U language
The U language or P'uman, 濮满, is spoken by 40,000 people in the Yunnan Province of China and possibly Myanmar. It is classified as an Austroasiatic language in the Palaungic branch. In China, U speakers are classified as ethnic Bulang.Locations
U is spoken in Shuangjiang County of Yunnan and other nearby counties.
- Wang & Chen covers the dialect of Pengpan 碰拚, Dafengshan Township 大凤山乡, Shuangjiang County.
- Zhou & Yan covers the dialect of Pangpin 胖品, Yongge Township 永革乡, Shuangjiang County.
- Yan & Zhou cover U of Gantang 甘塘, Yongde County as well as U of Pangpin 胖品.
- Svantesson documents the U dialect of Paɑ̃ Xɛp, Shahe Township 沙河乡, Shuangjiang County.
There 2 main dialects of U in Shuangjiang County: one spoken in Gongnong 公弄 and one spoken in Bangbing 邦丙 and Dawen Mangga 大文乡忙嘎; the Dawen dialect is reportedly mutually intelligible with that of Shidian County.
Avala is spoken in Bangliu 邦六, Manghuai Township 芒怀乡, Yun County 云县, Yunnan, China.Phonology
U has four tones, high, low, rising, falling, which developed from vowel length and the nature of final consonants.