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Lü

A language of China

ISO 639-3: khb

Population	280,000 in China (2000 census). 50% monolingual. Population total all countries: 701,960.
Region	South Yunnan, Jinghong (Chiang Hung, Chien Rung), Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, west of Lixianjiang (Black) River. Also in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam.
Language map	Southwestern China
Alternate names	Dai, Dai Le, Lu, Lue, Ly, Pai’i’, Pai-I, Shui-Pai-I, Sipsongpanna Dai, Tai Lu, Xishuangbanna Dai
Dialects	Mu’ang Yong and dialects in the Lanna area may converge phonologically with Northern Thai [nod] (Diller and Juntanamalaga 1990). Low intelligibility with Shan [shn] (Dehong). Different from Tai Nüa [tdd], each having their own traditions. Most closely related to Khun [kkh]. Lexical similarity: 88% with Northern Thai, 74% with Central Thai [tha].
Classification	Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Be-Tai, Tai-Sek, Tai, Southwestern, Northwest
Language use	Official regional language. Vigorous. Some speakers of other languages use Lü as L2 for trade. All domains. All ages. Positive attitude. Also use Chinese [cmn] or Jingpho [kac]. Some schools only teach in Chinese.
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: 84%. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Magazines. Newspapers. Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1933.
Writing system	Lanna (Tai Tham) script. Lao script. Latin script. New Tai Lue script. Tai Le script. Thai script.
Comments	Classified as Dai nationality. SVO; modifiers follow noun heads. Agriculturalists: wet rice; merchants; small businessmen. Traditional religion, Buddhist.

Also spoken in:

Laos

Language name	Lü
Population	134,000 in Laos (2000).
Region	West Phongsali, Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Udomxay, Xanyabouli, Luang Prabang provinces.
Language map	Laos, reference number 35
Alternate names	Lu, Lue, Pai-I, Shui-Pai-I
Comments	Traditional religion, Buddhist.

Myanmar

Language name	Lü
Population	200,000 in Myanmar (1981).
Region	Kengtung District of Shan state.
Alternate names	Lue, Pai-I, Shu-Ai-I, Tai Lu
Comments	Traditional religion, Buddhist.

Thailand

Language name	Lü
Population	83,000 in Thailand (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001).
Region	Widespread in the north; Chiangrai, Payao, Lamphun, Nan, Chiang Kham.
Language map	Northern Thailand, reference number 19
Alternate names	Lu, Lue, Pai-I, Pai-Yi, Shui-Pai-I, Tai Lu, Tai Lue, Thai Lu
Language use	All domains. All ages. Positive attitude. Also use Central [tha] or Northern Thai [nod].
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%.
Comments	Agriculturalists: wet rice; fishermen. Traditional religion, Buddhist.

Viet Nam

Language name	Lü
Population	4,960 in Viet Nam (1999 census).
Region	North, Lai Chau Province, Binh Lu area.
Language map	Northwestern Viet Nam, reference number 52
Alternate names	Duon, Lue, Nhuon, Pai-I, Shui-Pai-I, Tai Lu
Comments	An official nationality. Traditional religion, Buddhist.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Cobbey, Heidi. 2007. "Challenges and prospects of minority bilingual education in China—an analysis of four projects."

Hanna, William J. 1988. "Negated adverbials in Tai Lue of Northern Thailand."

Hanna, William J. 1999. "Relative clauses in Tai Lue."

Hopple, Paulette. 2001. "Historical linguistics in Southeast Asian language programs."

Robinson, Edward Raymond. 1994. Further classification of Southwestern Tai "P" group languages.

Somsonge Burusphat. 2007. "A comparison of general classifiers in Tai-Kadai languages."  

Vernacular Publications

Dai Lü first year kindergarten primer track first semester. 2007.

Dai Lü first year kindergarten first semester math. 2007.

Dai Lü first year kindergarten first semester story track teacher's manual. 2007.

Dai Lü first year kindergarten first semester story track, books 1-2. 2007.

Dai Lü first year kindergarten primer track first semester teacher's exercises. 2007.

Dai Lü Pre-writing exercise book. 2007.