Lizu (Chinese: 傈苏, 里汝, 吕苏; Western Ersu) is a Qiangic language spoken in Western Sichuan, China. There are 4,000 speakers according to Sun (1982) and 7,000 speakers according to Chirkova (2008). Muli, where Lizu is spoken, is a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual county and Lizu has been historically influenced by Mandarin Chinese.[2]
Varieties
Yu (2009: 2) lists the following varieties of Lizu:
Mianning Lizu: spoken in Lagusa 拉姑萨 Village (Lizu name `wontʂʰɨ `lombɑ), He’ai (“Hoŋai”) 和爱 Township, Mianning County 冕宁 , Liangshan 凉山 Prefecture. Documented by Yu (2012).
Kala Lizu: spoken in Kala 卡拉 Township, Muli County 木里 , Liangshan Prefecture. Documented by Chirkova (2008); Huáng and Rénzēng (1991); and Dài and Huáng (1992).
Naiqu Lizu: spoken in Naiqu 乃渠 Village, Naiqu Township, Jiulong County 九龙 , Garzê (Gānzī 甘孜) Prefecture. Documented by Ikeda (2009).
Ikeda, Takumi 池田巧 (2019). 大谷大學所藏本<<呂蘇譯語>>について [A Philological Report on Two Versions of the Lyuzu yiyu [Lyuzu-Chinese Vocabulary]]. Toho Gakuho 東方學報 (in Japanese). 94: 436–424. doi:10.14989/250687. hdl:2433/250687.
