Honi
Native toSouthern China, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar
EthnicityHani
Native speakers
140,000 (2007)[1]
Dialects
Language codes
ISO 639-3how
Glottologhoni1244

The Honi language (豪尼語), also known as Haoni, Baihong, Hao-Bai, or Ho, is a language of the Loloish (Yi) branch of the Tibeto-Burman linguistic group spoken in Yunnan, China. The Chinese government groups speakers of this language into the Hani nationality, one of China's 56 recognized nationalities and considers the language to be a dialect of the wider Hani languages. Honi itself is divided into two distinct dialects, Baihong and Haoni, which may be separate languages.

Phonology

Consonants

Consonants of the Mojiang dialect
Labial Alveolar Post-
alveolar 		Palatal Velar
plain sibilant
Nasal m n ȵ ŋ
Plosive/
Affricate 		unaspirated p t ts tʃ tɕ k
aspirated pʰ tʰ tsʰ tʃʰ tɕʰ kʰ
Continuant voiceless f l̥ s ʃ ɕ x
voiced v l z ʒ ɣ
Semivowel w j

A voiceless /l̥/ may also be realized as a lateral fricative [ɬ].

Vowels

Vowels of the Mojiang dialect
Front Central Back
High i ɯ u
High-mid ɤ o
Low-mid ɛ ɔ
Low æ a
Syllabic v̩ ɹ̩

In the Mojiang dialect, vowel length is distinctive among vowels /iː ɛː/ and syllabic vowels /v̩ː ɹ̩ː/.[2]

Front Back
Diphthong Close iu ui
Mid io iɔ uɛ
Open ia ua
Nasal Close ĩ
Mid ɛ̃ õ
Open ã
Nasal
Diphthong 		Mid ĩɛ̃ ĩõ ũɛ̃
Open ĩã ũã

References

  1. ^ Honi at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Yongsui, Li; Ersong, Wang (1986). 哈尼语简志 / Ha ni yu jian zhi. Beijing: Minzu Chubanshe. pp. 3–16.
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