U
Pouma
Region	China
Native speakers	40,000 (2000)^[1]
Language family	Austroasiatic Khasi–Palaungic Palaungic Angkuic U
Language codes
ISO 639-3	`uuu`
Glottolog	`uuuu1243`
ELP	U
U is classified as Definitely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

The U language or P'uman (Chinese: 濮满), is spoken by 40,000 people in the Yunnan Province of China and possibly Myanmar. It is classified as an Austroasiatic language in the Palaungic branch. In China, U speakers are classified as ethnic Bulang.

Locations

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U is spoken in Shuangjiang County of Yunnan and other nearby counties.^[2]

Wang & Chen (1981) covers the dialect of Pengpan 碰拚, Dafengshan Township 大凤山乡, Shuangjiang County.
Zhou & Yan (1983) covers the dialect of Pangpin 胖品,^[3] Yongge Township 永革乡, Shuangjiang County.
Yan & Zhou (2012) cover U of Gantang 甘塘,^[4]^[5] Yongde County as well as U of Pangpin 胖品.
Svantesson (1991:67) documents the U dialect of Pã Xɛp (Bangxie, 邦协), Shahe Township 沙河乡, Shuangjiang County.^[6]

There two main dialects of U in Shuangjiang County: one spoken in Gongnong (公弄, now part of Mengku Town, 勐库镇) and one spoken in Bangbing (邦丙) and Dawen Mangga (大文乡忙嘎); the Dawen dialect is reportedly mutually intelligible with that of Shidian County (Shuangjiang County Ethnic Gazetteer 1995:160).

Avala (autonym: a21 va21 la21) is spoken in Bangliu (邦六),^[7] Manghuai Township (芒怀乡), Yun County (云县), Yunnan, China.^[8]^[9]

Phonology

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U has four tones, high, low, rising, falling, which developed from vowel length and the nature of final consonants.

Consonants^[10]
		Labial	Dental	Palatal	Velar	Uvular	Glottal
Plosive	plain	p	t	c	k	q	ʔ
Plosive	aspirated	pʰ	tʰ	cʰ	kʰ	qʰ
Affricate	plain		ts
Affricate	aspirated		tsʰ
Fricative	voiceless	f	s			χ	h
Fricative	voiced	v
Nasal		m	n	ɲ	ŋ
Lateral			l
Approximant		w		j

Vowels^[11]
	Front	Central	Back
High	i	ɨ	u
Mid	e	ə	o
Low	ɛ	a	ɔ

References

[edit]

^ U at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^ Svantesson (1988)
^ "Shuāngjiāng Lāhùzú Wǎzú Bùlǎngzú Dǎizú Zìzhìxiàn Dàwén Xiāng Dàliángzi Cūnwěihuì Pàngpǐn Zìráncūn" 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县大文乡大梁子村委会胖品自然村 [Pangpin Natural Village; Daliangzi Village Committee; Dawen Township; Shuangjiang Lahu, Va, Blang and Dai Autonomous County]. ynszxc.gov.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
^ "Yǒngdé Xiàn Měngbǎn Xiāng Hùyā Cūnwěihuì Gāntáng Zìráncūn" 永德县勐板乡户丫村委会甘塘自然村 [Gantang Natural Village, Huya Village Committee, Mengban Township, Yongde County]. ynszxc.gov.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
^ "Yǒngdé Xiàn Měngbǎn Xiāng Líshù Cūnwěihuì Gāntáng Zìráncūn" 永德县勐板乡梨树村委会甘塘自然村 [Gantang Natural Village, Lishu Village Committee, Mengban Township, Yongde County]. ynszxc.gov.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
^ "Shuāngjiāng Lāhùzú Wǎzú Bùlǎngzú Dǎizú Zìzhìxiàn Shāhé Xiāng Bāngxié Cūnmín Wěiyuánhuì Bāngxié Zìráncūn" 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县沙河乡邦协村民委员会邦协自然村 [Bangxie Natural Village; Bangxie Village Committee; Shahe Township; Shuangjiang Lahu, Va, Blang and Dai Autonomous County] (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
^ "Yúnxiàn Mánghuái Yízú Bùlǎngzú Xiāng Bāngliù Cūnwěihuì" 云县忙怀彝族布朗族乡邦六村委会 [Bangliu Village Committee, Manghuai Yi and Bulang Ethnic Township, Yunxian] (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2018-08-17. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
^ Hsiu, Andrew (2017), "The Angkuic Languages: A Preliminary Survey", Presented at the 6th International Conference on Austroasiatic Linguistics (ICAAL 6), Siem Reap, Cambodia (Handout), Zenodo, doi:10.5281/zenodo.1127808, archived from the original on 2020-05-16
^ Hsiu, Andrew (2017), "Avala Audio Word List", Zenodo, doi:10.5281/zenodo.1123297, archived from the original on 2020-10-09
^ Svantesson 1988, p. 69
^ Svantesson 1988, p. 70

External links

[edit]

RWAAI | Projects RWAAI (Repository and Workspace for Austroasiatic Intangible Heritage)
http://hdl.handle.net/10050/00-0000-0000-0003-67B4-3@view U in RWAAI Digital Archive

Languages of China

Official

Standard Chinese

Regional

ARs / SARs	Cantonese^HK/MC English^HK Mongolian^NM Portuguese^MC Tibetan^XZ Uyghur^XJ Zhuang^GX
Prefecture	Hmong Kam Bouyei Tujia Korean Qiang Yi Kyrgyz Kazakh Tai Nüa Tai Lü Zaiwa Lisu Bai Hani Zhuang
Counties/Banners	numerous

Indigenous

Sino-Tibetan languages

Hanoish	Akeu Akha Amu Angluo Asuo Baihong Bisu Budu Bukong Cosao Duoni Duota Enu Habei Hani Honi Jino Kabie Kaduo Lami Laomian Laopin Mpi Muda Nuobi Nuomei Phana’ Piyo Qidi Sadu Sangkong Suobi Tsukong Woni Yiche
Lisoish	Eka Hlersu Kua-nsi Kuamasi Laizisi Lalo Lamu Lavu Lawu Limi Lipo Lisu Lolopo Mangdi Micha Mili Sonaga Toloza Xuzhang Yangliu Zibusi
Nisoish	Alingpo Alugu Aluo Axi Azha Azhe Bokha Gepo Khlula Lope Moji Muji Muzi Nasu Nisu Nuosu Phala Phola Phowa Phukha Phuma Phupa Phupha Phuza Samei Sani Thopho Zokhuo
Other	Gokhy Katso Kucong Lahu Naruo Namuyi Naxi Nusu Samu Sanie Zauzou

Qiangic

Tibetic

Other

Other languages

Austroasiatic

Hmong-Mien

Hmongic	A-Hmao Bu-Nao Gejia Guiyang Hm Nai Hmong Hmu Huishui Kiong Nai Luobohe Mashan Pa-Hng Pa Na Pingtang Qo Xiong Raojia She Small Flowery Xixiu Younuo
Mienic	Biao Min Dzao Min Iu Mien Kim Mun

Mongolic

Kra-Dai

Zhuang	Bouyei Dai Min Ningming Nong Tai Dam Tai Dón Tai Hongjin Tai Lü Tai Nüa Tai Ya Yang Yei
Other	Ai-Cham Biao Buyang Cao Miao Chadong Cun Gelao Hlai Jiamao Kam Lakkja Mak Maonan Mulam Naxi Yao Ong Be Paha Qabiao Sui Then

Tungusic

Turkic

Other

Sarikoli (Indo-European)
Tsat (Austronesian)
Formosan languages (Austronesian)

Minority

Varieties of
Chinese

Mandarin
- Northeastern
- Beijing
- Ji-Lu
- Jiao-Liao
- Zhongyuan
  - Lan-Yin
- Jin
- Southwestern
  - Sichuanese
- Southeastern
Gan
Hakka
Hui
Min
- Southern
  - Hokkien
  - Teoswa
  - Hainanese
- Eastern
- Puxian
- Central
- Northern
- Shaojiang
Wu
- Northern
- Auish
Xiang
- New
- Old
Yue
- Cantonese
- Ping

Creole/Mixed

Extinct

Sign

Chinese Sign
- Northern (Beijing) Sign
- Southern (Shanghai) Sign
  - Hong Kong Sign^HK/MC
Tibetan Sign^XZ

GX = Guangxi
HK = Hong Kong
MC = Macau
NM = Inner Mongolia
XJ = Xinjiang
XZ = Tibet

Austroasiatic languages

Bahnaric

North

West

Central

Alak Tariang Tampuan
South	Chrau Koho Stieng Ra’ong Mnong Mel-Khaonh Thmon

East

Katuic

West Katuic	Kuy Bru
Ta'oihic	Ta'Oi
Pacoh	Pacoh
Katu	Katu Phuong

Vietic

Viet-Muong	Vietnamese Northern, Thanh Hóa, Huế, Southern [vi] in China in US Mường Nguồn
Cuoi	Cuoi
Chứt	Arem May Ruc Sach
Kri	Maleng Kri Thavưng
Phong–Liha	Phong Tuom Liha

Khmuic

Khmu	Khmu
Mlabri	Mlabri
Phay-Pram	Prai Mal Ksingmul O’du Phong-Kniang

Pearic

Pear

Pear

Western Pearic
(Chong)

Central	Central Chong Samre Kasong
Western	Western Chong
Northern	Somray (Northern Chong)
Southern	Suoi Sa'och

Khasi–Palaungic

Khasic

Khasi-Pnar-Lyngngam	Khasi Pnar Lyngngam Maharam
War	War

Palaungic

Danau

Danau

West Palaungic

East Palaungic

Angkuic	Hu U Man Met Mok Muak Sa-aak Va
Waic	Blang Lawa Wa Meung Yum Savaiq
Bit-Khang	Bit Quang Lam Kháng Bumang
Lamet	Lamet Kiorr

Others

Kuan
Tai Loi

Munda

North

Korku

Korku

Kherwarian

Mundaric	Korwa Asur Birjia Birhor Ho Mundari Koda Majhwar Turi Agariya
Santalic	Santali Kol

South

Kharia	Kharia
Juang	Juang
Sora-Gorum	Gorum Sora Juray Lodhi
Gutob-Remo	Bonda Gutob
Gta’	Gta’

Nicobarese

Chaura-Teresa	Chaura Teressa
Central	Nancowry Camorta Katchal
Southern	Car Southern Nicobarese Shompen

Aslian

Jahaic (Northern)	Batek Cheq Wong Jahai Jedek Kensiu Kintaq Minriq Mintil Ten'edn Wila'
Senoic (Central)	Lanoh Sabüm Semai Semnam Temiar
Jah Hut	Jah Hut
Semelaic (Southern)	Mah Meri Semaq Beri Semelai Temoq
unclassified	Kenaboi

Others

Monic	Mon Nyah Kur
Pakanic	Bolyu Bugan (Pakan)
Others	Khmer Northern Khmer (Surin Khmer) Western Khmer (Chanthaburi Khmer) Khmer Khe Mang

Proto-languages
Proto-Austroasiatic Proto-Palaungic Proto-Khmeric Proto-Aslian Proto-Munda

Italics indicate extinct languages
Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

Locations

Phonology

References

Further reading

External links