Dialects: Other dialect speakers comprehend the prestige dialect Miangu (Central Nusu, Miangu, Laomudeng) fairly well.
Status Notes: Language of recognized nationality: Nu.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 12,000 in China (Bradley 2007). 2,000 Northern Nusu; 4,000 Southern; 6,000 Central. Population total all countries: 12,670. 1,000 monolinguals.
Language Use: Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Mixed attitudes. Intellectuals want to preserve it. 9,000 also use Lisu [lis].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 68% literate in any language (2000 census, Nu nationality). Bible portions: 2010.
Typology: SOV; grammatical relations indicated mainly by word order and particles; tonal, 4 tones with relatively complex sandhi; loans from Lisu, Chinese, and a few from Burmese.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: China
Other Comments: With Ayi, Anong, 1,500 Zauzou, and 5,500 Drung. Traditional religion.