] spoken by the [[Zhuang people]] of Southern [[China]] in the province of [[Guangxi]] and adjacent parts of [[Yunnan]] and [[Guangdong]]. The Zhuang languages do not form a monophyletic linguistic unit, as northern and southern Zhuang languages are more closely related to other Tai languages than to each other. Northern Zhuang languages form a [[dialect continuum]] with [[Northern Tai]] varieties across the provincial border in [[Guizhou]], which are designated as [[Bouyei language|Bouyei]], whereas Southern Zhuang languages form another dialect continuum with [[Central Tai]] varieties such as [[Nung language (Tai)|Nung]], [[Tày language|Tay]] and [[Caolan language|Caolan]] in [[Vietnam]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bradley |first=David |title=Encyclopedia of the World's Engangered Languages |publisher=Routledge |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-135-79640-2 |editor-last=Moseley |editor-first=Christopher |pages=349–422 |chapter=East and Southeast Asia}} p. 370.</ref> [[Standard Zhuang]] is based on the Northern Zhuang dialect of [[Wuming County|Wuming]].

The Tai languages are believed to have been originally spoken in what is now southern China, with speakers of the [[Southwestern Tai languages]] (which include [[Thai language|Thai]], [[Lao language|Lao]] and [[Shan language|Shan]]) having emigrated in the face of Chinese expansion.
Noting that both the Zhuang and Thai peoples have the same [[exonym]] for the [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]], ''kɛɛu<sup>A1</sup>'',<ref>A1 designates a tone.</ref> from the Chinese commandery of [[Jiaozhi]] in northern Vietnam, [[Jerold A. Edmondson]] posited that the split between Zhuang and the Southwestern Tai languages happened no earlier than the founding of Jiaozhi in 112 BC. He also argues that the departure of the [[Thai people|Thai]] from southern China must predate the 5th century AD, when the Tai who remained in China began to take family names.<ref>{{Cite conference |last=Edmondson |first=Jerold A. |year=2007 |editor2-last=Somsonge Burusphat |editor3-last=James E. Harris |title=Studies in Southeast Asian languages and linguistics |location=Bangkok, Thailand |publisher=Ek Phim Thai Co |pages=39–63 |chapter-url=http://ling.uta.edu/~jerry/pol.pdf |chapter=The power of language over the past: Tai settlement and Tai linguistics in southern China and northern Vietnam |editor1=Jimmy G. Harris |conference= |access-date=2011-06-19 |archive-date=2011-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716085333/http://ling.uta.edu/~jerry/pol.pdf |url-status=dead }} (see p. 15 of preprint)</ref>

==Surveys==
[[File:Zhuang survey sites.svg|frame|center|Sites surveyed in Zhang (1999), subgrouped according to Pittayaporn (2009):
{{color circle|#ff0000}} N,
{{color circle|#ff7f00}} M,
{{color circle|#ffff00}} I,
{{color circle|#7fff00}} C,
{{color circle|#00c800}} B,
{{color circle|#00ff7f}} F,
{{color circle|#00ffff}} H,
{{color circle|#3232ff}} L,
{{color circle|#c800ff}} P
]]
Zhāng Jūnrú's (張均如) ''Zhuàngyǔ Fāngyán Yánjiù'' ('''壯語方言研究''' [A Study of Zhuang dialects]) is the most detailed study of Zhuang [[dialectology]] published to date. It reports survey work carried out in the 1950s, and includes a 1465-word list covering 36 varieties of Zhuang. For the list of the 36 Zhuang variants below from Zhang (1999), the name of the region (usually county) is given first, followed by the specific village. The phylogenetic position of each variant follows that of Pittayaporn (2009)<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Pittayaporn |first=Pittayawat |title=The Phonology of Proto-Tai |date=2009 |degree=Ph.D. |publisher=Cornell University |language=en |hdl=1813/13855 |hdl-access=free}}</ref> (see ''[[Tai languages#Pittayaporn (2009)]]'').

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
# [[Wuming County|Wuming]] – Shuāngqiáo 雙橋 – Subgroup M
# [[Heng County|Hengxian]] – Nàxù 那旭 – Subgroup N
# [[Yongning District|Yongning]] (North) – Wǔtáng 五塘 – Subgroup N
# [[Pingguo County|Pingguo]] – Xīnxū 新圩 – Subgroup N
# [[Tiandong County|Tiandong]] – Héhéng 合恒 – Subgroup N
# [[Tianlin County|Tianlin]] – Lìzhōu 利周 – Subgroup N
# [[Lingyun County|Lingyue]] – Sìchéng 泗城 – Subgroup N
# [[Guangnan County|Guangnan]] (Shā people 沙族) – Zhěméng Township 者孟鄉 – Subgroup N
# [[Qiubei County|Qiubei]] – Gēhán Township 戈寒鄉 – Subgroup N
# [[Liujiang County|Liujiang]] – Bǎipéng 百朋 – Subgroup N
# [[Yizhou District, Hechi|Yishan]] – Luòdōng 洛東 – Subgroup N
# [[Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County|Huanjiang]] – Chéngguǎn 城管 – Subgroup N
# [[Rong'an County|Rong'an]] – Ānzì 安治 – Subgroup N
# [[Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County|Longsheng]] – Rìxīn 日新 – Subgroup N
# [[Hechi]] – Sānqū 三區 – Subgroup N
# [[Nandan County|Nandan]] – Méma 麼麻 – Subgroup N
# [[Donglan County|Donglan]] – Chéngxiāng 城廂 – Subgroup N
# [[Du'an Yao Autonomous County|Du'an]] – Liùlǐ 六里 – Subgroup N
# [[Shanglin County|Shanglin]] – Dàfēng 大豐 – Subgroup N
# [[Laibin]] – Sìjiǎo 寺腳 – Subgroup N
# [[Guigang]] – Shānběi 山北 – Subgroup N
# [[Lianshan Zhuang and Yao Autonomous County|Lianshan]] – Xiǎosānjiāng 小三江 – Subgroup N
# [[Qinzhou]] – Nàhé Township 那河鄉 – Subgroup I
# [[Yongning District|Yongning]] (South) – Xiàfāng Township 下枋鄉 – Subgroup M
# [[Long'an County|Long'an]] – Xiǎolín Township 小林鄉 – Subgroup M
# [[Fusui County|Fusui]] (Central) – Dàtáng Township 大塘鄉 – Subgroup M
# [[Shangsi County|Shangsi]] – Jiàodīng Township 叫丁鄉 – Subgroup C
# [[Chongzuo]] – Fùlù Township 福鹿鄉 – Subgroup C
# [[Ningming County|Ningming]] – Fēnghuáng Township 鳳璜鄉 – Subgroup B
# [[Longzhou County|Longzhou]] – Bīnqiáo Township 彬橋鄉 – Subgroup F
# [[Daxin County|Daxin]] – Hòuyì Township 後益鄉 – Subgroup H
# [[Debao County|Debao]] – Yuándì'èrqū 原第二區 – Subgroup L
# [[Jingxi County|Jingxi]] – Xīnhé Township  新和鄉 – Subgroup L
# [[Guangnan County|Guangnan]] (Nóng people 儂族) – Xiǎoguǎngnán Township 小廣南鄉 – Subgroup L
# [[Yanshan County, Yunnan|Yanshan]] (Nóng people 儂族) – Kuāxī Township 誇西鄉 – Subgroup L
# [[Wenshan City|Wenma]] (Tǔ people 土族) – Hēimò Township 黑末鄉大寨, Dàzhài – Subgroup P
{{div col end}}

==Varieties==
The Zhuang language (or language group) has been divided by Chinese linguists into northern and southern "dialects" (fāngyán 方言 in Chinese), each of which has been divided into a number of vernacular varieties (known as ''tǔyǔ'' 土語 in Chinese) by Chinese linguists (Zhang & Wei 1997; Zhang 1999:29-30).<ref name="ZhangWei">Zhang Yuansheng and Wei Xingyun. 1997. "Regional variants and vernaculars in Zhuang." In Jerold A. Edmondson and David B. Solnit (eds.), ''Comparative Kadai: The Tai branch'', 77–96. Publications in Linguistics, 124. Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington. {{ISBN|978-1-55671-005-6}}.</ref> The [[Wuming County|Wuming]] dialect of Yongbei Zhuang, classified within the "Northern Zhuang dialect", is considered to be the "[[standard language|standard]]" or [[prestige dialect]] of Zhuang, developed by the government for certain official usages. Although Southern Zhuang varieties have aspirated stops, Northern Zhuang varieties lack them.<ref name="Luo">{{Cite book |last=Luo |first=Yongxian |title=The Tai-Kadai Languages |date=2008 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-7007-1457-5 |editor-last=Diller |editor-first=Anthony |location=London |chapter=Zhuang |editor-last2=Edmondson |editor-first2=Jerold A. |editor-last3=Luo |editor-first3=Yongxian}}</ref> There are over 60 distinct tonal systems with 5–11 tones depending on the variety.

Zhang (1999) identified 13 Zhuang varieties.
Later research by the [[Summer Institute of Linguistics]] has indicated that some of these are themselves multiple languages that are not [[mutually intelligible]] without previous exposure on the part of speakers, resulting in 16 separate [[ISO 639-3]] codes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Eric C. |year=2007 |title=ISO 639-3 Registration Authority, Change Request Number 2006-128 |url=http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/cr_files/2006-128.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=Sharon |year=2007 |title=ISO 639-3 Registration Authority, Change Request Number 2007-027 |url=http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/cr_files/2007-027.pdf}}</ref>

=== Northern Zhuang ===
{{Main|Northern Tai languages}}
Northern Zhuang comprises dialects north of the [[Yong River (Guangxi)|Yong River]], with 8,572,200 speakers<ref name="ZhangWei" /><ref name="Zhang">{{harvp|Zhang|1999}}</ref> ({{ISO 639|ccx|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|ccx}}] prior to 2007):
* '''Guibei''' 桂北 (1,290,000 speakers): [[Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County|Luocheng]], [[Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County|Huanjiang]], [[Rongshui Miao Autonomous County|Rongshui]], [[Rong'an County|Rong'an]], [[Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County|Sanjiang]], [[Yongfu County|Yongfu]], [[Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County|Longsheng]], [[Hechi]], [[Nandan County|Nandan]], [[Tian'e County|Tian'e]], [[Donglan County|Donglan]] ({{ISO 639|zgb|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zgb}}])
* '''Liujiang''' 柳江 (1,297,000 speakers): [[Liujiang District|Liujiang]], North [[Laibin]], [[Yishan County|Yishan]], [[Liucheng County|Liucheng]], [[Xincheng County|Xincheng]] ({{ISO 639|zlj|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zlj}}])
* '''Hongshui He''' 紅水河 (2,823,000 speakers): South [[Laibin]], [[Du'an Yao Autonomous County|Du'an]], [[Mashan County|Mashan]], Shilong, [[Guixian]], [[Luzhai County|Luzhai]], [[Lipu, Guangxi|Lipu]], [[Yangshuo County|Yangshuo]].  Castro and Hansen (2010) distinguished three [[Mutual intelligibility|mutually unintelligible]] [[Variety (linguistics)|varieties]]: Central Hongshuihe ({{ISO 639|zch|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zch}}]), [[Eastern Hongshuihe Zhuang|Eastern Hongshuihe]] ({{ISO 639|zeh|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zeh}}]) and Liuqian ({{ISO 639|zlq|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zlq}}]).<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hansen |first1=Bruce |last2=Castro |first2=Andy |year=2010 |title=Hongshui He Zhuang dialect intelligibility survey |url=http://www.sil.org/resources/archives/8989 |series=SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2010-025}}</ref>
* '''Yongbei''' 邕北 (1,448,000 speakers): North [[Yongning District|Yongning]], ''[[Wuming County|Wuming]]'' (prestige dialect), [[Binyang County|Binyang]], [[Hengxian]], [[Pingguo]] ({{ISO 639|zyb|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zyb}}])
* '''Youjiang''' 右江 (732,000 speakers): [[Tiandong]], [[Tianyang]], and parts of the [[Baise]] City area; all along the [[Youjiang River]] basin area ({{ISO 639|zyj|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zyj}}])
* '''Guibian''' 桂邊 ([[Yei Zhuang language|Yei Zhuang]]; 827,000 speakers): [[Fengshan County|Fengshan]], [[Lingyun County|Lingyun]], [[Tianlin County|Tianlin]], [[Longlin Various Nationalities Autonomous County|Longlin]], North [[Guangnan County|Guangnan]] ([[Yunnan]]) ({{ISO 639|zgn|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zgn}}])
* '''Qiubei''' 丘北 ([[Yei Zhuang language|Yei Zhuang]]; 122,000 speakers): [[Qiubei County|Qiubei]] area ([[Yunnan]]) ({{ISO 639|zqe|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zqe}}])
* '''Lianshan''' 連山 (33,200 speakers): [[Lianshan Zhuang and Yao Autonomous County|Lianshan]] ([[Guangdong]]), North [[Huaiji County|Huaiji]] ([[Guangdong]]) ({{ISO 639|zln|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zln}}])

====Eastern Guangxi====
In east-central Guangxi, there are isolated pockets of Northern Zhuang speakers in [[Zhongshan County|Zhongshan]] (14,200 Zhuang people), [[Pingle County|Pingle]] (2,100 Zhuang people), [[Zhaoping County|Zhaoping]] (4,300 Zhuang people), [[Mengshan County|Mengshan]] (about 5,000 Zhuang people), and [[Hezhou]] (about 3,000 Zhuang people) counties. These include the following varieties named after administrative villages that are documented by Wei (2017).<ref>Wei, Mingying 韦名应. 2017. ''Guidong Zhuangyu yuyin yanjiu'' 桂东壮语语音研究. Beijing: Minzu chubanshe 民族出版社. {{ISBN|978-7-105-14918-6}}.</ref>

*''Lugang'' Village 蘆崗村, Etang Town 鵝塘鎮, Pinggui District 平桂區, [[Hezhou|He County]] 賀縣
*''Qishan'' Village 啟善村, Yuantou Town 源頭鎮, [[Pingle County]]
*''Xiping'' Village 西坪村, Zouma Township 走馬鄉, [[Zhaoping County]]
*''Xie'' Village 謝村, Xinxu Town 新圩鎮, [[Mengshan County]]
*''Nitang'' Village 坭塘村, Yuantou Town 源頭鎮, [[Pingle County]]
*''Linyan'' Village 林岩村, Qingtang Town 清塘鎮, [[Zhongshan County]]

=== Southern Zhuang ===
{{Main|Central Tai languages}}
Southern Zhuang dialects are spoken south of the [[Yong River (Guangxi)|Yong River]], with 4,232,000 speakers<ref name="ZhangWei" /><ref name="Zhang" /> ({{ISO 639|ccy|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|ccy}}] prior to 2007):
* '''Yongnan''' 邕南 (1,466,000 speakers): South [[Yongning District|Yongning]], Central and North [[Fusui County|Fusui]], [[Long'an County|Long'an]], [[Jinzhou]], Shangse, [[Chongzuo]] areas ({{ISO 639|zyn|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zyn}}])
* '''Zuojiang''' 左江 (1,384,000 speakers): [[Longzhou County|Longzhou]] (Longjin), [[Daxin County|Daxin]], [[Tiandeng County|Tiandeng]], [[Ningming County|Ningming]]; [[Zuojiang River]] basin area ({{ISO 639|zzj|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zzj}}])
* '''Dejing''' 得靖 (979,000 speakers): [[Jingxi, Guangxi|Jingxi]], [[Debao County|Debao]], Mubian, [[Napo County|Napo]].  Jackson, Jackson and Lau (2012) distinguished two [[Mutual intelligibility|mutually unintelligible]] [[Variety (linguistics)|varieties]]: [[Yang Zhuang language|Yang Zhuang]] ({{ISO 639|zyg|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zyg}}]) and [[Min Zhuang language|Min Zhuang]] ({{ISO 639|zgm|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zgm}}])<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Bruce |last2=Jackson |first2=Andy |last3=Lau |first3=Shuh Huey |year=2012 |title=A Sociolinguistic Survey of the Dejing Zhuang Dialect Area |url=http://www.sil.org/resources/publications/entry/50901 |series=SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2012-036}}.</ref>
* '''Yanguang''' 硯廣 ([[Nong Zhuang language|Nong Zhuang]]; 308,000 speakers): South [[Guangnan County|Guangnan]] ([[Yunnan]]), [[Yanshan District|Yanshan]] area ({{ISO 639|zhn|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zhn}}])
* '''Wenma''' 文麻 ([[Dai Zhuang language|Dai Zhuang]]; 95,000 speakers): [[Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture|Wenshan]] ([[Yunnan]]), [[Malipo County|Malipo]], Guibian ({{ISO 639|zhd|link=yes}} [{{ethnolink|zhd}}])

The [[Tày language|Tày]] and [[Nùng language|Nùng]] language complex in Vietnam is also considered one of the varieties of Central Tai and shares a high [[mutual intelligibility]] with Wenshan Dai and other Southern Zhuang dialects in [[Guangxi]]. The Nùng An language has a mixture of Northern and Central Tai features.

==== Recently described varieties ====
Johnson (2011) distinguishes four distinct Zhuang languages in [[Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture|Wenshan Prefecture]], [[Yunnan]]: [[Nong Zhuang language|Nong Zhuang]], [[Yei Zhuang language|Yei Zhuang]], [[Dai Zhuang language|Dai Zhuang]], and [[Min Zhuang language|Min Zhuang]], all of which are Southern Zhuang varieties except for Yei Zhuang, which is Northern Zhuang.<ref>{{harvp|Johnson|2010}}</ref> [[Min Zhuang language|Min Zhuang]] is a recently discovered Southern Zhuang variety that has never been described previous to Johnson (2011). (''See also [[Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture#Ethnic groups]]'')

[[Pyang Zhuang language|Pyang Zhuang]] and [[Myang Zhuang language|Myang Zhuang]] are recently described Southern Zhuang (Central Tai) languages spoken in [[Debao County]], Guangxi, China.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Language Name and Locationː Pyang Zhuang (Fuping), China [Not on Ethnologue] |url=http://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/numeral/Zhuang-Fuping.htm |url-status=dead |website=lingweb.eva.mpg.de |access-date=2014-02-09 |archive-date=2014-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223011156/http://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/numeral/Zhuang-Fuping.htm }}</ref><ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Liao |first=Hanbo |title=Tonal Development of Tai Languages |date=2016 |degree=M.A. |publisher=Payap University |language=en}}</ref>

== Writing systems ==
<!-- This section is linked from [[Chinese character]] -->
[[File:Manuscripts in the Yunnan Nationalities Museum - DSC03931.JPG|thumb|220px|Zhuang [[Sawndip]] manuscript]]
[[File:Manuscripts in the Yunnan Nationalities Museum - DSC03934.JPG|thumb|right|the 81 symbols of the ''Poya Songbook'' used by Zhuang women in [[Funing County, Yunnan]]]]

The Zhuang languages have been written in the ancient ''[[sawndip]]'' script for over a thousand years, possibly preceded by the ''[[sawgoek]]'' script. ''Sawndip'' is based on [[Chinese characters]], similar to Vietnamese ''[[chữ Nôm]].'' Some ''sawndip'' logograms were directly borrowed from Han characters, whereas others were created locally from components of Chinese characters. It has been used for writing songs, and more recently in public communications encouraging people to follow official family planning policy.

There has also been the occasional use of a number of other scripts, including pictographic [[proto-writing]].

In 1957, a hybrid script based on the [[Latin script]] and expanded with Cyrillic- and IPA-derived letters was introduced to write [[Standard Zhuang]]. In 1982, it was updated to use only Latin letters.<ref>{{harvp|Zhou|2003}}</ref> These are referred to as the "old" and "new" Zhuang, respectively. [[Bouyei language|Bouyei]] is written in Latin script.

=== 1957 Alphabet ===

==== Consonants ====
B b D d G g C c By by [[Ƃ]] ƃ [[Ƌ]] ƌ Gv gv Y y Gy gy
M m N n Ŋ ŋ Ny ny My my F f S s H h Ŋv ŋv
V v L l R r

==== Vowels ====
A a I i U u E e O o [[Ɵ]] ɵ Ə ə [[Ɯ]] ɯ

==== Tone letters ====
[[Ƨ]] ƨ Ɜ ɜ Ч ч [[Ƽ]] ƽ [[Ƅ]] ƅ

[[File:Zhuang language.webp|thumb|alt=A sign in Zhuang language located in Guangxi |A sign in Zhuang language (top) located in Guangxi ]]
=== 1982 Alphabet ===

==== Consonants ====
B b D d G g C c By by Mb mb Nd nd Gv gv Y y
Gy gy M m N n Ng ng Ny ny My my F f S s H h
Ngv ngv V v L l R r

==== Vowels ====
A a I i U u E e O o Oe oe (from Ɵ) Ae ae (from Ə) W w (from Ɯ)

==== Tone letters ====
Z z J j X x Q q H h

==See also==
* [[Languages of China]]
* [[Zhuang studies]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book |title=Zhuàng-Hàn cíhuì |date=1984 |publisher=Guangxi minzu chubanshe |location=Nanning |language=zh |script-title=zh:壯漢詞彙}}
* {{Cite book |title=Comparative Kadai: The Tai Branch |date=1997 |publisher=Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington |editor-last=Edmondson |editor-first=Jerold A. |language=en |editor-last2=Solnit |editor-first2=David B.}}
* {{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Eric C. |date=2010 |title=A Sociolinguistic Introduction to the Central Taic Languages of Wenshan Prefecture, China |url=https://www.sil.org/system/files/reapdata/13/55/90/135590776684880681057617592128957612633/silesr2010_027.pdf |publisher=SIL International |language=en |id=SIL Electronic Survey Report 2010-027}}
* {{Cite book |title=Zhuàng-Hàn-Yīng cídiǎn / Guengh Gun Yingh swzdenj / Zhuang–Chinese–English Dictionary |date=2004 |publisher=Minzu chubanshe |isbn=7-105-07001-3 |location=Beijing |script-title=zh:壯漢英詞典}}
* {{Cite book |last=Tan |first=Xiaohang 覃曉航 |title=Xiàndài Zhuàngyǔ |date=1995 |publisher=Minzu chubanshe |location=Beijing |language=zh |script-title=zh:現代壯語}}
* {{Cite book |last=Tan |first=Guosheng 覃國生 |title=Zhuàngyǔ fāngyán gàilùn |date=1996 |publisher=Guangxi minzu chubanshe |location=Nanning |language=zh |script-title=zh:壯語方言概論}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Wang |first1=Mingfu 王明富 |title=Zhuàngzú wénhuà yíchǎn jí zhuàngyǔ yánjiū / Zhuang Cultural and Linguistic Heritage |last2=Johnson |first2=Eric 江子楊 |date=2008 |publisher=Yunnan minzu chubanshe / The Nationalities Publishing House of Yunnan |isbn=978-7-5367-4255-0 |location=Kunming |language=zh,en |script-title=zh:壯族文化遺產及壯語研究}}
* {{Cite book |last=Wei |first=Mingying 韋名應 |date=2017 |title=Guidong Zhuangyu yuyin yanjiu 桂東壯語語音研究 |location=Beijing |publisher=Minzu chubanshe 民族出版社 |oclc=1082879363}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Wei |first1=Qingwen 韋慶穩 |title=Zhuàngyǔ jiǎnzhì |last2=Tan |first2=Guosheng 覃國生 |date=1980 |publisher=Minzu chubanshe |location=Beijing |language=zh |script-title=zh:壯語簡志}}
* {{Cite book |last=Zhang |first=Junru 張均如 |title=Zhuàngyǔ fāngyán yánjiū |date=1999 |publisher=Sichuan minzu chubanshe |location=Chengdu |language=zh |script-title=zh:壯語方言研究 |trans-title=A Study of Zhuang Dialects |display-authors=etal}}
* {{Cite book |last=Zhou |first=Minglang |title=Multilingualism in China: The Politics of Writing Reforms for Minority Languages, 1949–2002 |date=2003 |publisher=Mouton de Gruyter |isbn=3-11-017896-6 |location=Berlin |pages=251–258 |language=en}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|Category:Zhuang language}}
{{interwiki|code=za}}
{{Commons category|Zhuang writing}}
* [[wikt:Appendix:Kra-Dai Swadesh lists|Kra-Dai Swadesh lists]] (from Wiktionary's [[wikt:Appendix:Swadesh lists|Swadesh-list appendix]])
* [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/zhuang.htm Zhuang language & alphabet], Omniglot
* [http://www.linguapax.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/prosser.pdf The prospects for the long-term survival of Non-Han minority languages in the south of China]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120229194308/http://www0.hku.hk/linguist/staff/BodomoZhuangBLS12pageApril07.pdf Field Notes on the Pronominal System of Zhuang] "A major case of language shift is occurring in which the use of Zhuang and other minority languages is restricted mainly to rural areas because Zhuang-speaking villages, like Jingxi, which develop into towns become more and more of Mandarin-speaking towns. Zhuang-speaking villages become non-Zhuang-speaking towns! And children of Zhuang-speaking parents in cities are likely not to speak Zhuang as a mother-tongue."
* [http://legacy.joshuaproject.net/profiles/maps/m19685.pdf Map of Major Zhuang language groups]
* [[Paradisec]] has an open access [http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/DH2 collection of Zhuang Mogong Texts from Bama and Tianyang]
* [http://sawcuengh.people.com.cn/ Sawcuengh People.com] Official Zhuang language version ([[Standard Zhuang]]) of the ''[[People's Daily]]'' website

{{Languages of China}}
{{Tai-Kadai languages}}
{{Guangxi topics}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhuang Language}}
[[Category:Languages of China]]
[[Category:Tai languages]]