Wa, Vo

WBM

developing

Alternate Names: Ban, Kawa, K’awa, La, Pan, Pinyin, Va, Vo, Wa Pwi, Wakut

Status Notes: Language of recognized nationality: Wa.

Genealogy:

Austro-Asiatic
Mon-Khmer
Northern Mon-Khmer
Palaungic
Eastern Palaungic
Waic
Wa

Demographics: 40,000 in China (Zhou Zhizhi, Qixiang Yan, and Guoqing Chen 2004). Population total all countries: 40,700. Many monolinguals.

Language Use: Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Lahu [lhu], Lü [khb], Mandarin Chinese [cmn]. Used as L2 by Blang [blr], Lahu [lhu].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 76% in any language (2000 census, Va nationality). NT: 1938.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: China

Other Comments: Traditional religion, Buddhist, Christian.