Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Voa Dê, Vandu Gelao, 紅仡佬, Cờ Lao, 仡佬語阿歐方言, A-ou, A-uo
CLASSIFICATION		Tai-Kadai, Kadai, Ge-Chi
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		gir
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

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Information from: “Case studies of endangered languages in China (中國瀕危語言個案研究)” . Qingxia Dai (戴慶廈) · Minzu Publisher (民族出版社)

Critically endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
<6,000
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
579,357 (as of 2000 census; including all the ethnic Gelao)
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Speaker number includes speakers of all the Gelao languages. Only 1% of the entire Gelao population (White Gelao, Red Gelao, Green Gelao and Gao Gelao) speak their own Gelao languages.

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

Red Gelao has the fewest speakers among the Gelao languages.

SPEAKER ATTITUDE

neutral to negative

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Mandarin and other neighboring languages

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

Mandarin is the official language and the medium for education, and is used in both official and non-official domains

PLACES: China

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Dafang (大方), Qianxi (黔西), and Zhenning (鎮寧) counties of Guizhou

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
20
Native speakers worldwide

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
10-99
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
>100,000
SEMI SPEAKERS
30

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION

PLACES: Northwestern Guizhou Province, China; Ha Giang Province, Vietnam

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Only a few speakers remain in rural areas of Liuzhi City and Zhenning County; in Zhijin, Qianxi and Dafang counties, despite the presence of over 100,000 members of the Gelao nationality; the language has been replaced by Chinese. In Vietnam about 30 semispeakers who call themselves ‘Vanto’ live in one Kíolao community of 400.

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
15-20
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
15-20 (Zou Lei 柔勒 and A Hou 阿歐 varieties)

PLACES: Guizhou Province, China (Zou Lei and A Hou varieties)

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Zhenning and Dafang counties of Guizhou Province

20
Native speakers worldwide

PLACES: Vietnam; China

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
420
Native speakers worldwide

	2004	Case studies of endangered languages in China (中國瀕危語言個案研究)			in Chinese	Qingxia Dai (戴慶廈)	Minzu Publisher (民族出版社)				2004. "Case Studies of Endangered Languages in China (中國瀕危語言個案研究)." edited by Qingxia Dai (戴慶廈). Minzu Publisher (民族出版社).		579,357 (as of 2000 census; including all the ethnic Gelao)	<6,000	1000-9999	Speaker number includes speakers of all the Gelao languages. Only 1% of the entire Gelao population (White Gelao, Red Gelao, Green Gelao and Gao Gelao) speak their own Gelao languages.		all domains	Mandarin and other neighboring languages	no	neutral to negative	Mandarin is the official language and the medium for education, and is used in both official and non-official domains	no	all	Critically Endangered (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	15	Red Gelao has the fewest speakers among the Gelao languages.	15	15		China	Dafang (大方), Qianxi (黔西), and Zhenning (鎮寧) counties of Guizhou	27.147, 105.614; 27.019, 106.029; 26.073, 105.776
	2006	"Documentation of Two Gelao Varieties: Zou Lei and A Hou, South West China" HRELP Abstract							http://www.hrelp.org/grants/projects/index.php?projid=85	Li, Jinfang	Li, Jinfang. 2006. ""Documentation of Two Gelao Varieties: Zou Lei and A Hou, South West China" HRELP Abstract." Online: http://www.hrelp.org/grants/projects/index.php?projid=85.			15-20	10-99	15-20 (Zou Lei 柔勒 and A Hou 阿歐 varieties)									Severely Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)						Guizhou Province, China (Zou Lei and A Hou varieties)	Zhenning and Dafang counties of Guizhou Province
16	2009	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)				M. Paul Lewis	SIL International	Dallas, TX	http://www.ethnologue.com/		Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)	ll_pub		20																	Vietnam; China
3rd	2010	Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger					UNESCO Publishing	Paris	http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas	Christopher Moseley (ed.)	Moseley, Christopher (ed.). 2010. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 3rd edn. http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas. (03 June, 2011.)	ll_pub		420	100-999										Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)								23.1666,105.25
	2007	East and Southeast Asia	Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages	349-424		C. Moseley	London & New York: Routledge			David Bradley	Bradley, David. 2007. "East and Southeast Asia." In Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, edited by C. Moseley. 349-424. London & New York: Routledge.	HHOLD	>100,000		10-99		30								Critically Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	15			15	Only a few speakers remain in rural areas of Liuzhi City and Zhenning County; in Zhijin, Qianxi and Dafang counties, despite the presence of over 100,000 members of the Gelao nationality; the language has been replaced by Chinese. In Vietnam about 30 semispeakers who call themselves ‘Vanto’ live in one Kíolao community of 400.	Northwestern Guizhou Province, China; Ha Giang Province, Vietnam
		World Oral Literature Project							http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.			20	10-99										Severely Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)

Red Gelao

Language metadata

Language information by source

Critically endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

<6,000

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

20

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

10-99

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

15-20

20

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

420

Discussion

Red Gelao

Language metadata

Language information by source

Critically endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

<6,000

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

20

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

10-99

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

15-20

20

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

420

Discussion

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