Nanjinghua

Conference presentations: Hsiu, Andrew. 2013. New endangered Tibeto-Burman languages of southwestern China: Mondzish, Longjia, Pherbu, and others.

On the evening of April 2, 2013, an elderly man over the age of 80 in Jianxinhe village 建新河村, Kunzhai Township 昆寨乡, Nayong County, Guizhou, China told me that the phrase for 'eat rice' in Nanjinghua was [suo55 mu21].

On April 3, 2013 in Jianxinhe village 建新河村, Kunzhai Township 昆寨乡, I talked to Zhao Chuanmin 赵传敏, a woman who was 53 years old. Her mother could speak Nanjinghua, but passed away 13 years ago in 2000, at the age of 68. Her date of birth would be about 1932. There were less than 5% Bai in the township.

Wang Dechang 王得昌 (male; date of birth: December 3, 1952) of Gusu village 古苏村, Kunzhai Township 昆寨乡 spoke a language called Nusuphu (autonym: [nɯ55 su21 phu33]). All Yi people in the township were "Nusuphu." He has also heard of the Caijia, but reports that there are now completely Sinicized, with no ethnic language or customs remaining.

Kunzhai locals claimed that Nanjinghua was similar to Nusuphu, but with some differences, such as ‘to eat rice.’ Also, township residents reported the existence of Nanjingren in Yongjiu village 永久村, Kunzhai Township 昆寨乡. Other reported locations of ethnic Bai include:

• Tuowai village 拖歪村, Zuojiuga Township 左鸠嘎乡

• Dazhai 大寨 (Zhaojiazhai 赵家寨), Yiguo village 以果村, Xinfang Township 新房乡

• Shedongguan Township 厍东关 (10% Bai or so). I was also told by locals that most Nanjing people 南京族 in Shedongguan Township 厍东关are in Shaba 沙坝 and Zhongzhai 中寨.

• There are also ethnic Bai in Xingwang Village, Tianba Town, Qixingguan District, Bijie City (毕节市七星关区田坝镇兴旺村).