Tibeto-Burman language of southwest China and northern Myanmar
The Nusu language is a Loloish language spoken by the Nu people of China and Myanmar. There are three dialects: Northern, Southern, and Central. The Central dialect of Miangu is the prestige dialect and is understood fairly well by speakers of other dialects.[1]
Lama (2012) observes a sound change, *r- > Ø- from Proto-Loloish, as a Nusoish innovation.
Distribution
The three Nusu dialects are spoken in the following locations (Nusuzu Nusuyu Jianzhi 怒族怒苏语简志 1986).
- Southern, also known as the Guoke-Puluo (果科-普洛) dialect: northern Lushui County 泸水县, in Guoke 果科,[2] Puluo 普洛,[3] Tongping 同坪,[4] Jiajia 加甲[5] (3,000 speakers)
- Central, also known as the Zhizhiluo-Laomudeng (知之罗-老姆登) dialect: southern Fugong County 福贡县, in Pihe 匹河怒族乡,[6] Zhizhiluo 知之罗,[7][8] Laomudeng 老姆登,[9] Miangu 棉古,[10] Shawa 沙瓦,[11] Zileng 子楞[12] (4,000 speakers)
- Northern, also known as the Wawa-Kongtong (瓦娃-空通) dialect: Fugong County 福贡县, in Wawa 瓦娃,[13][14] Kongtong 空通,[15][16] Youduoluo 有夺洛[17] (2,000 speakers)
The divergent Liangsu dialect (良苏话) is spoken in by about 3,000 people in the following locations of Fugong County, Yunnan.[18][19]
- Zilijia Township 子里甲乡: Jianu 甲怒, Mazudi 马祖底, Jiada 甲打, Lamujia 腊母甲, Jiache 加车
- Jiakedi Township 架科底乡: Jiake 架科, La'anjia 腊安甲
