Nung language (Sino-Tibetan)

Nung, or Anong , is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by the Nung people in Fugong County, China and Kachin State, Burma. The Anong language is related very closely to the Derung Rawang language and Northern Lisu language. Most of the Nung people in China have shifted to Lisu. In Myanmar, Anong is considered as one of the clans of the Lisu family, called nopha (meaning "bean" in Lisu). the number of Anong speakers are decreasing year after year. The population of Anong people can't be easily known because they are mixed with the Lisu population. Only older people in this age can speak and write in Anong language. All the young generation use Lisu rather than Anong even at home. The majority of Anong speakers in Myanmar are found in Putao township and Myitgyina township in Kachin state. There are many other living in different cities such as Yangon, Khanti and Taunggy etc. But they couldn't use their language anymore. Instead they use Lisu. Therefore, Anong language is one of the endangered languages in the world. Besides in China and Myanmar, Anong people can also be found in Thailand and India. .

Demographics

Anong is spoken by over 7,000 people in China, in the following townships (Sun & Liu 2005).

• Shangpa 上帕镇: 2,200 people
• Lijia 里甲乡: 1,100 people
• Lumadeng 鹿马登乡: 2,100 people
• Lishadi 利沙底乡: 2,200 people

There could be many more Anong speakers in neighboring Kachin State, Burma, although their current status is unknown.

Phonology

Consonant

References