Tai Nuea language
Template:Short description Template:No footnotes Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherTemplate:Main other Template:Contains special characters
Tai Nuea or Tai Nüa (Template:Zh; Template:Langx; Template:Langx, Script error: No such module "IPA".), also called Dehong Tai (Template:Zh; Template:Langx, Script error: No such module "IPA".) and Chinese Shan, is one of the languages spoken by the Dai people in China, especially in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in the southwest of Yunnan Province. It is closely related to the other Tai languages and could be considered a dialect of Shan. It should not be confused with Tai Lü (Xishuangbanna Dai).
Names
Most Tai Nuea people call themselves Tai Le (Template:TaiLe, Script error: No such module "IPA".), which means 'Upper Tai' or 'Northern Tai'. Note that this is different from Tai Lue, which is pronounced Script error: No such module "IPA". in Tai Nuea.
Another autonym is Script error: No such module "IPA". (Template:TaiLe), where Script error: No such module "IPA". means 'bottom, under, the lower part (of)' and Script error: No such module "IPA". means 'the Hong River' (Luo 1998). Dehong is a transliteration of the term Script error: No such module "IPA"..
The language is also known as Tai Mau, Tai Kong and Tai Na.[1]
Dialects
Zhou (2001:13) classifies Tai Nuea into the Dehong (Script error: No such module "Lang".) and Menggeng (Script error: No such module "Lang".) dialects. Together, they add up to a total of 541,000 speakers.
- Dehong dialect Script error: No such module "Lang".: 332,000 speakers
- Dehong Prefecture Script error: No such module "Lang".: Mangshi Script error: No such module "Lang"., Yingjiang Script error: No such module "Lang"., Lianghe Script error: No such module "Lang"., Longchuan Script error: No such module "Lang"., Ruili Script error: No such module "Lang"., Wanding Script error: No such module "Lang".
- Baoshan District Script error: No such module "Lang".: Baoshan Script error: No such module "Lang"., Tengchong Script error: No such module "Lang"., Longling Script error: No such module "Lang"., Shidian Script error: No such module "Lang".
- Menggeng dialect Script error: No such module "Lang".: 209,000 speakers
- Pu'er City Script error: No such module "Lang". / Simao District Script error: No such module "Lang".: Menglian Script error: No such module "Lang"., Jinggu Script error: No such module "Lang"., Lancang Script error: No such module "Lang"., Zhenyuan Script error: No such module "Lang"., Ximeng Script error: No such module "Lang"., Jingdong Script error: No such module "Lang"., Simao Script error: No such module "Lang"., Pu'er Script error: No such module "Lang"., Mojiang Script error: No such module "Lang".
- Baoshan District Script error: No such module "Lang".: Changning Script error: No such module "Lang".
- Lincang District Script error: No such module "Lang".: Gengma Script error: No such module "Lang"., Lincang Script error: No such module "Lang"., Shuangjiang Script error: No such module "Lang"., Cangyuan Script error: No such module "Lang"., Yongde Script error: No such module "Lang"., Zhenkang Script error: No such module "Lang"., Yunxian Script error: No such module "Lang"., Fengqing Script error: No such module "Lang".. A separate traditional script has been developed in Mengding Township Script error: No such module "Lang"., Lincang Script error: No such module "Lang"., and is different from the one used in the Dehong area — see Zhou (2001:371).
Phonology
Tai Nuea is a tonal language with a very limited inventory of syllables with no consonant clusters. 16 syllable-initial consonants can be combined with 84 syllable finals and six tones.
Consonants
Initials
Notes:
1. *Script error: No such module "IPA". occur in loanwords.
2. The consonant [l] and [n] merged to [l] in the initial position in Mangshi (芒市) dialect but not in Menglian (孟连) dialect.
3. The consonant [pʰ] and [f] merged to [pʰ] in Menglian (孟连) dialect but not in Mangshi (芒市) dialect.
Finals
Vowels
Tai Nuea has ten vowels and 13 diphthongs:
| Front | Central-Back | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter |
| Mid | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter |
| Low | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter |
Diphthong
* Only in Mangshi dialect.
Tones
Unchecked syllables
Tai Nuea has six tones:
| Classification | Mangshi | Menglian | Tai Le | Tai Le (1963) | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 阴平 | 35 Script error: No such module "IPA". | 55 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥴ | ◌́ | 1 |
| 阳平 | 55 Script error: No such module "IPA". | 53 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥰ | ◌̈ | 2 |
| 阴上 | 31 Script error: No such module "IPA". | 11 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥲ | ◌̀ | 3 |
| 阳上 | 53 Script error: No such module "IPA". | 31 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥳ | ◌̇ | 4 |
| 阴去 | 11 Script error: No such module "IPA". | 35 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥱ | ◌̌ | 5 |
| 阳去 | 33 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ | ◌ | 6 | |
Checked syllables
Syllables with Script error: No such module "IPA"., and Script error: No such module "IPA". final can have only one of three tones in Mangshi (芒市) Dialect or four tones in Menglian (孟连) Dialect.
| Description | Contour | Tai Le | Tai Le (1963) | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rising | 35 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥴ | ◌́ | 7 |
| high falling | 53 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥳ | ◌̇ | 8 |
| ◌ | ◌ | |||
| low | 11 Script error: No such module "IPA". or 21 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥱ | ◌̌ | 9 |
In Mangshi (芒市) Dialect, the high falling tone mark (◌ᥳ) is usually left unmarked.
| Description | Contour | Tai Le | Tai Le (1963) | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| high | 55 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥴ | ◌́ | 7 |
| low falling | 31 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥳ | ◌̇ | 8 |
| rising | 35 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ᥱ | ◌̌ | 9 |
| mid | 33 Script error: No such module "IPA". | ◌ | ◌ | 10 |
Comparison
| Tai Le | Mangshi (芒市) | Menglian (孟连) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Template:Redirect category shell || fa4 || pʰa4 || sky | |||
Template:Redirect category shell || laːu6 || lau6 || star | |||
Template:Redirect category shell || lam4 || nɑm4 || water | |||
Template:Redirect category shell || xai5 || xɑi5 || egg | |||
Template:Redirect category shell || la2 || na2 || field | |||
Template:Redirect category shell || fon1 || pʰon1 || rain | |||
Template:Redirect category shell || moi1 || məi1 || frost | |||
Template:Redirect category shell || pa3 taɯ3 || pɑ3 tɑ3 || under |
Checked syllable
Due to the irregular checked tones correspondence, the Tai Le used will be written in Mangshi dialect.
Writing system
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The Tai Le script is part of the Mon-Burmese family of writing systems and is closely related to the Ahom script. The script is thought to date back to the 14th century.
The original Tai Nuea spelling did not generally mark tones and failed to distinguish several vowels. It was reformed to make these distinctions, and diacritics were introduced to mark tones. The resulting writing system was officially introduced in 1956. In 1988, the spelling of tones was reformed; special tone letters were introduced instead of the earlier Latin diacritics.
The modern script has a total of 35 letters, including the five tone letters.
The transcription below is given according to the Unicode tables.
Consonants
Vowels and diphthongs
Consonants that are not followed by a vowel letter are pronounced with the inherent vowel [a]. Other vowels are indicated with the following letters:
| Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter | Template:Letter |
Diphthongs are formed by combining some vowel letters with the consonant Template:TaiLe [w] and some vowel letters with ᥭ [ai]/[j].
Tones
In the Thai and Tai Lü writing systems, the tone value in the pronunciation of a written syllable depends on the tone class of the initial consonant, vowel length and syllable structure. In contrast, the Tai Nuea writing system has a very straightforward spelling of tones, with one letter (or diacritic) for each tone.
Tone marks were presented via the third reform (1963) as diacritics. Then the fourth reform (1988) changed them into tone letters. A tone mark is put at the end of syllable whatever it is consonant or vowel. Examples in the table show the syllable [ta] in different tones.
| Number | New (1988) | Old (1963) | Pitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Template:TaiLe | Template:TaiLe | 35 |
| 2. | Template:TaiLe | Template:TaiLe | 55 |
| 3. | Template:TaiLe | Template:TaiLe | 11 |
| 4. | Template:TaiLe | Template:TaiLe | 42 |
| 5. | Template:TaiLe | Template:TaiLe | 54 |
| 6. | Template:TaiLe | Template:TaiLe | 33 |
The sixth tone (mid level) is not marked. And if a syllable with -p, -t, -k finals have the fifth tone, the tone mark is not written.
Grammar
Pronouns
| Singular | Dual | Plural | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mangshi | Menglian | Menglian (formal) | Mangshi | Mangshi | Menglian | ||
| 1st person | exclusiveScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ᥐᥝ (kau6) | ᥐᥬ (kɑ6) | ᥖᥧ ᥑᥬᥲ (tu6 xɑ3) | ᥞᥣᥒᥰ ᥞᥫᥴ (haːŋ2 xə1) | ᥖᥧ (tu6) | ᥖᥧ (tu6) |
| inclusiveScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | ᥞᥣᥒᥰ ᥞᥣᥰ (haːŋ2 ha2) | ᥞᥝᥰ (hau2) | ᥞᥝᥰ (hɑu2) | ||||
| 2nd person | ᥛᥬᥰ (maɯ2) | ᥛᥬᥰ (mɑ2) | ᥔᥧᥴ ᥓᥝᥲ (su1 tsɑu3) | ᥔᥩᥒᥴ ᥞᥫᥴ (sɔŋ1 xə1) | ᥔᥧᥴ (su1) | ᥔᥧᥴ (su1) | |
| 3rd person | ᥛᥢᥰ (man2) | ᥛᥢᥰ (mɑn2) | ᥔᥩᥒᥴ ᥞᥣᥴ (sɔŋ1 xa1) | ᥑᥝᥴ (xau1) | ᥑᥬᥴ (xɑ1) | ||
| Mangshi | Menglian | |
|---|---|---|
| Reflexive | ᥙᥪᥴ ᥓᥝᥲ (pɯ1 tsau3) | ᥐᥩᥭᥰ ᥘᥥᥝ (kɔi2 leu6) |
| Interrogative | ᥚᥬᥴ (pʰaɯ1) | ᥙᥧᥱ ᥘᥬ (pu5 lɑ6) |
| Everyone | ᥙᥫᥝ (pən6) | ᥙᥫᥝ (pən6) |
| Other people | ᥖᥒᥰ ᥘᥣᥭᥴ (taŋ2 laːi1) | ᥖᥒᥰ ᥘᥣᥭᥴ (tɑŋ2 lai1) |
Syntax
Tai Nuea word order is usually subject–verb–object (SVO); modifiers (e.g. adjectives) follow nouns.
Demonstrative
| Mangshi | Menglian | |
|---|---|---|
| This | ᥘᥭᥳ (lai4) | ᥢᥭᥳ (nɑi4) |
| That | ᥘᥢᥳ (lan4) | ᥢᥢᥳ (nɑn4) |
| Here | ᥖᥤ ᥘᥭᥳ (ti6 lai4) | ᥖᥤ ᥢᥭᥳ (ti6 nɑi4) |
| There | ᥖᥤ ᥘᥢᥳ (ti6 lan4) | ᥖᥤ ᥢᥢᥳ (ti6 nɑn4) |
Adverb
| Mangshi | Menglian | |
|---|---|---|
| What | ᥔᥒᥴ (saŋ1) | ᥖᥤ ᥔᥒᥴ (ti6 sɑŋ1) |
| Why | ᥐᥩᥙ ᥖᥤ ᥔᥒᥴ (kɔp6 ti6 saŋ1) | |
| Who | ᥚᥬᥴ (pʰaɯ1) | ᥙᥧᥱ ᥘᥬ (pu5 lɑ6) |
| Where | (ᥖᥤ) ᥗᥬᥴ (ti6 thaɯ1) | ᥖᥤᥴ ᥘᥬ (ti1 lɑ6) |
| Which | ᥘᥬ (laɯ6) | ᥘᥬ (lɑ6) |
| How much | ᥑᥬ (xaɯ6) | ᥑᥬ ᥘᥬ (xɑ6 lɑ6) |
| How many | ᥐᥤᥱ (ki5) | ᥐᥤᥱ (ki5) |
Numeral
| Mangshi | Menglian | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ᥘᥤᥢᥳ (lin4) | ᥘᥤᥢᥳ (lin4) |
| 1 | ᥘᥫᥒ (ləŋ6) | ᥢᥫᥒ (nəŋ6) |
| ᥟᥥᥖᥱ (et9) | ᥟᥥᥖ (et10) | |
| 2 | ᥔᥩᥒᥴ (sɔŋ1) | ᥔᥩᥒᥴ (sɔŋ1) |
| 3 | ᥔᥣᥛᥴ (saːm1) | ᥔᥣᥛᥴ (sam1) |
| 4 | ᥔᥤᥱ (si5) | ᥔᥤᥱ (si5) |
| 5 | ᥞᥣᥲ (ha3) | ᥞᥣᥲ (ha3) |
| 6 | ᥞᥨᥐᥱ (hok9) | ᥞᥨᥐ (hok10) |
| 7 | ᥓᥥᥖᥱ (tset9) | ᥓᥥᥖ (tset10) |
| 8 | ᥙᥦᥖᥱ (pɛt9) | ᥙᥦᥖᥱ (pɛt9) |
| 9 | ᥐᥝᥲ (kau3) | ᥐᥝᥲ (kɑu3) |
| 10 | ᥔᥤᥙᥴ (sip7) | ᥔᥤᥙ (sip10) |
| 11 | ᥔᥤᥙᥴ ᥟᥥᥖᥱ (sip7 et9) | ᥔᥤᥙ ᥟᥥᥖ (sip10 et10) |
| 20 | ᥔᥣᥝᥰ ᥘᥫᥒ (saːu2 ləŋ6) | ᥔᥣᥝᥰ ᥢᥫᥒ (sau2 nəŋ6) |
| 21 | ᥔᥣᥝᥰ ᥟᥥᥖᥱ (saːu2 et9) | ᥔᥣᥝᥰ ᥟᥥᥖ (sau2 et10) |
| 25 | ᥔᥣᥝᥰ ᥞᥣᥲ (saːu2 ha3) | ᥔᥣᥝᥰ ᥞᥣᥲ (sau2 ha3) |
| 30 | ᥔᥤᥙᥴ ᥔᥣᥛᥴ (saːm1 sip7) | ᥔᥤᥙ ᥔᥣᥛᥴ (sam1 sip10) |
| 100 | ᥙᥣᥐᥱ (paːk9) | ᥙᥣᥐᥱ (pak9) |
| 205 | ᥔᥩᥒᥴ ᥙᥣᥐᥱ ᥙᥣᥭ ᥞᥣᥲ (sɔŋ1 paːk9 pai6 ha3) | ᥔᥩᥒᥴ ᥙᥣᥐᥱ ᥙᥣᥭ ᥞᥣᥲ (sɔŋ1 pak9 pai6 ha3) |
| 1000 | ᥞᥥᥒᥴ (heŋ1) | ᥞᥥᥒᥴ (heŋ1) |
| 10000 | ᥛᥧᥢᥱ (mun5) | ᥛᥧᥢᥱ (mun5) |
| 70006 | ᥓᥥᥖᥱ ᥛᥧᥢᥱ ᥙᥣᥭ ᥞᥨᥐᥱ (tset9 mun5 paːi6 hok9) | ᥓᥥᥖ ᥛᥧᥢᥱ ᥙᥣᥭ ᥞᥨᥐ (tset10 mun5 paːi6 hok10) |
| 1st | ᥐᥨᥳ ᥞᥨᥴ (ko4 ho1) | ᥗᥨᥢᥲ ᥢᥫᥒ (tʰon3 nəŋ6) |
| 2nd | ᥐᥨᥳ ᥖᥛᥰ (ko4 tam2) | ᥗᥨᥢᥲ ᥔᥨᥒᥴ (tʰon3 soŋ1) |
| 3rd | ᥐᥨᥳ ᥔᥣᥛᥴ (ko4 saːm1) | ᥗᥨᥢᥲ ᥔᥣᥛᥴ (tʰon3 sam1) |
| last | ᥐᥨᥳ ᥔᥧᥖᥴ (ko4 sut7) | ᥗᥨᥢᥲ ᥔᥧᥖ (tʰon3 sut10) |
Text sample
Language use
Tai Nuea has official status in some parts of Yunnan (China), where it is used on signs and in education. Yunnan People's Radio Station (Yúnnán rénmín guǎngbō diàntái 云南人民广播电台) broadcasts in Tai Nuea. On the other hand, however, very little printed material is published in Tai Nuea in China. However, many signs of roads and stores in Mangshi are in Tai Nuea.
In Thailand, a collection of 108 proverbs was published with translations into Thai and English.[2]
References
Bibliography
- Template:Cite thesis
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
External links
- Tai Dehong
- Dehong Daiwen jianjie ji zifuji 德宏傣文简介及字符集 (Introduction to Dehong Dai with examples; in Chinese)
- Daiyu, Daiwen 傣语、傣文 (in Chinese)
- Yunnan sheng yuyan wenzi wang 云南省语言文字网 (Yunnan province language and writing web; in Chinese)
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