Gelao (autonym: Kláo, Chinese: 仡佬 Gēlǎo, Vietnamese: Cờ Lao) is a Kra language in the Kra–Dai language family. It is spoken by the Gelao people in southern China and northern Vietnam. Despite an ethnic population of 580,000 (2000 census of China), only a few thousand still speak Gelao in China. Estimates run from 3,000 in China by Li in 1999, of which 500 are monolinguals, to 7,900 by Edmondson in 2008. Edmondson (2002) estimates that the three Gelao varieties of Vietnam have only about 350 speakers altogether.
External relationships Like Buyang, another Kra language, Gelao contains many words which are likely to be Austronesian cognates.Ostapirat, Weera. 2005. "Kra–Dai and Austronesian: Notes on phonological correspondences and vocabulary distribution." Laurent Sagart, Roger Blench & Alicia Sanchez-Mazas, eds. The Peopling of East Asia: Putting Together Archaeology, Linguistics and Genetics. London: Routledge Curzon, pp. 107–131. (See Austro-Tai languages.)
As noted by Li and Zhou (1999),李锦芳/Li, Jinfang and 周国炎/Guoyan Zhou. 仡央语言探索/Geyang yu yan tan suo. Beijing, China: 中央民族大学出版社/Zhong yang min zu da xue chu ban she, 1999. Gelao shares much vocabulary with the Hlai and Ong Be languages, suggesting contact with Pre-Hlai speakers before their migration to Hainan.
Demographics
China Zhang Jimin estimated a total of over 10,000 Gelao speakers in the early 1990s, while Li Jinfang places this number at 3,000 in 1999. Jerold A. Edmondson's 2008 estimate is 7,900 speakers.Diller, Anthony, Jerry Edmondson, Yongxian Luo. (2008). The Tai–Kadai Languages. London [etc.]: Routledge. . This number is rapidly declining, as the Gelao are intermarrying with the neighboring Han, Bouyei, and Miao. Many Gelao speakers can also speak Bouyei, Zhuang, or Miao, and nearly all can speak local varieties of Chinese. Among Gelao-speaking families, most middle-age Gelao have very limited speaking abilities for Gelao, while much of the younger generation cannot even understand the most simple words and phrases.
A divergent variety of Gelao known as Shuicheng Gelao 水城仡佬语 (also known as Datie Gelao 打铁仡佬语; autonym: ) is spoken in Dongkou 洞口村, Houchang Township 猴场乡 and Datiezhai 打铁寨, Miluo Township 米箩乡, both located in Shuicheng County, Guizhou Province, China (Li & Yang 2016: 71).Li, Jinfang 李锦芳; Yang, Liuyan 阳柳艳. 2016. Guizhou Shuicheng Gelaoyu chutan 贵州水城仡佬语初探. In Minzu Yuwen 民族语文 2016(3):70-81. The Gelao of Datiezhai reported that they had migrated from Dongkou 4 generations ago. Li & Yang (2016) report that there are only 3 speakers of Shuicheng Gelao left.
The Mulao number 28,000 people, and are distributed in Majiang, Kaili, Huangping, Duyun, Weng'an, Fuquan, and other counties of southeastern Guizhou. The Mulao of Xuanwei and Jidong villages refer to themselves as the Mu, and in Longli village 龙里寨 they call themselves . The Mulao speak a variety of Gelao, not the Mulam language of Guangxi, which is also called Mulao. Luo (1997) describes the two Mulao varieties of () in Majiang County and in Kaili City.Luo Shiqing [罗世庆]. 1997. The ethnic Mulao of Guizhou [贵州仫佬族]. Guiyang: Guizhou People's Press [贵州民族出版社]. One dialect is represented by the datapoints of Bamaozhai 巴茅寨 and Madizhai 马碲寨 of Xuanwei District 宣威区, Majiang County (Luo 1997:105, 115), and the other by Bailazhai 白腊寨, Lushan Town 炉山镇, Kaili City (Luo 1997:189); the latter is also spoken in Dafengdong 大风洞, Pingliang 平良, and Chong'anjiang 重安江. Mulao data from Majiang and Kaili are also given in Guizhou (1985).Guizhou provincial ethnic classification commission [贵州省民委民族识别办公室编]. 1985. Guizhou ethnic classification materials, no. 5: Ethnic classification of the Mulao people [贵州民族识别资料集, 第5集: 木佬人族识别问题调查资料专辑]. m.s.
The extinct Tuman language (土蛮语) of Sinan County, Guizhou was a variety of Gelao.
Hsiu (2017) reports a Wai Gelao (Chinese: 歪仡佬语, "Crooked Gelao") language variety from Dingjiapo 丁家坡, Mugang Village 木杠村, Muyang Town 木央镇, Funing County, Yunnan. One 83-year-old woman remembered a few kinship terms.
In Qingzhen City, A'ou Gelao is spoken in the following villages (Qingzhen 2004:25-30).Qingzhen Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau [清镇市民族宗教事务局]. 2004. The Gelao people of Qingzhen City [清镇仡佬族]. Guiyang: Guizhou People's Press [贵州民族出版社]. Luohang village 落夯村 Mahuang village 蚂蟥村, Wangzhuang Township 王庄布依族苗族乡 Yinqiao village 银桥村, Weicheng Town 卫城镇 Yangshan village 阳山村, Anliu Township 暗流乡
Zhou (2004) reports that there are no more than 6,000 Gelao speakers, making up only 1.2% of the total number of ethnic Gelao people. The following table, based on Zhou (2004:150–151), shows the number of Gelao speakers in each county as of the 1990s. All counties are in Guizhou province unless specified otherwise.
+Demographics of Gelao speakers County Ethnic Gelao population Number of Gelao speakers Locations of ethnic Gelao Renhuai City 4,347 Very few elderly speakers remaining Townships of Maoba 茅坝 (including Yatang 哑塘), Changgang 长岗, Yun'an 云安, Zhongshu 中枢, Luban 鲁班, Wuma 五马 Zunyi County 2,922 Few speakers in Pingzheng Township 平正乡 Mostly in Pingzheng 平正乡, a few in Panshui 泮水乡 Jinsha County 1,584 Few elderly speakers in Hongzi Township 红梓乡 Dafang County 4,000+ 50+ speakers in Pudi Township 普底乡 Qianxi County 7,000+ 50+ speakers in Shajing Township 沙井乡 Also in Huashi 化石 and Yang'er 羊耳 Zhijin County 6,250 Only a few elderly speakers Puding County 3,770Includes Daya Gelao 打牙仡佬 and Red Gelao 红仡佬. 300 Townships of Maodong 猫洞, Machang 马场, Mengzhou 猛舟: 10+ villages Anshun City 2,559 300 Villages of Dagelao 大仡佬, Heizhai 黑寨, Wanzi 湾子寨, Heqiao 河桥, Amian 阿棉寨, etc. Pingba County 2,311 500 Qingzhen City 3,679 Only a few elderly speakers Guanling Buyei and Miao Autonomous County 6,405 500 20+ villages in 10+ townships: Hagei speakers in Ma'ao 麻垇 (in Xinpu Township 新铺乡), Huoshitian 火石田, Longtan 龙潭, Shaxin 沙心, etc. Zhenning Buyei and Miao Autonomous County 1,555 300 Townships of Dingqi 丁旗, Liuma 六马, etc. Qinglong County 501 300 Zhenfeng County 1,024 300 Shuicheng County 1,862 Only a few elderly speakers Townships of Yingpan 营盘, Houchang 猴场, Miluo 米箩, Panlong 蟠龙, etc. Liuzhi Special District 8,218 1,000+ Mostly in the township of Qingkou 箐口 Longlin Various Nationalities Autonomous County, Guangxi - 200+ Malipo County, Yunnan - 100+ Also in Funing (in Dingjiapo 丁家坡), Guangnan, and Maguan Counties.
The Gelao people in the following counties do not speak any form of the Gelao language whatsoever, and have shifted entirely to Southwestern Mandarin.
+Ethnic Gelao without knowledge of the Gelao language County Ethnic Gelao population Wuchuan Gelao and Miao Autonomous County 145,989 Daozhen Gelao and Miao Autonomous County 112,025 Zheng'an County 31,706 Fenggang County 5,982 Yuqing County 4,347 Zunyi City 2,158 Shiqian County 97,500 Songtao County - Sinan County - Funing County, Yunnan 60
Vietnam
The most endangered variety, Red Gelao of Vietnam, is spoken by only about 50 people. Many speakers have shifted to Southwestern Mandarin or Hmong. The Red Gelao people, who call themselves the , send brides back and forth among the villages of Na Khê and Bạch Đích (or Bìch Đich) in Yên Minh District, Hà Giang Province, Vietnam and another village in Fanpo, Malipo County, Yunnan, China (autonym: ) in order to ensure the continual survival of their ethnic group. Edmondson (1998) reports that there are also Red Gelao people in Cán Tí, Quản Bạ District and Túng Sán, Hoàng Su Phì District who no longer speak any Gelao, and speak Hmong, Tay, or Vietnamese instead. Hoang (2013:12)Hoàng Thị Cáp. 2013. Văn hóa dân gian của người Cơ Lao Dỏ. Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản văn hóa thông tin. reports that there also some Red Gelao in Vĩnh Hảo commune, Bắc Quang District who had moved from Túng Sán commune. However, the White Gelao of Phố La Village and Sính Lủng Village of Dồng Văn District still speak the White Gelao language.
Varieties Gelao is not well documented, having only been studied by a few scholars such as Li Jinfang, Jerold A. Edmondson, Weera Ostapirat, and Zhang Jimin. The three varieties in Vietnam are not mutually intelligible, and three varieties in China may be distinct languages as well. Ethnologue classifies Gelao as four languages, perhaps as closely related to the two Lachi languages as they are to each other.
Ostapirat (2000), Edmondson (2008) Ostapirat (2000) proposed three major subdivisions for Gelao, with a total of 17 varieties.Ostapirat, Weera (2000). "Proto-Kra". Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 23 (1): 1-251 The Central and Southwestern branches shares various phonological innovations, suggesting an initial split with the Northern branch. Some varieties cited are also from Jerold A. Edmondson (2008). Edmondson also proposes that Red Gelao of the China-Vietnam border may in fact constitute a separate primary branch of Gelao.
Central (Gao) Wanzi 弯子寨, Anshun 安顺, Guizhou (also spoken in Heizhai 黑寨) Dagouchang 大狗场, Huolong 活龙乡, Pingba 平坝, Guizhou Xinzhai 新寨, Baiyan 白岩乡, Puding 普定, Guizhou (also spoken in Wozi 窝子) Sanchong (三冲村), Longlin (隆林县), Guangxi Green Gelao of Hoàng Su Phì, Vietnam
Northern (Red Gelao) Qiaoshang 桥上, Xiongjiazhai 熊家寨乡, Longchang 龙场区, Zhijin 织金, Guizhou Bigong 比贡, Dingqi 丁旗乡, Zhenning 镇宁, Guizhou Longli 龙里, Majiang 麻江, Guizhou (Zhang calls this dialect Mulao 木佬; autonym: 嘎窝); there are two dialects (Bo Wenze 2003):Bo, Wenze 薄文泽. 2003. Mulao yu yan jiu (A Study of Mulao) [木佬语硏究]. Beijing: Central University for Nationalities Publishing House [中央民族大学出版社]. Xiasi 下司 (in Longlizhai 龙里寨, etc.) and Longshan 龙山 (in Bamaozhai 芭茅寨 of Fuxing 复兴村, Huangtuzhai 黄土寨 of Wengpao 翁袍村, Bailazhai 白腊寨, etc.) of Majiang County Lushan 炉山, Chongbaizhai 重摆寨 of Dafengdong 大风洞 (autonym: 类窝Guizhou Ethnic Gazetteer (2002)), and Pingliang 平良 of Kaili City; Chang'anjiang 长安江 of Huangping CountyThe Mulao of these locations variously classified as ethnic Miao, Buyi, and Mulao by the Chinese government. Longjia 龙家寨, Zhijin 织金, Guizhou
Southwestern (White and Green Gelao) Laozhai 老寨, Malipo 麻栗坡, Yunnan (related dialects spoken in Yueliangwan 月亮弯 of Yangwan township 杨万乡; Fengyan 峰岩 of Dongdu village 董度村; Chongba 铳八 of Donggan 董干乡) Ban Ma Che, Đồng Văn, Hà Giang, Vietnam White Gelao of Hà Giang Province: Đồng Vǎn, Hoàng Su Phì, Quản Bạ, and Mèo Vạc districts Red Gelao of Fanpo (翻坡), Malipo (麻栗坡县), Yunnan (?) Moji 摩/磨/么基, Longlin 隆林, Guangxi in 上冲 Shangchong and 下冲 Xiachong (< 400 speakers; near Dashuijing 大水井; related dialects in Wantao 弯桃 and Zhe'ai 者艾 of Yancha 岩茶乡) Niupo 牛坡, Liuzhi 六枝, Guizhou (most populous; also spoken in Machang 马场镇 of Puding 普定县 and Agong 阿弓镇 of Zhijin 织金县; Judu 居都, Yanjiao 岩脚, Houzitian 猴子田, Langjiaba 郞家坝, and Duojiao 堕脚 of Liuzhi 六枝) Datiezhai 打铁寨, Shuicheng 水城, GuizhouHagei dialect according to Zhou (2004:63) (also spoken in Gaoshi 高石 and Miluo 米箩) Dingyinshao 定银哨, Zhenning 镇宁, Guizhou Pudi 普底, Dafang 大方, Guizhou (also spoken in Hongfeng 红丰村) Jianshan 尖山, Zunyi 遵义, GuizhouRed Gelao according to Zhou (2004:63) (also spoken in Pingzheng 平正, Zunyi along with Red and Green Gelao; fewer than 500 speakers) Qinglong 青龙, Zunyi 遵义, Guizhou Sanchong 三冲村, Longlin 隆林, Guangxi (grouped as Central by Shen Yumay and Jerold A. EdmondsonShen Yumay. 2003. Phonology of Sanchong Gelao. M.A. Thesis, University of Texas at Arlington.)
Zhang (1993) Zhang Jimin (1993) recognizes the following subdivisions of Gelao.
Central 黔中方言 (10,000 speakers) Dagouchang subdialect 平坝县大狗场土语: spoken in Wanzi 弯子 and Heizhai 黑寨 of Anshun City 安顺县; and Dagouchang 大狗场 and Wangzhai 王寨 of Pingba County 平坝县 (autonyms: in Anshun; or in Pingba). Xinzhai subdialect 普定县新寨土语: spoken in Xinzhai 新寨, Wozi 窝子, Changchong 长冲, and Weiqi 未七 villages in Baiyan District 白岩区, Puding District 普定县 (autonym: ). Xiongzhai subdialect 织金熊寨土语: spoken in Qiaoshang Village 桥上村, Xiongjiazhai Township 熊家寨乡, Longchang District 龙场区, Zhijin County 织金县. North-Central 黔中北方言 (14,000 speakers)