Pholo (autonym: ) is an unclassified Loloish language of Yunnan, China. Although culturally associated with the Phula languages, does not consider it to be linguistically related to the Phula languages.
Pholo speakers are also referred to as Black Phula and Flowery Phula.
Classification specifically excludes Pholo, noting that it does not share the defining features of Southeastern Loloish. However, classifies Pholo as a Southeastern Loloish language, and considers it to be most closely related to Zokhuo
Distribution Pholo speakers are most densely concentrated in: Aji Township, Yanshan County eastern Tianxing Township, Qiubei County
Other Pholo speakers are found in: eastern Yanshan County Pingzhai Township, Qiubei County western Guangnan County Xinzhai Township, Malipo County
Vocabulary The following Pholo lexical items along with their Proto-Ngwi (Proto-Loloish) reconstructed proto-forms are from .
Gloss Pholo Proto-Ngwi bee *bya² taro *blum² silver *plu¹ face *pyu² destroy *pyakH change *C-plekL pus *m-bliŋ¹ full *m-bliŋ³ fly (v.) *b-yam¹ lightning *b-lyapL release *pyiŋ² eagle *ʔ-glaŋ² stab *m-gya² excrement *ʔ-kle² load (v.) *ʔ-kun³/²
Most, but not all, of the Pholo words above do not share the following innovations that define Southeastern Ngwi. Proto-Ngwi * and * > Proto-Southeastern Ngwi * (modern reflexes: tɬ, kɬ, k, t, ɬ, etc.) Proto-Ngwi * and * > Proto-Southeastern Ngwi * (modern reflexes: tɬʰ, kɬʰ, kʰ, tʰ, ɬ, etc.) Proto-Ngwi * and * > Proto-Southeastern Ngwi * (modern reflexes: dɮ, ɡɮ, ɡ, d, etc.) Proto-Ngwi * and * > Proto-Southeastern Ngwi * (modern reflexes: ndɮ, ŋɡɮ, nd, etc.)
Other Pholo words from : (neck) (pus) (full) (long) (name) (cooked)
More Pholo words are documented in , part of which are quoted in .
Notes
References
(Handwritten Mimeograph).