• Endangered

  40 percent certain, based on the evidence available

• <40,000

  Native speakers worldwide
• Ethnic population

  ~40,000

• MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS

  About 40,000 group members within the Yi nationality, but far fewer speakers.

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

• Chinese

• varieties of Nasu

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

Known as Gan Yi, ‘dry Yi’, in Chinese, one of several groups so called, subservient to the Hei Yi, ‘black Yi’ nobility and Bai Yi, ‘white Yi’ commoner Nasu and Nosu. Laka was the term used in early missionary contacts; it is the Nasu name for the group. Being replaced by Chinese and/or varieties of closely related Nasu.

PLACES

China

LOCATION DESCRIPTION

Yunnan, northern Wuding, Luquan and Yuanmou counties; Sichuan, southern Huili and western Miyi counties