Tujia, Southern

A language of China

ISO 639: tjs
Alternate Names: Mong Tsi, Tuchia
Population: 1,500 (Brassett and Brassett 2005), decreasing. Monolinguals are mainly women, children, and older adults. Ethnic population: 8,030,000 (2000 census). Includes 70,000 in Northern Tujia.
Location:: Northwest Hunan Province, Luxi county, 3 villages.
Language Status: 8a (Moribund). Language of recognized nationality: Tujia.
Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Northeastern Tibeto-Burman, Tujia
Dialects: None known. Northern [tji] and Southern Tujia are not mutually intelligible. Lexical similarity: 40% with Northern Tujia [tji], but with phonological and grammatical differences.
Typology: SOV; voiced stops and affricates; tonal, 5 tones.
Language Use: In Boluozhai, all speak the language; in Puzhu, some children can speak it; in Xiaqieji, only adults speak it (Bradley 2007a). Home, village. Older adults only. Positive attitudes. Shifted to Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 88% in Chinese (2000 census, Tujia nationality).
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Buddhist.

Location: Northwest Hunan Province, Luxi county, 3 villages.