| Loloish | |
|---|---|
| Yi, Ngwi, Nisoic | |
| Geographic distribution | Southern China and Southeast Asia |
| Ethnicity | Yi people |
| Linguistic classification | Sino-Tibetan
|
| Proto-language | Proto-Loloish |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | lolo1267 |
The Loloish languages, also known as Yi (like the Yi people) and occasionally Ngwi[1] or Nisoic,[2] are a family of fifty to a hundred Sino-Tibetan languages spoken primarily in Yunnan province of China. They are most closely related to Burmese and its relatives. Both the Loloish and Burmish branches are well defined, as is their superior node, Lolo-Burmese. However, subclassification is more contentious.
SIL Ethnologue (2013 edition) estimated a total number of 9 million native speakers of Loloish ("Ngwi") languages, the largest group being the speakers of Nuosu (Northern Yi) at 2 million speakers (2000 PRC census).[a]
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