Nisu language

Nisu
Southern Yi
Native toChina
EthnicityYi
Native speakers
300,000 apart from Northern (2004–2007)[1]
160,000 Northern (no date)[2]
Yi logograms
Language codes
ISO 639-3Variously:
nsd – Southern
yiv – Northern
nos – Eastern
nsv – Southwestern (duplicate or spurious code)
nsf – Northwestern
Glottolognisu1237  Nisu–Nyisu

Nisu (Southern Yi) is a language cluster spoken by half a million Yi people of China. It is one of six Yi languages recognized by the government of China. The Yi script was traditionally used, though few can still read it.[1] According to Lama (2012),[3] Nisu (Nishu) autonyms include ne̠33 su55, ne̠33 su55 pʰo21, and ɲe̠33 ʂu55.

The position of Nisu within Nisoish is debated. Nisu is classified as Southeastern Loloish by Pelkey (2011),[4] but is traditionally classified as a Northern Loloish language, including by Lama (2012).[3]

  1. ^ a b Southern at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Northern at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Eastern at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Southwestern (duplicate or spurious code) at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Northwestern at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Northern Nisu at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009) Closed access icon
  3. ^ a b Lama 2012.
  4. ^ Pelkey 2011.