The Bolyu language (autonym: pɔ33 lju13; Chinese: 巴琉语, 布流语; also known as Paliu, Palyu, or Lai 俫语, 徕语) is an Austroasiatic language of the Pakanic branch.^[2]

Classification

Bolyu is related to the Bugan language, forming the Pakanic branch along with it. In 1984, Bolyu was first studied by Liang Min of the Nationalities Research Institute in Beijing. Liang was the first to suggest a Mon–Khmer affiliation of Bolyu, which was later confirmed by Western linguists such as Paul K. Benedict, Paul Sidwell, and Jerold A. Edmondson. However, the place of the Pakanic branch within the Mon–Khmer family is uncertain. Sidwell (1995) suggests that the Pakanic branch may be an Eastern Mon–Khmer branch, thus making it most closely related to the Vietic branch. However, Gérard Diffloth classifies Pakanic as Northern Mon–Khmer, making it most closely related to the Palaungic branch.^[3] Paul Sidwell later classified Bolyu and Bugan together as forming a separate Pakanic branch within Austroasiatic, while Mang is excluded as yet another separate branch of Austroasiatic.^[4]

Distribution

Bolyu speakers are found in the following locations in southern China.^[5][6][7]

• Douhong 斗烘屯, Xinhe 新合村, Changfa township 长发, Longlin County, Guangxi (often living with Gelao neighbors). Also spoken in the nearby townships of Kechang 克长, De'e 德峨, and Changme 长么.^[8]
  • Xinhe 新合村 - Datiezhai 打铁寨, Changfajie 长发街: 50 speakers
  • Xinhua 新华村 - Luowan 罗湾: 300; Kabao 卡保, Renshang 仁上: 160 speakers
  • Villages with only Bolyu people: Muzi 亩子, Dazhai 大寨, Xiaozhai 小寨
• Guosha/Hengsha 过沙/亨沙, Wenya 文雅村, Puhe Miao Autonomous Township 普合苗族自治乡, Xilin County, Guangxi. Also spoken in Naya 那牙, Badahe Township 八大河乡.^[8] 230 speakers total.

Li (1999) documents the Bolyu variety of Muzitun 亩子屯, Xinhe Village 新合村, Changfa Township 长发乡, Longlin County, Guangxi.

In the following villages, only elderly speakers of Bolyu remain.

• Zhelang township 者浪乡: Zhezhai 者寨, Langrong 郎荣, Linghao 岭好
• Kechang township 克场乡: Haichang 海长
• Shechang township 蛇场乡: Daguo 达果

1,400 Bolyu reside in Guangxi, and over 1,000 in Yunnan.^[8]

Phonology

Bolyu is a monosyllabic tonal language like the surrounding Tai–Kadai, Hmong-Mien and even Vietic languages. Unlike Bugan, Bolyu does not have a tense–lax voice quality distinction.

Initial consonants

		Labial			Alveolar			Alveolo- palatal	Velar			Uvular	Glottal
		plain	pal.	vel.	plain	pal.	sib.		plain	pal.	lab.		plain	pal.
Nasal		m	mʲ		n				ŋ
Plosive/ Affricate	voiceless	p	pʲ		t	tʲ	t͡s	tɕ	k	kʲ	kʷ	q	ʔ
	aspirated	pʰ	pʰʲ		tʰ	tʰʲ	t͡sʰ	tɕʰ	kʰ			qʰ
	prenasalized	ᵐb	ᵐbʲ		ⁿd
Fricative		v	vʲ	vˠ	ɬ	ɬʲ	s	ɕ	ɣ	ɣʲ			h	hʲ
Approximant					l	lʲ		j			w

Bolyu allows for a large variety of consonant clusters, and has eight possible consonantal finals:^[9] -p, -t, -k, -m, -n, -ŋ, -w, -j.

Vowels

There are seven vowels in Bolyu:^[10] /a, e, ə, i, o, ɔ, u/.

Tones

Bolyu has a total of six tones.^[11]