Pa-Hng language

Pa-Hng has long been recognized as divergent. Benedict (1986) argued that one of its dialects constituted a separate branch of the Miao–Yao family. Ratliff found it to be the most divergent Hmongic (Miao) language that she analyzed. This Bahengic branch also includes Younuo (Yuno) and Wunai (Hm Nai). ==Names==

Pa-Hng speakers are called by the following names: In Tongdao County, Hunan, the Pa-Hng ('''') are also known as the Seven Surname Yao 七姓瑶, since they have the seven surnames of Shen 沈, Lan 兰, Dai 戴, Deng 邓, Ding 丁, Pu 蒲, and Feng 奉. In China, Pa-Hng speakers are classified as Yao, even though their language is Hmongic rather than Mienic. ==Varieties==

Mao & Li (1997) splits Pa-Hng into the following subdivisions, and most closely related to Hm Nai: • Pa-Hng proper (巴哼 '''') • Northern • Southern • Hm Nai (唔奈 '''') Vocabulary word lists for these three Pa-Hng varieties can be found in Mao & Li (1997). An additional dialect is found in Vietnam. • Northern Pa-Hng: Gundong 滚董, Liping County 黎平, Guizhou • Southern Pa-Hng: Wenjie 文界, Sanjiang County 三江, Guangxi • Hm Nai: Huxingshan 虎形山, Longhui County 隆回, Hunan The Na-e dialect (also known by the Vietnamese rendition of Pa-Hng, Pà Then [Pateng]), is a geographic outlier. Paul Benedict (1986) argued that it is not actually Pa-Hng, or even Hmongic, but a separate branch of the Miao–Yao language family. However, Strecker (1987) responded that it does appear to be a Pa-Hng dialect, though it has some peculiarities, and that Pa-Hng as a whole is divergent. ==Distribution==

China Pa-Hng speakers are distributed in the following counties in China. Most of the counties have 1,000–6,000 Pa-Hng speakers (Mao & Li 1997). • Hunan • Longhui County, Shaoyang (Hm-Nai speakers) • Hm-Nai: Huxingshan 虎形山乡, Xiaoshajiang 小沙江乡, Motang 磨塘乡, Dashuitian 大水田乡 • Dongkou County, Shaoyang (Hm-Nai speakers) • Chenxi County, Huaihua (Hm-Nai speakers) • Xupu County, Huaihua (Hm-Nai speakers) • Tongdao County, Huaihua (Hm-Nai speakers): 1,779 people (2000), in Chuansu Township 传素瑶族乡 and Linkou Township 临口镇 (in Shangdong 上洞村 and Xiadong 下洞村 villages). • Chengbu Miao Autonomous County, Shaoyang • Xinning County, Shaoyang • Suining County, Shaoyang (100+ speakers) • Guizhou • Liping County • Northern Pa-Hng: Gundong 滚董乡, Shunhua 顺化乡 • Congjiang County • Southern Pa-Hng: Gaomang 高忙乡 • Guangxi • Rongshui County (12,000+ speakers) • Northern Pa-Hng: Dalang 大浪乡, Danian 大年乡, Antai 安太乡, Dongtou 洞头乡, Gunbei 滚贝乡, Wangdong 汪洞乡, Gandong 杆洞乡; Huaibao 怀宝镇 • Bắc Quang District, Hà Giang Province, Vietnam • Minh Thương Village, Tân Lập Township • Tân Thịnh Township • Hồng Quang Village, Chiêm Hoá District, Tuyên Quang Province (62 km northwest of Chiêm Hoá City), where the speakers are known as Mèo Hoa (Flowery Miao) the ancestors of the Pà Thẻn had first migrated from Guangxi to Hải Ninh (now Quảng Ninh Province), and then from Hải Ninh to the Thái Nguyên area. The Pà Thẻn then split off to settle in three main areas. • Linh Phú (Chiêm Hoá District, Tuyên Quang) and Trung Sơn (Yên Sơn District, Tuyên Quang) • Lăng Can (Na Hang District, Tuyên Quang), Hồng Quang (Chiêm Hoá District, Tuyên Quang), and Hữu Sản (Bắc Quang District, Hà Giang) • From Xuân Minh (Quang Bình District, Hà Giang), the Pà Thẻn migrated to the communes of Yên Bình, Yên Thành, Tân Trịnh, Tân Nam (all in Quang Bình District, Hà Giang) and Tân Lập (Bắc Quang District, Hà Giang). ==Phonology==

Consonants • Alveolar sounds are heard as retroflex in the Laobao dialect. Vowels can also be centralized to or when following initial sounds. ==See also==