Qau, Central Gelao, or Sinicized Gelao () is a Gelao language spoken in Guizhou, China.
Dialects The dialects of Qau that are still spoken are: Dagouchang 大狗场 or Pingba Qau (in Pingba County) Wanzi 湾子 or Anshun Qau (in Anshun City)
Phonology
Consonants LabialAlveolar(Alveolo-)palatalVelarUvularGlottalplainlat.plainlat.NasalStopvoiceless()aspiratedprenasalAffricatevoicelessaspiratedprenasalFricativevoicelessvoicedApproximant()
[ʔ] is heard in syllable-initial position before vowels. [w] is heard as an initial consonant of Chinese loanwords.
Vowels FrontCentralBackClose()Mid Open +DiphthongsFrontCentralBackCloseMidOpenTriphthong +Final-nasalFrontCentralBackCloseMidOpenTriphthong /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].
Tones The Wanzi dialect has 6 tones.He 1983, p. 15. Tone Value ExampleTaken from He 1983, pp. 13, 71-73, 75. Meaning ˥ 55 Water ˦ 44 Eight ˧ 33 Year ˨˦ 24 Blood ˩˧ 13 Goat ˥˩ 31 Bird
Pronouns The following are pronouns from Pingba Gelao.
Gloss Pingba Gelao I () you () he, she, it () we () you all () they my household your household his/her household
Numerals Pingba Gelao numerals are given below.
References