Alternate Names: Hsiang, Hunan, Hunanese, Xiang
Dialects: Changsha, Changyi, Jishou, Jishu, Jixu, Loudi, Luoshao, Shaoyang, Xupu, Yiyang. Linguistically between Mandarin , and Wu , Chinese and marginally intelligible with them. Reportedly becoming more similar to (southwestern) Mandarin , and is losing non-northern features. 3 main dialect groups: Changyi (includes Changsha and Yiyang), Luoshao (includes Loudi and Shaoyang), and Jixu (Jishu) (includes Xupu and Jishou). A member of macrolanguage Chinese ,.
Status Notes: Language of recognized nationality: Han.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 36,000,000 in China (1984). Population total all countries: 36,000,290.
Language Use: All ages. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 91% (2000 census, Han nationality). Highly literate in Chinese, and they use that literature.
Writing System: Han (Simplified), Han (Traditional), Nüshu
Nation of Origin: China