Nusu (autonym: nu33 su33) is a Loloish language spoken by the Nu people of China. 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)

Phonology

Consonants

Tones

Nusu has seven tones: