Ponyo, or Ponyo-Gongwang after its two dialects, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Burma. Ponyo is spoken in 19 villages of Lahe Township, Naga Self-Administered Zone (formerly administered as part of Hkamti District), Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Ethnologue). Dialects are Ponyo and Gongwang, with high mutual intelligibility between the two, both of which share 89% to 91% lexical similarity.^[2]

Ponyo is closely related to Leinong and Khiamniungan, sharing 69%–75% lexical similarity with the former, and 67%–73% with the latter.^[3]

Alternate names include Gongvan, Gongwang, Gongwang Naga, Manauk, Mannok, Ponyo, Ponyo Naga, Pounyu, Saplow, Solo, Tsawlaw (Ethnologue).

Dialects

Ethnologue lists two main dialects.

• Ponyo (Manauk, Mannok, Ponnyio, Pounyu)
• Gongwang (Gongvan, Saplo, Saplow, Solo, Tsaplo, Tsawlaw)