The Lisoish languages, also known in broader scope as the Central Loloish or Central Ngwi languages, are a branch of the Loloish languages that includes several of the Yi languages
Central Loloish was proposed by Bradley (1997) and Thurgood (2003). Thurgood removed the Sani–Azha languages. Lama (2012) removed Lahu and Jinuo, and did not address Micha, calling the remaining core Lisoish.
There is no single phonological innovation that defines Lisoish.
Close to Lisu within Central Loloish, but not addressed directly by Lama (2012), are the Micha languages:
Miqie (Micha), Lamu
Another Central Loloish language, possibly Lisoish, is Lang’e (La’u), as apparently is Naluo. Yang (2011) reports Lawu, which is closest to Lavu/Talu. Other languages that are unclassified within Central Loloish are Limi and Mili.
Two of the six Yi languages (fangyan 方言) officially recognized by the Chinese government belong to Lama's Lisoish clade:
Western Yi (Lalo 腊罗)
Central Yi (Lolopo 倮倮泼)
The remaining four are Nisoish.
Chen (2010) lists the following dialects for "Lolo" (倮倮) languages, which corresponds to part of Lama's Lisoish clade, but in a narrower scope. The position of Lisu is not addressed. Also listed are the counties where each respective dialect is spoken.
Lolo 倮倮方言
Lolo, Luóluó 倮倮次方言 (lo̱˨˩lo̱˧pʰo˨˩): 600,000 speakers in all counties of Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture
Lalu, Làlǔ 腊鲁次方言
Lalu, Làlǔ 腊鲁 (la˨˩lu̱˧pa˨˩): 250,000 speakers in Dali, Weishan, Midu, Yongping, Baoshan, etc.
Lalo, Làluó 腊罗 (la˨˩lo̱˨˩ɣɑ˥ly˥): 250,000 speakers in Dali, Weishan, Yunxian, Changning, Nanjian, Lincang, Shuangjiang, Midu, Jingdong, Jinggu, etc.
Lipo, Lǐpō 里泼次方言
Lipo, Lǐpō 里泼 (li˧pʰo˨˩): 200,000 speakers in Luquan, Wuding, Yongsheng, Huaping, etc.
Lavu, Lāwù 拉务 (la˨˩u˨˩): 50,000 speakers in Yongsheng
Talu, Tǎlǔ 塔鲁 (tʰa˨˩lu˥): 50,000 speakers in Yongsheng, Huaping, etc.
Toloza, Tánglángràng 堂郎让 (tʰo˧lo˧za˧): 2,000+ speakers in Tai'an Township, Lijiang County
Cathryn Yang (2010) lists the following 4 languages as peripheral Lalo languages.
Yangliu
Eka
Mangdi
Xuzhang
Andy Castro, et al. (2010) have reported the discovery of 5 languages in Heqing County, Yunnan that are most closely related to Talu (他留话) of Yongsheng County. Autonyms are from Castro (2010:25). Sonaga is the most divergent, while the other four languages comprise a core subclade.
Kua-nsi (kʰua˧n˨˩sɨ˥; 跨恩斯话): 5,000+ speakers
Kuamasi (kʰua˧ma˧sɨ˥; 跨玛斯话)
Laizisi (lai˨˩dzɨ̱˥sɨ˥; 莱兹斯话)
Zibusi (zɨ˨˩pu˥sɨ˥; 子逋斯话)
Sonaga (so˨˩na˧ka̱˧; 锁内嘎话): 2,000+ speakers
Gomotage (ɣɔ˨˩mɔ˧ta˥ɣə˨˩; also known as ɣɔ31 mɔ33 zɔ31), an undocumented and little-known Loloish language of Eryuan County, is also probably related to Kua-nsi (Yang 2010:7). Yang (2010:7) also suggests that Wotizo (wɔ˨˩ti˧zɔ˨˩) of Midu County may probably be related to Lolo (Lolopo).
Bradley (2007) reports a moribund language Samatu.
Other languages that may be Lisoish include (see also List of lesser-known Loloish languages):
Enipu 厄尼蒲 of Nanjian County (pop. 11,000) and Weishan County (pop. 5,000)
Gaiji 改积 of central Yun County
Gaisu, Western 改苏(西) (Luoren) of northeastern Yongde County
Gepo, Western 葛泼(西) of Liuhe Township 六合彝族乡, Heqing County
Liude 六得 of Liude Township 六德乡, Yongsheng County
Liwu 里乌 of Yongsheng County
Maci 骂池 of Maci village 骂池, Taipingdi Village Cluster 太平地村, Yongding City 永定镇, northeastern Yongren County
Naru 纳儒 of southern and central Yongsheng County (pop. 7,000) and southern Huaping County (pop. 4,500)
Naruo 纳若 (Zhili) of Yongsheng County and Huaping County
Naza 纳咱 of Nazan Village 纳咱, Liude Village 六德村, Liude Township 六德乡, Yongsheng County.
Pengzi 棚子 of Wumulong Township 乌木龙彝族乡 (and possibly also Mengban Township 勐板乡), Yongde County
Suan 蒜 of Wumulong Township 乌木龙彝族乡 and Mengban Township 勐板乡, Yongde County
Popei 泼胚 of Huaping County (pop. 1,000; several villages), Dayao and Yongren Counties; small pockets in nearby regions.
Qiangyi 羌夷 of Xiangyun County (pop. 9,000) and Binchuan County (pop. 1,000)
Tazhi of Puwei Township 普威镇, northern Miyi County 米易县, Sichuan
Tusu 土族 of Xiangyun County
Xiangtang 香堂 of southwestern Yunnan
Xijima 洗期麻 of central Yun County
Western Samadu 撒马堵(西) of Zhenkang County (pop. 6,000), Yongde County (pop. 1,500)
Lama (2012) lists the following sound changes from Proto-Loloish as Lisoish innovations.
*m- > zero
*m- > p-
Pelkey (2011:367) lists the following as Central Ngwi innovations.
Proto-Ngwi tone categories 1 and 2: tone splitting that is widespread
Proto-Ngwi tone category 2 splits to *glottal-prefixed initials (higher-pitched reflexes) and *non-glottal-prefixed initials (lower-pitched reflexes; with a subsequent flip-flop in Lahu)
Proto-Ngwi tone category L prefixed stop initials > high/rising pitch reflexes
Family group classifiers paradigmatized with disyllabic forms, vowel leveling, and other systemic changes
Burmic extentive paradigm is moderately grammaticalized; more than Southern Ngwi, but fewer than Northern Ngwi
