Chen et al. (1985) Chen et al. (1985:114) recognizes three major varieties of
Southern Yi (i.e., Nisu) spoken in
Yunnan province:
Shijian (石建; Shiping-Jianshui),
Yuanjin (元金; Yuanjiang-Jinping), and
Exin (峨新; Eshan-Xinping).
Autonyms include
na̠33 su55 and
na̠33 su55 pho21 (alternatively
ne̠33 su55 pho21). Chen (1985) reported a speaker population of nearly 1.6 million. •
Shijian 石建土语: spoken in Shiping, Jianshui, Tonghai, Gejiu, Kaiyuan, Mengzi, and Hekou counties •
Yuanjin 元金土语: spoken in Yuanyang, Jinping, Mojiang, Yuanjiang, Pu'er, Jiangcheng, and Honghe counties •
Exin 峨新土语: spoken in Eshan, Xinping, Jiangchuan, Yuxi, Yimen, and Kunming counties
Yang (2009) Yang (2009) classifies the Nisu dialects as follows. •
Northern Nisu •
North-central (
Shijian 石建): spoken in Shiping, Xinping, Jiangcheng, Mojiang, and Lüchun counties •
Northwestern (
Exin 峨新): spoken in Eshan and Jinning counties •
Southern Nisu (
Yuanjin 元金): spoken in Honghe, Yuanyang, Jinping, Yuanjiang, Shiping, and perhaps also Jianshui counties •
Far Northwestern Nisu: spoken in Beidou Township (北斗彝族乡),
Yongping County (descendants of Nisu soldiers who migrated to Yongping during the early
Ming Dynasty; most divergent Nisu variety) The Jiangcheng, Mojiang, and Lüchun varieties were grouped by Chen (1985) to be southern varieties, but Yang (2009) found that they actually belonged to the Northern Nisu group.
Other varieties Other Nisu or Southern Yi groups with similar
autonyms or language varieties are: •
Ache 阿车: Autonym in Xinping County (population 100+ as of 1955) is ''''. •
Luowu 罗武 (300+ people in
Xinping County (1955); 100 households in
Shuangbai County; also in
Zhenyuan County): '''' •
Achang 阿常 of Niukong 牛孔,
Lüchun County •
Pulian 普连 of Qimaba 骑马坝, Daxing 大兴, and Gekui 戈奎,
Lüchun County •
Alu 阿鲁 of Dashuigou 大水沟,
Lüchun County A variety of Southern Nisu (autonym: '''') spoken in Aka Luoduo (阿卡洛多) village (also called Taiping village; 太平村), Tianfang Village (田房村),
Jiangcheng County is covered in Lu Yan (2008). In
Tonghai County,
Southern Yi (Nisu) is spoken by all generations only in Xiangping (象平), Bajiao (芭蕉), Sizhai (四寨), Shikan (石坎), Pingba (平坝), Shangzhuangke (上庄科), and Xiazhuangke (下庄科) villages. ==Lexicography==