Akeu is a Loloish language mainly spoken in Jinghong and Mengla County, China, with smaller populations of speakers in Burma, Laos, and Thailand. Gokhy may be related.

Akeu
Ake
Native toChina, Myanmar, Laos
Native speakers
(12,000 cited 1996–2006)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3aeu
Glottologakeu1235  Akeu
ELPAkeu

Luma is also closely related to Akeu according to Lew (2023).[2]

Distribution

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Akeu (Ake 阿克; autonym: Gouke 勾克) is spoken in the following locations of Yunnan (You 2013:172).[3] The Akeu migrated from Mojiang County to the Xishuangbanna (西双版纳, Sipsongpanna) area 8 generations ago (about 300 years ago).

  • Ganlanba 橄榄坝, Menghan Township 勐罕镇, Jinghong City 景洪市;
  • Menglong Township 勐龙镇, Jinghong City 景洪市;
  • Sanda Mountain 三达山, Jinghong City 景洪市;
  • Menglun Township 勐仑镇, Mengla County 勐腊县;
  • Yiwu District 易武乡, Mengla County 勐腊县.

Dialects

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The Akeu dialects of Kyaingtong, Myanmar and Menglun 勐仑镇, Mengla County, China are similar. The following words from these two Akeu dialects are from Hayashi (2015).[4]

Gloss Kyaingtong Akeu Menglun Akeu
tea lɔ⁵⁵bo²¹ lɔ⁵⁵bɔ²¹
pig wa̱²¹ wa̱²¹
bird kɛ²¹a²¹ kja̱²¹
salt tsa̱²¹dɤ̱²¹ tsa̱²¹dɤ̱²¹
buffalo u³³na⁵⁵ mo²¹na³³
four li²¹ li²¹
to fly bɛ³³ bɛ³³

Vocabulary

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The Akeu numerals are:[5]

  1. tɯʔ˨
  2. ɲ̩ʔ˨
  3. hɛ˦
  4. li˨
  5. ŋa˨
  6. koʔ˨
  7. siʔ˨
  8. eʔ˨
  9. ɡy˨
  10. tsʰə˦

References

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  1. ^ Akeu at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)  
  2. ^ Lew, Sigrid (2023). "Notes on Luma, a Southern Ngwi language in Laos". Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society. 16 (2). Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press: xx–xxx. ISSN 1836-6821. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  3. ^ You Weiqiong [尤伟琼]. 2013. Classifying ethnic groups of Yunnan [云南民族识别研究]. Beijing: Ethnic Publishing House [民族出版社].
  4. ^ Hayashi, Norihiko. 2015. Two Akeu Dialects in Myanmar and China. Paper presented at SEALS 25, Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
  5. ^ Kosonen, Tuula. 2015. Akeu numerals.