Mpi language (original) (raw)

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Loloish language of Thailand

Mpi
Kaw
Native to Thailand, perhaps China
Ethnicity 1,500 (2007)[1]
Native speakers 900 (2007)[1]
Language family Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-BurmanLolo–BurmeseLoloishSouthern LoloishBi-KaMpi
Language codes
ISO 639-3 mpz
Glottolog mpii1239
ELP Mpi

Mpi is a Loloish language of Thailand. The number of speakers is in decline. It is spoken in the following two villages in northern Thailand.

Since the Mpi of Thailand migrated from Mengla, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China over 300 years ago, there could also possibly be Mpi speakers in China (Nahhas 2007).

Mpi has six tones and two phonations in its vowels, modal voice and stiff voice:

Tone Modal voice Stiff voice
Low sì 'blood' sì̬ 'seven'
Low rising si᷅ 'putrid' si̬᷅ 'dried up'
Mid sī (a color) sī̬ (a classifier)
Mid rising sǐ 'to roll' sǐ̬ 'to smoke'
High sí 'four' sí̬ (a name)
High rising si᷄ 'to die' si̬᷄ (a name)
  1. ^ a b Mpi at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)