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Xong language

{{Short description|Hmongic language of south-central China}}

{{About||the Western Pearic language of Cambodia and Thailand|Chong language|the Limbu of Nepal, who are also called Xong|Limbu people}}

{{Infobox language

|name=Xong

|altname=Xiangxi Miao

|nativename={{lang|mmr|Dut Xonb}}

|pronunciation={{IPA|[tu˥˧ɕõ˧˥]}}

|script=Latin

|states=China

|region=Hunan, Guizhou, Hubei, Guangxi and Chongqing

|ethnicity=Qo Xiong

|speakers=~900,000

|date=2005

|ref=e18

|familycolor=Hmong-Mien

|fam2=Hmongic

|fam3=Core Hmongic

|dia1=Western (Xong proper)

|dia2=Eastern (Suang)

|lc1=mmr|ld1=Western Xiangxi Miao

|lc2=muq|ld2=Eastern Xiangxi Miao

|glotto=nort2748

|glottorefname=North Hmongic

}}

The Xong language ({{lang|mmr|Dut Xonb}} {{IPA|[tu53 ɕõ35]}}){{Cite thesis |last=Sposato |first=Adam |title=A Grammar of Xong |date=2015 |degree=PhD |publisher=University at Buffalo |url=https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/content/dam/arts-sciences/linguistics/AlumniDissertations/Sposato%20dissertation.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810002654/https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/content/dam/arts-sciences/linguistics/AlumniDissertations/Sposato%20dissertation.pdf|archivedate=2022-08-10}} is the northernmost Hmongic language, spoken in south-central China by around 0.9 million people. It is called {{Transliteration|zh|Xiangxi Miaoyu}} ({{Lang|zh|湘西苗语}}, "Western Hunan Miao") in Chinese, as well as Eastern Miao ({{Lang|zh|东部苗语}}). In Western sources, it has been called Meo, Red Miao, and North Hmongic.{{cite book |last = Ratliff |first = Martha |year = 2010 |title = Hmong–Mien language history |location = Canberra, Australia |publisher = Pacific Linguistics |isbn = 978-0-85883-615-0 |hdl=1885/146760 |hdl-access=free |ref=none }} An official alphabet was adopted in 1956.

Distribution

Xong is spoken mainly in Hunan province, but also in a few areas of Guizhou and Hubei provinces, Guangxi, and Chongqing municipality in China. Xong-speaking communities, by county, are:

Classification

Xong was classified in its own branch of the Hmongic family in Strecker (1987). Xiang (1999){{Cite book |last=Xiang |first=Rizheng 向日征 |title=Jíwèi Miáoyǔ yánjiū |date=1999 |publisher=Sichuan renmin chubanshe |location=Chengdu |language=zh |script-title=zh:吉卫苗语硏究 |trans-title=A Study of Jiwei Miao}} divided Xong into western and eastern dialects. Matisoff (2001) considered these to be two distinct languages, but Matisoff (2006) consolidated them into one. Yang (2004){{Cite book |last=Yang |first=Zaibiao 杨再彪 |title=Miáoyǔ dōngbù fāngyán tǔyǔ bǐjiào |date=2004 |publisher=Minzu chubanshe |location=Beijing |language=zh |script-title=zh:苗语东部方言土语比较}} divides each of these dialects into three subdialects, as listed below. Speaker populations and locations are from Li and Li (2012).{{Cite book |last1=Li |first1=Jinping 李锦平 |title=Miáoyǔ fāngyán bǐjiào yánjiū |last2=Li |first2=Tianyi 李天翼 |date=2012 |publisher=Xinan jiaotong daxue chubanshe |location=Chengdu |language=zh |script-title=zh:苗语方言比较研究 |trans-title=A Comparative Study of Miao Dialects}}

  • Western (includes standardized Xong)
  • Lect 1 (autonym: {{IPA|qo35 ɕoŋ35}}): Jiwei 吉卫, Huayuan County; 769,000 speakers in the counties of Fenghuang (except Baren 叭仁乡), most of Huayuan, southern Jishou, Xinhuang, Mayang, Songtao, parts of Rongjiang, parts of Ziyun, Xiushan, parts of Nandan, parts of Hechi, and parts of Du'an.
  • Lect 2 (autonym: {{IPA|qo54 ɕoŋ54}}): Yangmeng 阳孟, Jishou; 120,000 speakers in the counties of eastern Huayuan, western and northern Jishou, eastern Baojing, southwestern Guzhang, Fenghuang (in Baren 叭仁乡), and Xuan'en.
  • Lect 3 (autonym: {{IPA|o55 ɕaŋ55}}): Zhongxin 中心, Baojing County; 30,000 speakers in southeastern Baojing County.
  • Eastern
  • Lect 4 (autonym: {{IPA|te53 suɑŋ53}}): Xiaozhang 小章, Luxi County; 6,000 speakers in and around Xiaozhang, Luxi County
  • Lect 5 (autonym: {{IPA|ɡɔ35 sɤ53}}): Danqing 丹青, Jishou; 48,000 speakers in the counties of northwestern Luxi, eastern Jishou, and southeastern Guzhang.
  • Lect 6 (autonym: {{IPA|bja22 sã44 nɤ44}}): Dengshang 蹬上, Longshan County; 300 speakers in southern Longshan County and Yongshun County (in Shouche 首车乡).

He Fuling (2009) describes a western Qo Xiong dialect of Gouliang Ethnic Miao Village, Ala Township, Fenghuang County (凤凰县阿拉镇勾良苗寨).

Chen (2009){{Cite thesis |last=Chen |first=Hong 陈宏 |title=Guìzhōu Sōngtáo Dàxīngzhèn Miáoyǔ yánjiū |date=2009 |degree=Ph.D. |publisher=Nankai daxue |language=zh |script-title=zh:贵州松桃大兴镇苗语研究}} describes a western Qo Xiong dialect of Daxing Town 大兴镇, Songtao County, Guizhou.

Phonology and script

A written standard based on the Western dialect in Làyǐpíng (腊乙坪) village and Jíwèi (吉卫) town, Huāyuán county, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture was established in 1956.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Xong Consonant Phonemes

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |

! colspan="3" |Labial

! colspan="3" |Alveolar

! rowspan="2" |Retroflex

! colspan="2" |(Alveolo-)
palatal

! colspan="2" |Velar

! colspan="2" |Uvular

! colspan="2" |Glottal

plain

!pal.

!app.

!plain

!pal.

!aff.

!plain

!aff.

!plain

!lab.

!plain

!lab.

!plain

!lab.

rowspan="2" |Nasal

!voiced

|{{IPAlink|m}}

|{{IPAlink|mʲ}}

|{{IPAlink|m|mʴ}}

|{{IPAlink|n}}

|

|

|{{IPAlink|ɳ}}

|{{IPAlink|ɲ}}

|

|{{IPAlink|ŋ}}

|{{IPAlink|ŋʷ}}

|

|

|

|

aspirated

|{{IPAlink|m̥ʰ}}

|

|

|{{IPAlink|n̥ʰ}}

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

rowspan="4" |Stop/
Affricate

!voiceless

|{{IPAlink|p}}

|{{IPAlink|pʲ}}

|{{IPAlink|p|pʴ}}

|{{IPAlink|t}}

|

|{{IPAlink|ts}}

|{{IPAlink|ʈ}}

|{{IPAlink|c}}

|{{IPAlink|tɕ}}

|{{IPAlink|k}}

|{{IPAlink|kʷ}}

|{{IPAlink|q}}

|{{IPAlink|qʷ}}

|

|

aspirated

|{{IPAlink|pʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|pʲʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|pʴʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|tʰ}}

|

|{{IPAlink|tsʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ʈʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|cʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|tɕʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|kʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|kʷʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|qʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|qʷʰ}}

|

|

prenasal

|{{IPAlink|ᵐp}}

|

|

|{{IPAlink|ⁿt}}

|

|{{IPAlink|ⁿts}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶯʈ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶮc}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶮtɕ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᵑk}}

|{{IPAlink|ᵑkʷ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶰq}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶰqʷ}}

|

|

prenasal asp.

|{{IPAlink|ᵐpʰ}}

|

|{{IPAlink|ᵐpʴʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ⁿtʰ}}

|

|{{IPAlink|ⁿtsʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶯʈʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶮcʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶮtɕʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᵑkʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᵑkʷʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶰqʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|ᶰqʷʰ}}

|

|

rowspan="2" |Fricative

!voiceless

|{{IPAlink|f}}

|

|

|{{IPAlink|s}}

|

|

|{{IPAlink|ʂ}}

|{{IPAlink|ɕ}}

|

|

|

|

|

|{{IPAlink|h}}

|{{IPAlink|hʷ}}

voiced

|

|

|

|

|

|

|{{IPAlink|ʐ}}

|{{IPAlink|ʑ}}

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

rowspan="2" |Approximant

!voiced

|{{IPAlink|w}}

|

|

|{{IPAlink|l}}

|{{IPAlink|lʲ}}

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

aspirated

|

|

|

|{{IPAlink|l̥ʰ}}

|{{IPAlink|l̥ʲʰ}}

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Xong Vowel Phonemes

!

!Front

!Central

! colspan="2" |Back

Close

|{{IPAlink|i}}

|

|{{IPAlink|ɯ}}

|{{IPAlink|u}}

Mid

|{{IPAlink|e}}

|

|{{IPAlink|ɤ}}

|{{IPAlink|o}}

Open-mid

|{{IPAlink|ɛ}}

|

| colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|ɔ}}

Open

|

|{{IPAlink|a}}

| colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|ɑ}}

class=wikitable

|+Xong Consonant Orthography

| {{IPAlink|p}}

{{angle bracket|b}}{{IPAlink|pʰ}}{{angle bracket|p}}{{IPAlink|ᵐp}}{{angle bracket|nb}}{{IPAlink|mpʰ}}{{angle bracket|np}}colspan="2" |{{IPAlink|m}}{{angle bracket|m}}{{IPAlink|m̥ʰ}}{{angle bracket|hm}}
{{IPAlink|p|pʴ}}{{angle bracket|bl}}{{IPAlink|pɹʰ}}{{angle bracket|pl}}colspan=2|{{IPAlink|mpɹʰ}}{{angle bracket|npl}}colspan=2|{{IPAlink|m|mʴ}}{{angle bracket|ml}}
{{IPAlink|t}}{{angle bracket|d}}{{IPAlink|tʰ}}{{angle bracket|t}}{{IPAlink|ⁿt}}{{angle bracket|nd}}{{IPAlink|ntʰ}}{{angle bracket|nt}}{{IPAlink|l̥ʰ}}{{angle bracket|hl}}{{IPAlink|n}}{{angle bracket|n}}{{IPAlink|n̥ʰ}}{{angle bracket|hn}}
{{IPAlink|ts}}{{angle bracket|z}}{{IPAlink|tsʰ}}{{angle bracket|c}}{{IPAlink|ⁿts}}{{angle bracket|nz}}{{IPAlink|ntsʰ}}{{angle bracket|nc}}{{IPAlink|s}}{{angle bracket|s}}

|{{IPAlink|f}}

|{{angle bracket|f}}

{{IPAlink|tɕ}}

|{{angle bracket|j}}

{{IPAlink|tɕʰ}}{{angle bracket|q}}{{IPAlink|ᶮtɕ}}{{angle bracket|nj}}{{IPAlink|ntɕʰ}}{{angle bracket|nq}}{{IPAlink|ɕ}}{{angle bracket|x}}{{IPAlink|ʑ}}{{angle bracket|y}}
{{IPAlink|ʈ}}{{angle bracket|zh}}{{IPAlink|ʈʰ}}{{angle bracket|ch}}{{IPAlink|ᶯʈ}}{{angle bracket|nzh}}{{IPAlink|ɳʈʰ}}{{angle bracket|nch}}{{IPAlink|ʂ}}{{angle bracket|sh}}{{IPAlink|ʐ}}{{angle bracket|r}}{{IPAlink|ɳ}}{{angle bracket|nh}}
{{IPAlink|k}}{{angle bracket|g}}{{IPAlink|kʰ}}{{angle bracket|k}}{{IPAlink|ᵑk}}{{angle bracket|ngg}}{{IPAlink|ŋkʰ}}{{angle bracket|nk}}
{{IPAlink|q}}{{angle bracket|gh}}{{IPAlink|qʰ}}{{angle bracket|kh}}{{IPAlink|ᶰq}}{{angle bracket|ngh}}{{IPAlink|ɴqʰ}}{{angle bracket|nkh}}
{{IPAlink|w}}{{angle bracket|w}}{{IPAlink|h}}{{angle bracket|h}}colspan="2" |

|

|

{{Dubious|date=February 2012}}

class=wikitable

|+Xong Vowel Orthography

|

{{IPAlink|i}}{{angle bracket|i}}{{IPAlink|u}}

|{{angle bracket|u}}

{{IPA|iu}}{{angle bracket|iu}}
{{IPAlink|ɑ}}{{angle bracket|a}}{{IPA|iɑ}}{{angle bracket|ia}}{{IPA|uɑ}}{{angle bracket|ua}}
{{IPAlink|o}}{{angle bracket|o}}{{IPA|io}}{{angle bracket|io}}
{{IPAlink|e}}{{angle bracket|e}}{{IPA|ie}}{{angle bracket|ie}}{{IPA|ue}}{{angle bracket|ue}}
{{IPA|ei}}{{angle bracket|ei}}{{IPA|uei}}{{angle bracket|ui}}
{{IPAlink|a}}{{angle bracket|ea}}{{IPA|ia}}{{angle bracket|iea}}{{IPA|ua}}{{angle bracket|uea}}
{{IPAlink|ɔ}}{{angle bracket|ao}}{{IPA|iɔ}}{{angle bracket|iao}}
{{IPAlink|ɤ}}{{angle bracket|eu}}{{IPA|iɤ}}{{angle bracket|ieu}}{{IPA|uɤ}}{{angle bracket|ueu}}
{{IPAlink|ɯ}}{{angle bracket|ou}}{{IPA|iɯ}}{{angle bracket|iou}}{{IPA|uɯ}}{{angle bracket|uou}}
{{IPAlink|ɛ}}{{angle bracket|an}}iɛ{{angle bracket|ian}}{{IPA|uɛ}}{{angle bracket|uan}}
{{IPA|en}}{{angle bracket|en}}{{IPA|ien}}{{angle bracket|in}}{{IPA|uen}}{{angle bracket|un}}
{{IPA|ɑŋ}}{{angle bracket|ang}}{{IPA|iɑŋ}}{{angle bracket|iang}}{{IPA|uɑŋ}}{{angle bracket|uang}}
{{IPA|oŋ}}{{angle bracket|ong}}{{IPA|ioŋ}}{{angle bracket|iong}}

class=wikitable

|+Tones

! Tone !! IPA !! Letter

high rising, 45{{IPAlink|˦˥}}{{angle bracket|b}}
low falling, 21{{IPAlink|˨˩}}{{angle bracket|x}}
high, 4{{IPAlink|˦}}{{angle bracket|d}}
low, 2{{IPAlink|˨}}{{angle bracket|l}}
high falling, 53{{IPAlink|˥˧}}{{angle bracket|t}}
falling, 42{{IPAlink|˦˨}}{{angle bracket|s}}

References

{{reflist}}

Further reading

{{refbegin}}

  • {{Cite thesis |last=Sposato |first=Adam |title=A Grammar of Xong |date=2015 |degree=PhD |publisher=University at Buffalo |url=https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/content/dam/arts-sciences/linguistics/AlumniDissertations/Sposato%20dissertation.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810002654/https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/content/dam/arts-sciences/linguistics/AlumniDissertations/Sposato%20dissertation.pdf|archivedate=2022-08-10}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Sposato |first=Adam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lExmEAAAQBAJ |title=A Grammar of Xong |date=2021 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=978-3-11-076493-2 |location=Berlin}}
  • Yang, Zaibiao 杨再彪. 2017. Xiangxi Miaoyu, Tujiayu yu Hanyu jiechu yanjiu 湘西苗语、土家语与汉语接触研究. Changchun: Jilin University Press 吉林大学出版社. ISBN 978-7-5692-1507-6.

{{refend}}

External links

  • Xong comparative vocabulary list on Wiktionary (6 dialects compared)
  • [http://starling.rinet.ru/cgi-bin/response.cgi?root=new100&morpho=0&basename=new100\hmo\hmo&first=0 Xong basic lexicon at the Global Lexicostatistical Database]

{{Hmong-Mien languages}}

{{Languages of China}}

Category:Hmongic languages

Category:Languages of Hunan

Category:Languages of Guizhou

Category:Languages of Guangxi

Category:Languages of Hubei