Samei

A language of China

ISO 639: smh
Alternate Names: Sani
Population: 20,000 (Bradley 2007b). Very few monolinguals. Ethnic population: 28,000 (Bradley 2007b).
Location:: Yunnan province: Guandu district, Ala and surrounding communities, Kunming, 47 villages; west Yiliang County, 7 villages.
Language Status: 6b (Threatened). Language of recognized nationality: Yi.
Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Ngwi-Burmese, Ngwi, Northern
Language Use: Extinct in some villages close to Kunming, severely endangered to the east in northeast Guandu and Yiliang, endangered in Ala Township, which is the center of the Samei distribution and where most villages are entirely or largely Samei (Bradley 2007a). Some young people, all adults. Most also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: High in Chinese.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Samei
Writing: Yi script [Yiii], traditional, no longer in use.
Other Comments: Traditional religion.

Location: Yunnan province: Guandu district, Ala and surrounding communities, Kunming, 47 villages; west Yiliang County, 7 villages.