Mpi language

{{Infobox language

|name=Mpi

|nativename=Kaw

|states=Thailand, perhaps China

|region=

|ethnicity=1,500 (2007)

|speakers=900

|date=2007

|ref=e18

|familycolor=Sino-Tibetan

|fam2=Tibeto-Burman

|fam3=Lolo–Burmese

|fam4=Loloish

|fam5=Southern Loloish

|fam6=Bi-Ka

|iso3=mpz

|glotto=mpii1239

|glottorefname=Mpi

}}

Mpi is a Loloish language of Thailand. The number of speakers is in decline. It is spoken in the following two villages in northern Thailand.

Ban Dong, Tambon Suan Khuean สวนเขื่อน, Mueang Phrae District, Phrae Province (autonym: {{IPA|m̩˧pi˥˧}} in Ban Dong)
Ban Sakoeng, Tambon Yot ยอด, Song Khwae District, Nan Province (autonym: {{IPA|kɔ˥˧}} in Ban Sakoeng)

Since the Mpi of Thailand migrated from Mengla, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China over 300 years ago, there could also possibly be Mpi speakers in China (Nahhas 2007).

Phonology

Mpi has six tones and two phonations in its vowels, modal voice and stiff voice:

class="wikitable" !Tone!!Modal voice!!Stiff voice
Low \| {{IPA\|sì}} 'blood' \|\| {{IPA\|sì̬}} 'seven'
Low rising \| {{IPA\|si᷅}} 'putrid' \|\| {{IPA\|si̬᷅}} 'dried up'
Mid \| {{IPA\|sī}} (a color)\|\| {{IPA\|sī̬}} (a classifier)
Mid rising \| {{IPA\|sǐ}} 'to roll' \|\| {{IPA\|sǐ̬}} 'to smoke'
High \| {{IPA\|sí}} 'four' \|\| {{IPA\|sí̬}} (a name)
High rising \| {{IPA\|si᷄}} 'to die' \|\| {{IPA\|si̬᷄}} (a name)

class="wikitable"

!Tone!!Modal voice!!Stiff voice

Low

| {{IPA|sì}} 'blood' || {{IPA|sì̬}} 'seven'

Low rising

| {{IPA|si᷅}} 'putrid' || {{IPA|si̬᷅}} 'dried up'

Mid

| {{IPA|sī}} (a color)|| {{IPA|sī̬}} (a classifier)

Mid rising

| {{IPA|sǐ}} 'to roll' || {{IPA|sǐ̬}} 'to smoke'

High

| {{IPA|sí}} 'four' || {{IPA|sí̬}} (a name)

High rising

| {{IPA|si᷄}} 'to die' || {{IPA|si̬᷄}} (a name)

Mpi language

Phonology

References

Further reading