Native to Laos, China ISO 639-3 bgk | Native speakers 2,200 (1994–2005) Glottolog bitt1240 | |
Language family Austroasiatic
Palaungic
Bit–Khang
Bit | ||
Bit (Khabit, Bid, Psing, Buxing) is an Austroasiatic language spoken by around 1,500 people in Phongsaly Province, northern Laos and in Mengla County, China. There are thought to be about another 500 speakers over the border in Yunnan Province, China. It has been classified as Palaungic, Khmuic, and as Mangic.
Contents
Names
In China, the Buxing people (布兴, 布幸, or 布醒; IPA: [puʃiŋ]) are also called Kami 佧米人 or Kabi 佧比人 (IPA: [khabit]) (Gao 2004).
Yan & Zhou (2012:157) list the following names for Khabit.
The Khabit name for Khmu is ta mɔi.
Classification
Paul Sidwell (2014) and Svantesson (1990) classify Bit as Palaungic. It is most closely related to Kháng and Quang Lam.
Laos
In Laos, Bit is spoken by 2,000 people in the following villages (Gao 2004). The speakers call themselves "Laubit."
Kingsada (1999) covers the Khabit (khaa bet) language of Nale village, Bun Neua District, Phongsaly Province, Laos.
China
In Mengla County, Yunnan, China, Bit (Buxing) is spoken by 539 people as of 2000, in the following villages (Gao 2004).
In Menghai County, Yunnan, China, there is a group of people known as the Bajia 八甲人 of Menghun 勐混 (not to be confused with the Tai-speaking Bajia of Meng'a Township 勐阿镇, Menghai County), which close to the border with Shan State, Myanmar (Zhou 2013). They live in Manbi Village 曼必村, Menghun Town 勐混镇, Menghai County, Yunnan (comprising 48 households and 217 persons), and have recently been classified by the Chinese government as ethnic Bulang people. Their autonym is Manbi 曼必 or Bi 必. The Bajia of Menghun believe that their ancestors had migrated from Laos. They are variously referred to by other ethnic groups as Kabi 卡必, Laotian Bulang 老挝布朗, and Manbi people 曼必人. They do not consider themselves to be Bajia 八甲人, which is a name given to them by government officials, since they do not believe they are related to the Tai-speaking Bajia of Meng'a.