Awa

A language of China

ISO 639: vwa
Alternate Names: Ava, Awa Wa, Va
Population: 98,000 (Zhou Zhizhi et al 2004). Masan Dialect: 33,000 in Ximeng County; Xiyun Dialect: 2,200 in Lancang and Menglian counties; Dawangnuo Dialect: 30,000 in Menglian and Ximeng counties; Awalei Dialect: 2,200 in Ximeng County; Awa proper: 30,600 In Lancan County.
Location:: Yunnan province: Simao prefecture: Lahu and Va, Lancang Lahu, Menglian Dai, and Ximeng Va autonomous counties.
Language Status: 6b* (Threatened). Language of recognized nationality: Wa.
Classification: Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Northern Mon-Khmer, Palaungic, Eastern Palaungic, Waic, Wa
Dialects: Masan (’A Vo’, La via’, Ro via’, Vo’), Xiyun (Shixi, Va’), Damangnuo (Dawangnuo, Mangnuo, Vo’, Wangnuo), Awalei (’A vo’ loi, Awalai). Closely related languages: Vo Wa [wbm], Parauk Wa [prk], and Blang [blr]. Lexical similarity: 67% with Parauk Wa [prk], 50% with Vo Wa [wbm] (Shearer and Sun 2017).
Language Use: Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 76% (2000 census).
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Awa
Writing: Unwritten [Qaax].
Other Comments: Different from U (Awa) [uuu]. Some speakers in Northern Shan State, Myanmar. At least one village in Eastern Shan State, Myanmar.

Location: Yunnan province: Simao prefecture: Lahu and Va, Lancang Lahu, Menglian Dai, and Ximeng Va autonomous counties.