| Lamu | |
|---|---|
| Native to | China |
| Region | Yunnan |
| Ethnicity | 300 (2007)[1] |
Native speakers | 120 (2007)[2] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | llh |
| Glottolog | lamu1257 |
| ELP | Lamu |
Lamu (Lamo; autonym:la21mu33) is a highly endangeredLoloish language of northeasternBinchuan County,Yunnan. According to Bradley (2007), the Lamo language is similar toLisu andLipo, although the speakers are classified by the Chinese government as ethnicLahu. There are only about 100 speakers left, all of whom are also first-language speakers ofLipo. Lamo speakers were located by Bradley in 1999.
Lamu is spoken in 5 villages of Zhongying Township 钟英傈僳族乡 in the northeastern corner ofBinchuan County,Dali Prefecture, Yunnan, China.[3] In all 5 villages, the Lipo (officially classified as Lisu) are the majority while the Lamu are the minority. There are also some Lolo speakers (officially classified as Yi) in the area.[3] Most Lamu speakers have non-Lamu spouses. According to Bradley (2004), theCentral Ngwi homeland may be in the Lamu area.[3]
Sino-Tibetan branches | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WesternHimalayas (Himachal, Uttarakhand,Nepal,Sikkim) |
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| EasternHimalayas (Tibet,Bhutan,Arunachal) | |||||
| Myanmar and Indo- Burmese border |
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| East andSoutheast Asia |
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| Dubious (possible isolates,Arunachal) |
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| Proposed groupings | |||||
| Proto-languages | |||||
Italics indicates single languages that are also considered to be separate branches. | |||||