Bumang

Facts

  • Language: Bumang
  • Alternate names: Manzhang Dai, 曼仗傣, Bumang, 布芒語
  • Language code: bvp
  • Language family: Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Northern Mon-Khmer, Palaungic, Eastern Palaungic, Waic, Bulang (SIL classification)
  • Number of speakers: ~200
  • Vulnerability: Threatened
  • Script:

More information:

    Though the Bumang are classified as being part of the official Dai nationality, their language is unlike the other 3 Dai language groups in their home county.

    The newly discovered Bumang (bvp) 布芒 language of Mengla Xiazhai and Mengla Shangzhai, Jinping County, Yunnan, China (金平縣苗族瑶族傣族自治縣勐拉地區的曼仗上寨和曼仗下寨) is said to be descended from 19th century Kháng immigrants from Vietnam. There are only 200 speakers left and none of them are monolinguals (DAO Jie 刀潔 2006, 2007; J. Edmondson 2010). This language is closely related to Kháng (kjm) of Vietnam, but mutually intelligibility between the two languages has not yet been tested. According to J. Edmondson (2010:152), "it appears that the lexical support for Kháng and Bumang belonging to Khmuic is strong." It is not yet clear which subdivision of the Khumic branch Bumang belongs to.