Qau, Central Gelao, or Sinicized Gelao (Chinese: 汉仡佬; pinyin: Hàn Gēlǎo) is a Gelao language spoken in Guizhou, China.[2][3]

Qau
Native toChina
RegionAnshun City and Pingba County, Guizhou
Native speakers
2,000 (2011)[1]
Kra–Dai
Language codes
ISO 639-3gqu
Glottologqaua1234
ELPGao Gelao

Dialects

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The dialects of Qau that are still spoken are:[4]

  • Dagouchang 大狗场 or Pingba Qau (in Pingba County)
  • Wanzi 湾子 or Anshun Qau (in Anshun City)

Phonology

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Consonants

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Labial Alveolar (Alveolo-)
palatal
Velar Uvular Glottal
plain lat. plain lat.
Nasal m n ɲ̟ ŋ
Stop voiceless p t k q (ʔ)
aspirated
prenasal ᵐp ᵐpˡ ⁿt ᵑk ᵑkˡ
Affricate voiceless ts
aspirated tsʰ tɕʰ
prenasal ⁿts ᶮtɕ
Fricative voiceless f s ɕ x h
voiced v z ʑ
Approximant l (w)
  • [ʔ] is heard in syllable-initial position before vowels.
  • [w] is heard as an initial consonant of Chinese loanwords.

Vowels

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Front Central Back
Close i (ɯ) u
Mid e ə ə˞ o
Open a ɒ
Diphthongs
Front Central Back
Close iu, ie, iɒ, io ue, ua,
Mid ei əu, əɯ
Open ai, au
Triphthong iau uei, uai
Final-nasal
Front Central Back
Close in un
Mid en
Open an
Triphthong ian uan uaŋ
  • /i/ is heard as a syllabic [ɹ̩] when after sounds /s, ts/
  • [ɯ] is only heard in the diphthong /əɯ/.
  • Vowels with a word-final /n/ can also be heard as nasalized [Ṽ].[5]

Pronouns

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The following are pronouns from Pingba Gelao.[2]

Gloss Pingba Gelao
I (su33) i42
you (su33) mu21
he, she, it (su33) u42
we (su33) ta33
you all (su33) sa33
they 42 nu42
my household qa33/a33 qei42
your household qa33/a33 mu21
his/her household qa33/a55 qu42

Numerals

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Pingba Gelao numerals are given below.

  1. si33
  2. su33
  3. ta33
  4. pu33
  5. mpu33
  6. naŋ33
  7. ɕi13
  8. zua55
  9. 13
  10. pan13

References

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  1. ^ Qau at Ethnologue (24th ed., 2021)  
  2. ^ a b Zhang, Jimin 张済民 (1993). Gēlǎoyǔ yánjiū 仡佬语研究 [A Study of Gelao] (in Chinese). Guiyang: Guizhou minzu chubanshe.
  3. ^ Zhou, Guoyan 周国炎 (2004). Gēlǎozú mǔyǔ shēngtài yánjiū 仡佬族母語生态硏究 [Studies on the Linguistic Ecology of the Gelao People] (in Chinese). Beijing: Minzu chubanshe.
  4. ^ Li, Jinfang 李锦芳 (2006). Xīnán dìqū bīnwēi yǔyán diàochá yánjiū 西南地区濒危语言调查研究 [Studies on Endangered Languages in the Southwest China] (in Chinese). Beijing: Zhongyang minzu daxue chubanshe.
  5. ^ He, Jiashan [贺嘉善] (1983). Gēlǎo yǔ jiǎn zhì [仡佬语简志] (A sketch of Gelao). Beijing: Ethnic Publishing House [民族出版社].