Dialects of the Gelao

The Gelao are distributed by a score of districts of four provinces: Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan and Sichuan.

His linguistic situation is very complex. There is times that the people of a district cannot communicate to herself with that of the district of nearby, in spite of his apparent common origin, as between the districts of Zhengning, Guanling, Liuzhi, Zijin and Puding, placed all in the west of the province of Guizhou.

Other times, in spite of living together in the same canton, cannot communicate by linguistic differences, as in Guangxi, District Longlin, Commune Yuandee or in Guizhou, Region of Zunyi, county Pingzheng either.

According to the grammar, phonetics and vocabulary, as well as the autodenomination, distribution, life and customs of his speakers, we can divide the language gelao in four dialects.

1. Dialect of the center of Guizhou. Between Guiyang and Anshun. With approximately 10.000 speakers and three different local speech.

a. District Pingba, speech Daguochang. In Anshun (counties of Wanzi and Heizhai) and Pingba. They are autonamed "lau" or "pulau". There are clear differences between those that they use this one speaks in two districts, that the communication is difficult between them.
b. He speaks about Puning Xinzhai. They speak it in District Puning, area Baiyan, Xinzhai, Wozi, Zhanchong, Meiqi. They are autonamed "gao". The phonetic and grammatical differences make difficult to be understood by those who speak the speech Pingba.
c. He speaks about Xijing, Xiongzhai. They speak it in the district of Xijing, area of Longchang, Xiongjia and other villages. Very difficult to be understood by those who speak the previous local speech.

2. Dialect of the center and north of Guizhou. In the districts Renhuai and Zunyi de Guizhou up to the district Longlin in Guangxi. Especially in four districts of Guanlin, Qinglong, Zhenning and Zhenfeng. Approximately 14.000 persons speak it. It has two local speech, with differences so clear that they make them unintelligible.

a. The first speech. Much extended from north on south where one speaks this dialect, his speakers are autonamed "hake" or "hakei". In spite of his extension they all understand each other between themselves, being considered to be the real Gelao.
b. The second speech. With very few speakers who are autonamed "pumuhen" or "men pu". Only it is in the district Renhuai, area Maoba, Fanliwan and area of Zunyi, county Pingzheng. There are considered to be the branch Gelaos Rojos.

3. Dialect of the South-west of Guizhou. That of major distribution and ramification of these dialects, one extends Guangxi and Yunnan. In Guizhou especially in districts of Liubanshui, Liuzhi and Shuicheng, in Guangxi, district Longlin (county Dashuijin), in Yunnan, in district Wenshan (county Malipo). There are 12.000 speakers in 4 local speech.

a. He speaks about Liuzhi Niupo. Those who speak it they are autonamed "tolou". In some villages of the districts of Liuzhi, Puning and Jijin.
b. He speaks about Longlin Moji. Very few speak it, approximately 400 persons in the district Longlin (county Dashuijin). Speaking stay very few and some of them more than it understand.
c. He speaks about Malipo. In the outskirts of district Laozhai, area Tiechang. Approximately 2.000 persons were speaking it, but already almost in desuetude.
d. He speaks about district Shuicheng county Datiezhai. A few elders already only speak it.
e. He speaks about Region Zunyi, District Jianshan. They are not understood by those of other local speech. Those who speak it in Zunyi are autonamed red and green Gelao. Approximately 500 persons.

4. Dialect of the West of Guizhou. In Districts Dafang (county Pudi), Qionxi (counties Shajin and Yini), Qingzheng (county Xindian). Approximately 15.000 persons were speaking to him, with two principal local speech.

a. He speaks about Dafang. Especially in this district. His Speakers are autonamed "Puer"
b. He speaks about Zhenning. Especially in the village Bigong. Those who speak it they are autonamed "ren".

To know more: ZHANG JIMIN.-Gelao yu yanjiu (Investigation on the language gelao). GZMZ. 1993.

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