Zaiwa is a member of the Northern Burmish branch of the Lolo-Burmese language family. It is spoken by about 100,000 people in China and Myanmar (Burma). The majority of Zaiwa speakers, about 70,000, are found in Longchuan, Yingjiang and Mangshi counties in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in the west of Yunnan province in the southwest of China. In Myanmar, Zaiwa is spoken by about 30,000 people in Kachin State in the northeast of the country.
Other names for Zaiwa include Tsaiwa, Tsaiva, Atzi, Azi, Aci, Aji, Atshi, Atsi-Maru, Maru, Zi and Szi. The native name is Zaiwa mying [tsai²² ʋa⁵¹ mʲiŋ³⁵]. There are three dialects of Zaiwa in China: Bangwa, Longzhun and Tingzhu, and one main dialect in Myanmar: Sadon (Sadung).
Ways to write Zaiwa with the Fraser alphabet and Latin alphabet were devised by missionaries in the 1930s. The Fraser alphabet was used until the 1950s, and the Latin alphabet has been used since then. The Latin alphabet for Zaiwa was revised in 1957 and 1981.
Download alphabet charts for Zaiwa (Excel)
Zaiwa has five tones which can be indicated with numbers, diacritics or letters. However this is optional.
Information about Zaiwa | Numbers
Information about Zaiwa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaiwa_language
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/载瓦语
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Цзайва_(язык)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292048469_A_Grammar_and_Dictionary_of_Zaiwa_2_vols
http://www.language-archives.org/language/atb
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/atb
Achang, Akha, Bisu, Burmese/Myanmar, Hani, Lahu, Lashi, Lipo, Lisu, Lolopo, Marma, Nisu, Nusu, Nuosu, Sani, Zaiwa
Languages written with the Latin alphabet
Page created: 30.10.23. Last modified: 09.01.26
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